How to Care for Stainless Steel Jewelry

Clean your stainless steel jewelry using common household products.

Stainless steel is a steel alloy containing a minimum of 10 percent chromium metal. According to the St. Patrick's Guild website, "the chromium properties make the alloy resistant to corrosion or rusting." Stainless steel jewelry is stronger than platinum or silver, but needs proper care to maintain its metal properties. To keep your stainless wedding rings, pendants and necklaces pristine, clean with inexpensive and common household products.

Things You'll Need

• Mild liquid detergent
• Lukewarm water
• Small bowl
• Old T-shirt
• Lint-free cloth
• Old toothbrush
• Non-whitening toothpaste
• Stainless-steel polishing cloth
• Ammonia-based window cleaner
• White vinegar

Instructions

1. Clean surface dirt. Mix 1 tsp. of mild liquid detergent and 1 cup of lukewarm water in a small bowl. Dip the edge of an old T-shirt or lint-free cloth in the soapy mixture. To avoid scratches, rub the cloth gently over the stainless steel jewelry.

2. Dip the dry edge of the cloth in warm water. Wipe the jewelry clean to remove any soap residue. Air-dry the jewelry on a clean cloth overnight, in a well-ventilated area.

3. Remove dirt trapped in the crevices of your stainless steel jewelry. Squirt a small dollop of non-whitening toothpaste on the edge of an old toothbrush. Scrub the toothpaste gently into the etched or grooved areas.

4. Rinse the toothbrush with warm water. Reapply the toothbrush to the dirty jewelry to lift ground-in dirt and remove any toothpaste residue.

5. Dip the dry edge of the cloth in warm water to finish cleaning the piece of jewelry. Wipe clean with the dry edge of the cloth. Air-dry on a T-shirt or cloth overnight.

6. Wipe your jewelry with a polishing cloth used for stainless steel jewelry. These cloths are available at jewelry stores.

Tips & Warnings

• Soaking your stainless steel jewelry in an ammonia solution, like window cleaner or undiluted white vinegar, is just as effective as using commercial cleaning products available at jewelry stores.

• Never use wax to shine your stainless steel pieces. Wax can leave a light film on your jewelry.

References

• St. Patrick's Guild: Jewelry Care
• Blend Creations: Stainless Steel Product Care
• "The Complete Household Handbook"; Good Housekeeping Institute; 2007

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish