Makeup residue, creams, dust, dirt, and several other elements are to blame when it comes to dulling your sparkly ‘bling’ and reducing its appeal. From everyday wear to the exclusive party or formal jewellery you own, chances are, they could all use a good clean. If your jewellery and other sparkly accessories have lost their shine, then let us walk you through on how to clean jewellery at home!
Types of Jewellery That You Clean at Home
- Gold
- Silver
- Gemstones
- Artificial
The hacks we’ll discuss below will help you clean all the kinds of jewellery mentioned above. And to make it simpler, we will share tips and tricks for every type separately.
Hacks for Cleaning Silver and Gold Jewellery
If your gold or silver jewellery has seen better days, here’s how you can make it shine like new:
Dishwashing Liquid
Mix a few drops of dishwashing liquid into a bowl of warm water. Soak your jewellery into the mixture for a few minutes. Then dip a soft cloth into the mix and rub your silver or gold jewellery gently. The purpose is to wipe away the tarnish in small soft strokes. Once you think the shine is back, you can rinse the piece with cold water and buff it with another clean and soft dry cloth. Remember to use a mild dishwashing liquid to clean jewellery at home.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a versatile household ingredient and can be used for several small tasks around the house. One of its many uses includes cleaning silver and gold jewellery coupled with a paste of baking soda and water. The recipe is simple. Mix one part of water with three parts of baking soda. Apply the paste to your silver bracelet or your gold ring after you’ve washed the piece. You can use any soft and lint-free cloth for the purpose. Apply the paste generously into all the crevices. Remember to keep turning the cloth as it picks up the dirt and grime on your jewellery. Rinse your piece once you are done and dry it with soft but firm strokes and another soft cloth.
Toothpaste
Toothpaste is generally used to clean your teeth, and it can also remove stains from them due to the presence of mild abrasives in its formula. Similarly, if your silver or gold jewellery is becoming discoloured, toothpaste can work as a stain remover to clean jewellery at home. Just use a small glob of toothpaste (the opaque white variety please, not coloured gels) to polish your gold and silver pieces. Apply and rub the toothpaste onto the jewellery using your finger or a soft cloth. Once the piece has been entirely covered, rinse it thoroughly with warm water. You can then buff it for extra shine with a spare soft cloth.
You can use the above methods when cleaning silver and gold jewellery to return it to its former glory. However, it is best to be cautious when cleaning silver-plated or gold-plated jewellery as excessive rubbing can wear away the finish. In addition, remember that these tips will not protect your jewellery pieces from environmental effects, so expect the tarnish to return over time.
Tips for Cleaning Gemstones
While cleaning pure silver or gold jewellery is easy, the process becomes a little trickier when you have precious gemstones embedded into the piece. Here are a few tips to keep in mind while you use the tips mentioned above to clean jewellery at home:
- One of the best tips for cleaning gemstones is to first identify the gemstones embedded in the piece you want to clean. Different gems have different properties, and if care is not taken, you might end up ruining the look and shine of the gem permanently.
- Opaque gemstones, including pearls, opals, and others should never be immersed into a water-based solution as they are soft stones and are highly porous. All they might actually need is a brief rinse.
- With clear gems like topaz, garnet, amethyst, and others, you still need to be careful while cleaning around the gemstone because you might accidentally dislodge the gem or loosen its glue in the quest to clean your jewellery completely.
Things to Keep in Mind while Cleaning Artificial Jewellery
A solution of dishwashing liquid and water is generally enough for cleaning artificial jewellery using a soft cloth. However, there are a few things that you should consider while cleaning fake jewellery on your own:
- Do not soak artificial jewellery into a soap and water solution to clean it. Most artificial pieces have stones that are glued on, rather than set into the metal. A soak in the water can loosen the glue and cause all the stones to fall off.
- Another reason why you shouldn’t soak fake jewellery, especially metallic pieces, is because artificial jewellery often uses poor quality of metallic alloys and a soak might lead to rusting over time.
While these jewellery cleaning tips and tricks are simple and easy to use, care needs to be taken when you clean jewellery at home and return your treasures to their original splendour without damaging them.
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