Today I’m going to talk about one of the questions I get asked most as a fine jewelry designer, which is how to clean jewelry. Cleaning your jewelry will ensure its beauty and longevity. Good news is the safest cleaning methods are also the easiest. Here are two simple and quick ways in which you can do this:
If you’re engaged or married, first and foremost, congratulations! You’ll probably be wearing your diamond ring on a daily basis and believe it or not, it should be cleaned about every 1-2 weeks. Don’t worry; this is very easy to do. I use an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. Amazon sells many different kinds at different price ranges. They pack a mean punch of about 42,000 Hertz of ultrasonic energy waves that create millions of microscopic cleansing bubbles that gently lift dirt without using harsh chemicals or scrubbing. I either pour straight boiling hot water into it or mix it with a tablespoon of jewelry cleaning solution. It takes about 5 minutes. Then I take the jewelry out and rinse it under warm water.
Although I have this ultrasonic cleaner, there have been many times where I’ve simply used a soft toothbrush and baby shampoo to clean my jewels. Baby shampoo is a good option for both costume and fine jewelry that’s fragile or delicate. Just mix a few drops of it with ¼ cup of warm water. Soak your ring in it for about 5 – 10 minutes. Follow by gently cleaning around the stone setting and under using a very soft toothbrush, then rinse under warm water. Lastly, dry the jewelry with a soft cloth.
Sterling silver jewelry naturally tarnishes, especially when exposed to salty air. For high-polished silver jewelry, I recommend using a special silver cleaning cloth to restore its shiny surface.
Lastly, if you have any type of plated jewelry, gold-filled or vermeil, it’s not advised to polish, wipe, or use any dip style cleaning products because it can cause the plating to wear off. If you would like to re-plate your jewelry, please contact me at info@varduikara.com and attach a photo of the item to receive a quote.
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