How to Clean Your Jewelry Like the Pros

Your everyday jewelry pieces can really take a beating and collect dirt and debris! Constant wear can take a toll on your favorite or heirloom rings or earrings if you do not take care and maintain them for you and future generations to enjoy. Plus, nothing sparkles more than a clean and well-cared for piece of jewelry!

Check out essential ways to shine up your most precious pieces: 

Consistent cleaning: You should put into place a cleaning plan that occurs every six months or whenever your rings or necklaces are looking especially dingy. For gold, platinum or a mix of gold and platinum jewelry, it is best to have a soft old toothbrush on hand. Soak your dirty jewelry filled with mild dishwashing detergent and warm water for about 15 minutes. Do not use too hot water as it can damage precious stones or cause them to crack. Once your pieces have soaked, gently scrub intricate areas with your toothbrush and rinse well. Dry well with a soft cloth.

Special solution: For real silver jewelry that tends to tarnish, you can create a special mix at home. Line a bowl with aluminum foil and fill it with hot water and baking soda to create a reaction that will help soak away all of the tarnish that has built up on your jewelry. 

Quick touchup: There are a variety of products that are made for a quick wipe of your jewelry if it has been gunked up by food, sweat or body oils. Having this type of product on-hand can be a great way to do a quick cleanup if you do not have time to drag out a bowl and soak your rings.

Be proactive: You can help prevent your jewelry from getting too dingy in the first place by taking off your pieces when you are going to swim in a pool or in lakes or the ocean. Always remove your rings when you are putting on lotion or in the shower as that is where products can get in between your intricate ring areas and cause a buildup. Wear your silver jewelry as much as you can as that will help it stay shiny. When you are not wearing your silver, store it in an anti-tarnish bag.

Sometimes It’s Time for a Professional

If you are concerned at all about a loose stone or large scratch, let our jewelry specialists take a close look and clean it for you. At Brad’s Designs & Jewelry, we can get up-close and personal with your pieces and repair any issues or clean it up really well based on our expertise. Our repair services include: replacing prongs that hold in stones, watch repairs, soldering, replacing clasps or lost stones, resizing rings and professional cleaning. If you have any questions, please reach out to us via our online contact form.