Gentle Cleaning Methods for Your Jewelry

Did you know a few simple household ingredients can easily and safely clean just about any of your favorite jewelry pieces? Keep reading below for my favorite tips to keep your jewelry looking like new.

Note: most of these recommendations are for precious metals. Jewelry made from base metals like brass, copper, and bronze require different methods of care.

I typically clean all my jewelry the same way, with a few exceptions. Best practices for general cleaning include making a paste from baking soda and Dawn dish soap with a little water. I then use a soft toothbrush and warm water to gently clean away grime and oils. This is a safe method for most stones and metals. The dish soap will cut through grease and the baking soda has a mild abrasive that aids in cleaning light tarnish. Travel Tip: in a pinch toothpaste is a great alternative when the other ingredients aren't available!

You may use this method on silver that has a blackened patina, but go gently so as to avoid changing the finish. Some oxidized metals are protected with a thin layer of wax to preserve the deep color of the patina--you can still wash these pieces but be aware that this may remove the protective wax and cause your piece to tarnish more quickly in the future.

If I have a piece that needs a little extra attention--like my 14k gold and diamond wedding ring that gets worn a lot and has extra spaces for dirt and oils to collect--I will soak it in a dish of warm water and dish soap for a while to loosen up the grime before scrubbing it with the baking soda paste.

Avoid using chemical cleaners such as bleach, chlorine, or ammonia. These can alter the color and even damage the metal and the stones!

Another easy method for cleaning your jewelry is a polishing cloth, such as Sunshine brand. Be careful of using too much pressure on oxidized pieces as that can remove the patina. These cloths are impregnated with a cleaning solution and should never be laundered. You can purchase a Sunshine Cloth here.

If your jewelry is all bright silver and the tarnish is overwhelming, you can resort to a silver dip cleaner such as Tarn-X which is available at hardware stores. Just be sure to follow the instructions on the bottle. You should not use this on jewelry with stones or with intentional oxidation. 

Softer stones like Pearls and Opals require more careful handling and should not be subjected to harsher cleaning chemicals. Check out my full Jewelry Care tips for more details.

Jewelry is more than just an investment; it's a personal expression often with deep sentimental value that reflects the life and story of the wearer. I hope this is a helpful guide in maintaining your fine art jewelry for years to come.

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