Learn how to clean jewelry at home to restore shine to your favorite gems, rings, and necklaces.
Understanding how to clean jewelry at home and properly care for your pieces will keep them in good condition.
You don’t need a professionalor expensive jewelry polishto breathe life back into your favorite gems.
Credit: Laura Moss
Learn how to clean jewelry with homemade products that feature budget-friendly ingredients you likely already have on hand.
If a basic cleaning isn’t enough, use oursilver cleaning tipsto help remove tarnish.
Avoid scrubbing these and only clean them with avery gentle soapand lukewarm water.
Credit:Jason Donnelly
Steam and heat loosen dirt and debris from jewelry, making it a snap to wipe away.
Simply place your pieces in a heatproof container, then slowly pour in boiling water until they’re covered.
Depending on how dirty your pieces are, they may still require a scrub after soaking.
Credit:Getty / vejaa
Remember that this method for cleaning jewelry willnotwork with pearls, opals, and many other gemstones.
Reserve this technique for silver, gold, platinum, diamonds, or other hard stones.
These are a few of our favorite at-home cleaning solutions.
Add your jewelry and let it sit for five minutes.
As you wait, the buildup should begin to fall to the bottom of the bowl.
Bothbaking sodaand effervescent heartburn tablets cause a chemical reaction when mixed with water.
This reaction produces bubbles and fizz that eagerly attack the buildup on your jewelry.
It likely won’t be strong enough for rust, major spots, or buildup.
Spray the cleaner directly on the piece and either gently scrub or wipe it away.
Be sure to rinse with water when youre done.
Tiny bristles make it easy to access tough-to-reach nooks and crannies.
Scrub with a Soft Toothbrush
For light spots, consider scrubbing with water.
For tougher buildup, use a toothbrush in conjunction with one of the homemade jewelry cleaners above.
Rinse and Dry Jewelry
Rinse with water, then wipe clean with a microfiber cloth.
Air-drying isn’t recommended, as it can sometimes leave unwanted water spots.
When you’re ready to put the pieces away, store andorganize your jewelry properlyto protect it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since vinegar is acidic, it can damage your jewelry’s finish and gemstones.
You should avoid using vinegar when cleaning jewelry, especially on silver, gold, and soft stones.
you could clean jewelry with rubbing alcohol by filling a small bowl with it and letting the jewelry soak.
However, this is only recommended for solid gold or platinum jewelry with sapphires, diamonds, or rubies.
Professionals use specialized cloths, cleaners, and machines to clean jewelry.
Some will also use ultrasonic cleaners, which allows high-frequency sound waves to shake away the dirt and grime.
