The solution to cleaning jewelry often lies in the kitchen. Even with jewelry lovers, a box full of old, tarnished jewelry is often abandoned somewhere in the house. If checked properly, some of the jewels only require cleaning and polishing to look as good as new again.
Elizabeth Diamond Co.-Jewelry Repair uses various tips to clean jewelry and related accessories without compromising on quality. Here are some proven home remedies for jewelry cleaning you can consider:
1. Water, Soap And Baking Soda Solution
Accessories made of platinum and diamonds are often made of hard metals and stones, meaning they can be cleaned with a solution of water, soap and baking soda. A soft brush with soft bristles is recommended. Sometimes, an old toothbrush is a good pick because its bristles are already soft.
Pour clean water in a dish, add soap and baking soda then mix. Softly and gently use the toothbrush to brush the solution into the crannies and nooks of the jewelry. Use a lint-free cloth as an alternative for the toothbrush.
2. Beer
Beer does not clean all types of jewelry, but only gold or gold-coated accessories. It does a good cleaning job on gold accessories. Just as in normal cleaning, pat enough beer on a lint free cloth and clean the jewel gently. Beer brings back the shine while lint-free clothing gives the jewelry a polished look to ensure the accessory stays unscratched.
3. Aluminum Foil, Baking Soda, And Water
Use an aluminum foil to line a dish or bowl and pour hot water in it. Soak the accessories for a few minutes in the container with hot water. This cleaning method is ideal for silver jewelry or silverware because the tarnish completely fades.
There's no need of scrubbing jewelry because of the ion exchange process that takes place. The cleaning solution gets murky, an indication of the process. After soaking, remove the jewel and wipe it with a soft, clean cloth to completely remove the tarnish.
4. Alka Seltzer
Soak accessories in pure Alka Seltzer; do not use flavored ones. Flavored Alka-Seltzer contains dyes that tend to stain or affect the quality of jewelry. The tablets are ideal for cleaning diamond and hard stone jewelry. Soak them in plain water with the Alka Seltzer tablets dipped inside.
The soaking should go for a long time, depending on the intensity of the dirt on the jewelry. Remove the accessory after the fizzing in the powder or tablets has stopped. Wipe the jewelry gently using a clean, dry cloth.
5. Water And Soap Only (Soapy Water)
Don't just clean jewelry with plain water, but add soap to it. It is an easy and effective way of cleaning platinum and gold jewelry. Also, opals and pearls can be cleaned using this method.
Sometimes, the accessory is dirty with an accumulation of oil from the body, and thus the cleaning method is preferred. Make sure to use warm water to remove oil buildup on the jewels. Wrap a cotton cloth around the jewelry after removing it from the water so it can dry.
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