Cleaning Your Jewelry
It is very important to make sure your jewelry is cleaned properly. Here are some suggestions for cleaning various types of jewelry.
- Sterling Silver jewelry should be polished with a specially treated polishing cloth or cleaning products made specifically for cleaning Sterling Silver. These items will remove light tarnish and will not scratch your jewelry. There are numerous products available at jewelry stores as well as various department stores.
- Gold jewelry doesn’t tarnish but the oil from your skin, makeup, body lotions, body sprays, hairspray, etc. can all leave a dirty, dull film on your jewelry. To clean gold jewelry, put it in a container with a small amount of mild dish detergent and warm water. Let it soak for a few minutes using a soft-bristled toothbrush to get dirt from around the prongs and/or gemstones if needed. When you feel the jewelry is clean, remove it from the soapy water, rinse it thoroughly and dry it completely with a soft polishing cloth. It is very important to make sure the jewelry is totally dry before it is stored.
- When cleaning pearls, you may wipe them gently with a damp, soft lint-free cloth and then pat them dry with a new lint-free cloth. A jeweler may also professionally clean pearls.
- Diamonds lose their sparkle to a buildup of lotions, dust, and dirt over time so it is important to clean them regularly to make sure they maintain that brilliant shine. Just as you clean gold jewelry, you may also clean diamonds by placing them in a small container with mild dish detergent mixed with warm water. After dipping the diamonds into the soapy water, take a soft bristled toothbrush and dip it into the soapy water also. Gently brush the diamonds making sure to clean the backs of the stones and their mountings where dirt tends to collect. Rinse the diamonds with warm water and dry with a soft lint-free cloth.
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