Top 10 Homemade Jewelry Cleaning Tips

Whether out on the town or attending a wedding, you want your jewelry shining and pristine. Luckily, it doesn’t take fancy cleaner or overpriced jewelers to get the job done. A lot of basic cleaning can be performed at home, and the end result can leave you with jewelry that looks good as new. Best of all, it doesn’t take much time for a new, sparkling stone. Most of these recipes only take 10 to 15 minutes.

With that, here are 10 basic cleaning tips on how to keep a shining jewelry collection:

Club Soda

Simply drop your jewelry inside a cup of club soda and let it sit for a few minutes before removal. This method is great for sapphires, rubies, emeralds and diamonds and leaves them with a beautiful sheen that sparkles in bright lights.

Alka-Seltzer

Similar to club soda, just drop your jewelry in a fizzing glass of Alka-Seltzer for a few minutes. This remedy for heart-burn can be great for dull jewelry whose colors have glazed over and softened.

Baking Soda 

Great for removing buildup, you’re going to need to make a paste. You’ll need to start by measuring out 1/4 a cup of baking soda and mixing in 2 tablespoons of water. Use a damp sponge and gently rub, rinse and buff until dry.

*Note: Do not use on gem-stones or pearls. It could remove glue and damage the finish

Toothbrush and Soap

Perfect for cleaning your gems safely, you’ll want to use a soft toothbrush dipped in soapy water. Simply swish a bar of soap in some warm water until it becomes sudsy. Submerge your gemstones in suds for several seconds before rubbing gently with your toothbrush. To finish off, rinse and dry with a clean towel.

Ammonia

Maybe your wedding ring is lacking shine? Fear not. If you have an ammonia-based cleaner on hand, soak your diamonds in a 1/4 cup for 15 minutes before drying off with a paper towel.

Vinegar

Cleaning with vinegar is a great way to make your gold and gemstones sparkle. Just drop your jewelry into a jar of vinegar and allow it to sit for around 10 – 15 minutes. Remove, and if not totally shined, use a toothbrush to bristle away any tough-to-remove, excess build up.

Ketchup

Yes, that’s right. This condiment usually reserved for hamburgers or fries can be a great solution for cleaning damaged silver. For smooth surfaces, dip your silver in a small mound of ketchup. Use a toothbrush to work sharper or edgier jewelry. If your silver has rougher, sharper edges, use a toothbrush to smooth it out and dig into deeper crevices. Once complete, rinse and dry.

Aluminum

Great for gold, nickel, brass and sterling-silver. You first want to find a bowl, and fill it halfway with warm, heated water. From there, cut a piece of aluminum foil big enough to cover the bottom of a bowl and mix with salt and bleach-free laundry detergent. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes and rinse your jewelry in cool water. Dry clean with a clean towel. Discard solution after initial use.

Vodka

Believe it for not, your weekend party-beverage can make your jewelry look fresh as day. Only needing a few drops, simply drip some vodka onto a napkin or cotton ball and swab away the grime, while enjoying a new, sparkling stone. Keep in mind, only emeralds and diamonds will show benefits from vodka cleaning.

Separate Your Jewelry

How about prevention? We’ve had plenty of tips on how to fix up and shine our jewelry, but how can we avoid those scratches in the first place? A handy tip is to separate your jewelry in a quality, cotton-lined jewelry box. Give each piece it’s own space to breathe. Minimal contact results in minimal blemishes.