Professional Jewelry Cleaning Steps and Home Jewelry Cleaning
We're Like Magpies and We Like Sparkly Things. Magpies are attracted to shiny objects and are notorious for stealing rings and other jewelry left on windowsills or tables out of doors, which they carry off to their nests! But only if they are sparkly.
Have you noticed how you get compliments on your new jewelry? Your Santa Barbara Jeweler says, "it's not just because it's the newest thing and your friends have never seen it before. It's because it's sparkly and gorgeous!"
Jewelry Can Get Pretty Dull Looking When You're Not Looking
Just like your car, jewelry gets dirty and doesn’t shine like it used to. Hand cream, soap residue, dust and hard water deposits are just some of the gunk that detracts from the original sparkle and beauty of your wedding ring or other jewelry. What’s a girl to do?
Professional Jewelry Cleaning is Amazing!
You detail your car, why not your jewelry? Cleaned up and polished jewelry looks brand new. You'll fall in love all over again when you get professional jewelry cleaning done for your jewelry.
A professional jewelry cleaning job is three-steps, cleaning, polishing and steaming, done by your Jeweler.
It's especially effective for jewelry that’s worn daily. I’ve loved restoring countless dull and cloudy rings to the way they looked when they were first gazed upon.
The Three Step Professional Jewelry Cleaning Process:
- The first step is to place the jewelry is immersed and soaked in an ultra-sonic jewelry cleaner. Together with the cleaning solution, the ultra-sonic vibrates at a high rate, dislodging tiny particles adhering to the metal and the gemstones. Note: Not all gemstones can withstand the chemical cleaning solution and the vibrations of an ultra-sonic. Diamonds, rubies, and sapphires are fine. Opals and emeralds should never be put in an ultra-sonic. If you’re unsure about a particular gemstone, check with your jeweler.
- The next step is polishing. Here the jewelry is buffed and polished on a high speed wheel. All the little scratches and abrasions are removed and the surface of your jewelry is restored to its original, smooth and shiny self.
- The last step is steam cleaning in which the jewelry is held under a powerful jet of steam. This gets rid of any last remnant of unwanted clinging particles. Steam also brightens up the metal somehow.
Three Tips For Home Cleaning of Your Jewels
- This Santa Barbara Jeweler likes home ultrasonic jewelry cleaners. These really help in Santa Barbara where hard water deposits cloud up your gemstones if they get a chance. Regular ultrasonic cleaning keeps the hard water deposits from sticking if you are vigilant.
- A gentle toothpaste and an old toothbrush can do a nice job cleaning detailed design jewelry. Nooks and crannies can try to thwart your efforts to clean them, but they usually can’t out run a toothbrush.
- Silver polishing cloths actually work as well on your gold as they do on your silver. They are especially effective on chains and bracelets.
What’s the Takeaway Message Here?
Embrace your inner Magpie. If your jewelry looks dull and sad and you're not picking it up to wear, send it to your favorite Jeweler for a professional cleaning.
Once it’s brought back to shiny, clear and beautiful life, get your home jewelry cleaning machines and tools and keep up the cleaning. You’ll love the look. You can have new looking sparkly jewelry all the time.
"Wear it don't warehouse it!"
Your Magpie Jeweler,
Calla Gold
Hi Calla,
I love that your blog brings attention to taking care of the fabulous jewelry that we all have and treasure. You are so right that some of it languishes, hidden away, never to see the light of day because when we put it on, it just doesn’t look quite right. It has lost that sparkle and we don’t notice. I for one am going to go through my jewelery and see what needs a tune up so that I start wearing it again.
Appreciatively,
Lynn
Dr. Lynn K. Jones, Certified Personal and Executive Coach
http://www.lynnkjones.com
Dr.. Jones, I’m so delighted that reading this post prompted you to take a new look at what might like cleaning. It makes my day to read your comment!
Calla Gold
Calla great advice and tips. I soak my jewels regularly in Windex-at least once a week and then use a toothbrush and the hottest water I can get. Nothing beats a professional cleaning though. The difference is amazing!!!
Alison, I appreciate you letting us know what is working for you! Your home remedy is great. The really hot water is great because when you dab it dry, the rest kind of steams off and you don’t get any ugly water spots. Good tip!
Calla Gold
Calla Gold, thanks for nice post,I love jewelry. I am confused on what jewelry to buy for my sweet mom. Flo
I soak my jewels regularly in Windex-at least once a week and then use a toothbrush and the hottest water I can get. Nothing beats a professional cleaning though. The difference is amazing!!!
Hi Jenny,
Thank you for sharing what you use on your jewelry. It sounds like your jewelry always sparkles!
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla Gold
Can a good jewelry glue be used to help set a faceted stone in a setting? I have set cabochon onyx, opal and turquoise with glue in a bezel setting successfully, can I do that with colored stone like tanzanite, topaz or quartz?
Hi Jane,
Most cabochon cut (curved, unfaceted topped) gemstones are translucent or opaque. This means that if the glue is a bit visible it won’t be noticeable on your piece of jewelry. With faceted gemstones they are known for their clarity. Glue is usually somewhat visible. For that reason I wouldn’t recommend it for setting that cut of gemstones. For the record I only use glue with inlay settings and pearls. For my cabochons and faceted gems I use gold or other metal and setting technique only.
Hope that helps.
Setting those gemstones,
Calla Gold
Can I use a gentle toothpaste and an old toothbrush for my silver jewelry too? I found recently, that my favorite necklace is tarnished a little, but I have no time for going to the jeweler. Can I clean it at home?
Hi Lara,
You certainly can use a toothbrush and toothpaste with silver. That will clean it nicely. However you will need silver polish to remove the tarnish.
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla
Using a toothpaste to clean my ring was the best idea ever! Thank you so much for sharing this useful information. My ring was in pretty bad condition lately. Thank you for saving it with your tips! Greetings!
Hi Marsha,
I love reading that you liked the advice.
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla
Hi Calla, love reading these suggestions! I have a couple questions; is there a particular ultrasonic machine that you like best, for home use?
Also, I have a CZ that I left in some cleaner, not windex thinking might do better, that now has a slight blue look! Not bad, but I see it when in a certain light. Is there a chemical that will remove that?
Hi Janelle, I’m a fan of Gem Oro brand ultrasonics. I don’t get their entry level ones, I go with the nicer ones. I don’t have stock numbers for you. They all have timers so you don’t burn out the motors forgetting about them. When you have hard water it can be a bit annoying that you need to keep pushing the button if you want a good 15 minute ultra-soak, but I’m over that frustration. I have an older quite ugly almost un-killable professional ultrasonic that they don’t sell anymore, not from Gem Oro. It has no timer and… Read more »
Calla,First of thanks for this article.I am big fond of gold and silver jewellery since my school time.I am having many diamond earrings and used to go for cleaning my jewellery at jewellery stores.After reading this article i cleaned my all jewellery easily.
Hello Molly,
I am so pleased that you were able to successfully clean your jewellery at home. Thanks for sharing your results.
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla
Does baking soda scratch gold jewelry? I’m not sure if it’s plated but I have a pendant that looked tarnished. I soaked & rubbed w warm water & Dawn. 15 min in I grabbed some baking soda & made a paste & rubbed. Most of the tarnish is gone but I see lots of small scratches. I don’t know if they were there before…I thought the polishing cloth will take off the plating (if it is) so afraid to try.
Dear Christian,
Baking soda can scratch gold. Any hard particle, like sand or grit can cause a scratch.
When you are dealing with tarnish or dirt and the need to clean your plated jewelry, it’s important to be very gentle with it. This is because plated metal comes off fairly easily.
It’s true that using a polishing cloth could pull off plating.
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla