Our culture are full of engagement rings, wedding bands, necklaces, promise rings, diamond rings, earrings, and countless other types of jewelry kept and worn in order to signify relationships, meaningful experiences, or simply for their aesthetic value. As jewelry is meant to be donned, it could potentially take a short timespan to lose its luster through being subjected to daily wear. There are specific ways to properly clean jewelry. Keeping your jewelry magnificent continuously is vital to both its appearance and further function. Here are a few quick tips to aid you in the cleaning of jewelry:
Use the Old School Method to Clean Jewelry
For a swift and easy cleansing solution, all that is necessary is a bit of dish soap and some warm water. It may not give your fine jewelry the brilliant shine of a professional cleaning, but it will go a long way to improve its external surface appearance. This method is safe for use on most types of jewelry.
Pick Up a Jewelry Cleaner
If you’d like a technique that’s more elaborate than that of soap and water, you can pick up a jewelry cleaning solution created for this very purpose. These cleaning solutions are safe to use on precious metals, which makes them great to clean jewelry properly. that have been set with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. However, they are not typically recommended for jewelry containing coral, turquoise, opal, or pearls.
Let It Soak for a While to Properly Clean Jewelry
Whether you have chosen to cleanse jewelry with a simple mixture of soap and water or with an available cleaning solution, feel free to let it soak for a few hours. This will not harm the jewelry and will assist in loosening dirt and grime that has accumulated after not having been removed for a lengthy period. Your jewelry will be easier to wipe clean after the act of soaking for a small number of hours.
Be Wary of Ultrasonic Cleaners
Several years back, ultrasonic cleaners were introduced as an effective way to clean jewelry in the comfort of your own home. While these cleaners could potentially work quite well, they have been known to damage certain types of jewelry. If you choose to go this route, your best bet is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and do a satisfactory amount of research before use.
Turn to the Professionals to Clean Jewelry
The best feasible way to clean jewelry is with the direct assistance of a professional. Not only do they have all the necessary equipment in order to properly complete the job, their work stands by a thorough guarantee each time you seek their services. Plus, various types of fine jewelry — like certain ones mentioned above that should not come in prolonged contact with soap and water, i.e. pearls, opals, et al. – are recommended for the sole servicing by the hands of professionals as they are vulnerable to damage if not cleaned properly.
Treat Costume Jewelry Differently
Costume jewelry isn’t as resilient as fine jewelry. As the stones in costume jewelry are typically glued in place, cleaning them too often may weaken the glue over time causing the fall out of stones. If possible, limit the cleaning of your costume jewelry to wiping gently with a soft cloth. If you feel that it is necessary to use soap and water, or even cleansing solution, do so very sparingly and only when absolutely called for.
Proper Storage to Prevent Future Problems
A big reason for the collection of dirt and grime on jewelry is that it is often left sitting around. This can be avoided by the proper storage of your precious items in a safe or jewelry box. Individual gemstones should be stored in a soft pouch so they don’t come into prospectively harmful contact with hard surfaces. Proper storage can reduce the amount of times you have to clean jewelry.
Contact Les Olson Jewelers Today for More Information On How to Properly Clean Jewelry
Jewelry makes a wonderful gift for a variety of special occasions or even for reason of showing someone your appreciation for their presence in your life. To obtain the best there is in fine jewelry, contact Les Olson Jewelers today at (727) 785-9624. Our team can also provide tips on how to properly clean jewelry upon question.