Jewelry Cleaner – Keeping Your Jewels Sparkling

Jewelry usually has an inherently long lifespan, if a little jewelry care is followed. If you want them to maintain their original sparkle and shine for many years to come, it is recommended that you use a good jewelry cleaner from time to time.

Even the most expensive pieces of jewelry can become stained or dull as the years go by, particularly if they are frequently exposed to air, perspiration and other contaminants. Therefore, in order to protect your jewelry, you should find a reliable jewelry cleaner as soon as possible.

Choosing the Right Jewelry Cleaner

There are many different products out there that are said to be effective in cleaning jewelry but some of these actually contain harmful ingredients that can damage your pieces more in the long run. In particular, you should steer clear of solutions that contain ammonia and other types of abrasive chemicals.

Citrus-based solutions are also dangerous to use especially on metals. These are actually excellent for maintaining the luster of precious and semi-precious stones but their acid content does cause discoloration and tarnishing in many types of metals. In order to avoid damaging your jewels with such products, be sure to read the labels very carefully before purchasing any of these harmful jewelry cleaners.

The Cleaning Process

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t always need to use a special jewelry cleaner to keep your jewelry looking good. In fact, if they are not visibly dirty, all you have to do is wet a soft piece of cloth with water and use this to wipe your jewelry.

If there is some dirt that remains after washing with water, you can try removing it using toothpaste. Toothpaste is a very effective jewelry cleaner and is not nearly as harsh as some of the commercial cleaners out there. Use an old toothbrush with soft bristles to remove the dirt, then rinse thoroughly with clean water. Most kinds of dirt can easily be removed using this simple process.

However, if there are stubborn stains and dirt on your jewelry that still does not go away, that is the only time that you should use a jewelry cleaner. Start with a milder water-based cleaner and if that doesn’t work either, you can try a chemical-based solution.

Before using chemical-based jewelry cleaners, however, keep in mind that these products may cause irreversible damage to less sturdy jewelry, as well as those that are merely plated with precious metals. You may also inquire with your local jewelers to find out which cleaning products will work best for your jewelry.