How To Clean Your Jewellery Safely 20th April 2018 – Posted in: Jewellery care – Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

As I’m sure you’ll agree ladies, there aren’t many things in life that can make us feel as beautiful and goddess-like as sporting a shiny, sparkly piece of jewellery. And we deserve it! I mean, like the adverts keep telling us, we are worth it.

But as with anything, daily life can take its toll on our gorgeous bling and things like makeup, perfume, grease, cleaning chemicals and dead skin cells (eww!) can leave our favourite pieces looking grubby. So what can we do about it? We can clean it, that’s what!

And it doesn’t need to cost loads either; using tools that are probably already lying around in your cupboards, you can make your tired-looking jewellery look brand spanking new again. And guess what, I’m here to let you in on all my secrets! Yeah, I know, I’m way too good to you lot.

 

Sparkly Silver

 

First off, let’s focus on our silver jewellery, including that of the sterling variety. We all know how easily it can tarnish and it’s really annoying, but there are a few tried and tested methods to getting back its shine without any of the damage.

 

baking soda to clean silver jewellery

As Alyssa Jung explains in an article for the Readers Digest entitled How to Clean Silver: 13 Weird Tricks That Really Work, one of the most effective ways to remove build up from our favourite silver pieces is to add a tablespoon of baking soda to a bowl of boiling water (some experts recommend adding a sprinkle of salt and a dash of vinegar too (delicious!), then drop the jewellery in there for a few seconds and voila; good as new. Make sure you line the bowl with tinfoil beforehand though, as that’ll attract all the mucky bits, then use a soft, lint-free cloth to dry it afterwards.

 

Gold! Always Believe In Your…Fabulous Jewellery

 

Next up girls, gold jewellery. How can we spruce it up when it’s looking a little dull and drab? Well according to Miki Hayes’ article for bustle.com, the most effective and gentlest way to put the glam back into your gold is to add a few drops of washing up liquid to a bowl of warm water and let your gold jewellery soak in the mixture for up to 20 minutes. Once you’ve removed it, give it a bit of a polish with a soft-bristled brush and then wipe it over with a soft cloth. It’s really as simple as that.

 

glass of beer for cleaning gold jewellery

Now everyone knows that you can’t beat a beer in the sun, even the most elegant of us ladies are partial to a nice refreshing pint, but what if I told you that beer could actually be used to clean your gold jewellery? Weird eh?! Well, according to the same article for bustle.com, Miki explains that, if you soak a soft cloth in lager and rub it gently on to your tired gold pieces, then dry it with a clean, lint-free cloth, they’ll look good as new. You learn something new every day.

 

Shine Bright Like A Diamond

 

You know what it’s like, one minute our crystal gemstones – be they diamonds, emeralds or rubies – are shining like the crown jewels and then, before you know it, they’re looking all…well…just a bit blah, really. The good news though, is that getting that wow factor back is much easier than you may think.

 

According to Amanda Greene’s article for Woman’s Day, entitled How to Clean Your Jewellery at Home, the best way to clean gemstones is actually just with a bowl of warm, soapy water and a soft-bristle brush. Make sure it’s soft though, because anything too stiff may scratch the surface, which is a massive no-no!

 

closeup diamond in tweezers on a blue background for Guy Wakeling Jewellery

If that doesn’t quite do the trick, then Karen Milner’s article for sheknows.com, entitled How to Clean Jewellery and Make it Sparkle Just Like New, advises us that ammonia is the answer, and loads of experts are saying the same. She explains that soaking your gorgeous gemstone-encrusted pieces in a solution of 1 cup of warm water and ¼ cup of ammonia for 15 minutes will leave them as sparkly as the day you first set eyes on them. But don’t forget to scrub away any remaining gunge using a soft-bristled toothbrush.

 

 

Pretty Pearls

 

Last but not least is the timeless classic that is the pearl, which, as a particularly porous material, can easily lose its glow when it comes in to contact with makeup, perfume and natural body oils.

soap bubbles for cleaning pearls

But fear not because, as Christina Peterson explains in her article for goodhousekeeping.com entitled Make Your Jewellery Shine Like New, if you dip a small, soft make up brush into a solution of warm water and a little bit of shampoo and brush over each pearl individually before wiping them down with a clean, damp cloth, then your favourite pearl necklace, bracelet or pair of earrings will instantly be back to looking grand. Bet you bunch are grateful for my pearls of wisdom, aren’t you?! Ahem….

 

Or Let Us Do It For You

 

So there they are, the age-old secrets to keeping your favourite pieces of jewellery looking all shiny and in tip-top condition. No doubt you’ll be trying them straight away, and I don’t blame you; they work, I promise!

Rhodium Plated diamond ring

But don’t forget, if you really want to make sure your jewellery is in brand spanking new condition, then you can always let us do it for you.

We offer a professional five step cleaning process for any item of jewellery, that involves a full ultrasonic clean, polish and re-plate for all white gold, jewellery reshape with a stone and claw check, and a high pressure steam clean finish, and you get all of that from as little as £25 per item. We can even do it within the hour if you wish, so you can get it done in time for that posh do tonight. Trust me, your jewellery will look like it’s come straight from the showroom.

 

If you want to find out more or book your jewellery in, then you can give us a bell on 01772 379 956, email me at katie@guywakelingjewellery.co.uk or pop in to see us at 15 Church Row Chambers, Longton, Preston, PR5 4PN.