Jewellery cleaning tips

Even the most well-crafted pieces can lose their lustre over time or begin to show their age. When you need to reveal your jewellery’s lost sparkle and shine, you have two options. You can rely on a trusted jeweller to restore your favourite items to their rightful glory, or you can slip on a pair of rubber gloves and do it yourself. Which option is right for you – and for your jewellery?

Pro or DIY?

If you have jewellery with significant value (either monetary or sentimental), you may feel more comfortable with a professional cleaning service. Your peace of mind is often worth the investment. If you would like to do it yourself, there are a variety of methods you can choose. Let’s look at some of the most convenient:

1. Make your own cleaning solution

You can make this solution by raiding your pantry shelves. You will need a small bowl, aluminium foil, paper towel and an old toothbrush. Line the bowl with the foil and add the following ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of salt.
• 1 tablespoon of baking soda.
• 1 teaspoon of washing up liquid.

Pour one cup of hot water over the DIY cleaning solution. Drop in your jewellery and leave for 10 minutes. After that period, take out your pieces and gently remove dust or ‘gunk’ from the prongs and grooves. Voila. Your jewellery should be sparkling like new. This solution does not include harsh chemicals that can ruin your pieces.

2. Restore sparkle to diamonds

You will need a clean soft-bristled toothbrush. Spray the brush with window cleaner (e.g. Windolene) and gently brush your jewellery to remove dirt from the area around the diamond. Rinse your pieces in warm water and dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

3. Cleaning gold: soda water is not just for cocktails

To clean gold pieces, you will need:

• Small bowl.
• Small strainer.
• Soft toothbrush.
• Lint-free cloth.
• Mild washing up liquid.
• Soda water.

Fill the bowl about half to two-thirds full with soda water and add a few drops of your mild washing up liquid. Put your jewellery into a small strainer, and then place it into the bowl to soak. Let it sit for five minutes. Then, gently brush the crevices and grooves with the soft-bristled toothbrush. Put your pieces in the strainer and run under warm water. Dry them with the soft cloth.

Keep your pieces looking as gorgeous as the first day you wore it with these easy jewellery cleaning tips.