Jewelry is timeless. We wear it to enhance our everyday look and to add some glitz and glam to our appearance for special occasions. Even though we say that jewelry is timeless, we should be more specific about that: it is in fact, timeless if taken care of properly. You probably noticed that in time jewelry pieces made of gold, platinum, silver, containing diamonds or gemstones lose their original shine. The good news is that you can easily restore that shine by following some simple DIY tips for cleaning fine jewelry. It’s important to know what material is your jewelry made of as well as to be familiar with some useful DIY tips for beginners.
Tending to the Most Precious Gemstone of All – Diamonds
It goes without saying that diamonds are the most precious and thus expensive gemstones of all. Exactly because of these superb characteristics, a person owning them should take proper care of them. That means knowing how to clean them without damaging them. You can recognize a genuine diamond by tiny cracks that you can’t see with a naked eye. These are also called ‘clarity-enhanced’ diamonds, and they should be cleaned in the according way. You shouldn’t use just any jewelry cleaning solution as it can damage the resin that fills the tiny cracks. And once you damage the resin, there’s no going back – the diamond loses its shine forever. In order to avoid this, take mild dish soap and start polishing your diamond jewelry.
Taking Proper Care of Gemstones
Everybody knows that gemstones come in many different colours. But what many people don’t know is that they not only come in different colours, but they are also made of distinct materials. Hence, the cleaning method might differ with each – even if they are combined together on a piece of jewelry. There is one basic rule that is true for all the gemstones. You should never soak them in hot or boiling water or expose them to any high-temperature liquids. The only exception is natural gemstones such as diamonds and jade, and they can be treated with warm water. The best way to clean all the other gemstones is by mixing dish soap and cold water. Another simple and quick way to clean gemstones is by using an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. It is ideal for cleaning multiple jewelry pieces at once.
Polishing Gold Jewelry
When it comes to gold jewelry, you can clean different types such as yellow, white, or rose gold in the same way. All you need is some dish soap and warm water, mixed in a cup. You can simply soak larger pieces of jewelry in this mixture, and place the smaller ones in a strainer before soaking them. Leave the pieces like that for a few minutes and stir the jewelry inside the cup to get the solution in all parts of the jewelry. Afterward, take a soft brush and brush off any dirt residue that’s left on your gold jewelry. Rinse it under clean water and use a soft cloth to polish them. You’ll have gold jewelry looking like new in no time!
Cleaning Silver Jewelry
Silver jewelry is something basic; everybody has at least a few pieces made of this shiny timeless material. However, as it is often a part of jewelry that we wear every day, silver jewelry often loses its shine and turns black. That’s why we should learn how to clean it properly. For starters, mix a few drops of dish soap and warm water and use it rub the jewelry until it regains its original shine. Rinse it off with cold water and use a soft cloth to dry it.
Making Platinum Jewelry Look Like New
Experts suggest that cleaning platinum jewelry is by far the easiest material to clean as it is quite sturdy. Platinum doesn’t lose colour or texture over time. The only way you can damage it while cleaning it is by scratching it. Luckily, if this happens, jewelers can re-polish it. The best way to clean platinum jewelry is to mix lukewarm water with some detergent and polish the jewelry gently.
In order for our fine jewelry to last and shine like new forever, we need to take care or it properly. That means cleaning it regularly, storing it in proper ways, and perhaps even insuring it.
Author Bio:
Mia Ackerson is a Melbourne-based freelancer who is interested in beauty, gardening, baking, and cooking, interior design, home improvement, business, and technology! You can follow her on Twitter.