How to Safely Clean Jewelry

In this article we will cover the best options for safely cleaning jewelry and keeping it looking brand new. We will cover the easiest and most effective ways for a non-jeweler to polish and maintain jewelry using products you may have around the house and products that are easily obtainable. Keeping jewelry clean will add to the enjoyment you receive and help maintain the value of all your pieces. Well-made jewelry can increase in value as metals become more expensive over time. We will cover the cleaning and maintenance of all types of jewelry that we sell in our online shop and at our booth at craft and art shows and fairs. We will cover polymer clay and pearls first, then move on to cleaning metal jewelry.

Polymer Clay

Polymer clay is a unique and nearly indestructible manmade material. Professional grade polymer clay is developed especially to create beautiful jewelry as well as household and gift items. It is very strong, not subject to becoming brittle, and is pretty much indestructible. In addition to making jewelry with this material, we also make decorative dishes, fun electrical outlet covers for kids’ rooms, candleholders, incense burners, and lots of other decorative and gift items. The care and cleaning of all polymer clay items will be the same regardless of whether it is a jewelry item or decorative item. We include specific care instructions in each product description as well as this general cleaning guide. You can expect polymer clay items from our shop to last a lifetime with normal, intended use.

Do not put polymer in hot water or in an ultrasonic cleaner. Also, do not use a rough textured sponge to clean these items. Never put polymer clay items into a dishwasher. Always clean these items by hand. Use a soft cloth or baby wipes only.

While heat is used to “set” this material, if it’s reheated by improper cleaning, it will become dull and may be impossible to restore whatever level of shine and color hue the item originally had. Usually, jewelry made from polymer will be highly polished, but not always, depending on the style of the piece.

To Clean:

If the item is not terribly dirty, or if you are cleaning one of our decorative items, start with just a very lightly damp soft cloth to wipe the item. Baby wipes are perfect for this use and can be used to clean any polymer clay item we sell. Often this will be enough to remove fingerprints, dust, or dirt.

If it needs deeper cleaning, you can use lukewarm, but not hot, water with a mild detergent or soap added. Use a soft sponge or soft cloth, do not use any type of rough sponge, as this will scratch the surface. Dip the sponge or cloth into the warm, soapy water and then wring most of the water out so the sponge is damp. Rub using light to moderate pressure, but not too much. Typically, just a quick wipe with a baby wipe will remove dust and restore the brightness of the polymer clay surface.

About cleaning pearls

Pearls are unique organic minerals formed by oysters and mussels. Always keep your pearls wrapped in a soft cloth such a flannel whenever you aren’t wearing them. If your pearls came with a storage container, place them back into that container after each wearing. Wipe them with a soft, clean cloth to remove body oils and dust before placing them back into the container or soft cloth.

Every now and then you may want to clean them more thoroughly. Don’t be afraid to clean your pearls, but never use chemical jewelry cleaners of any kind and don’t rub anything other than a soft cloth on the surface of the pearls.

To safely clean your pearls: Mix a very mild soap solution, about ½ tsp of soap to about 2 cups of water. We like to use unscented Dr Bonner’s or some other pure castile or baby soap. Dampen a soft cloth in the cleaning solution and then wipe them thoroughly. Follow up by drying them using a dry, soft cloth. After drying the pearls on all sides, it’s a good idea to allow them to sit out a few minutes to make sure the stringing material is dry. Then place them back into the soft flannel or cloth lined container they came in.

Eventually, the stringing material may become discolored, turning yellow, or even brown. That is how you know it’s time to have the pearls restrung, and any reputable jeweler can do this for you. Also have them restrung if you think they are coming loose from the stringing material. If you have a pair of pearl earrings, you can clean the ear post or French wires by wiping them with alcohol.

To clean wire wrapped and metal jewelry

Wire wrapped and metal jewelry can be cleaned with a variety of methods, and it’s important to read through this guide before deciding which method to use.

Tumblers

If you have access to a tumbler, this is the easiest method and safe for all gemstones, metal, metal chain, pretty much everything except polymer clay. Tumblers aren’t cheap, but if you own a large amount of jewelry, you might consider investing in a tumbler. Set the tumbler up according to the manufacturer’s instructions, turn it on, walk away, and come back an hour later. It really is that simple.

Jewelry cleaning/polishing cloths and pads

These cloths and pads are infused with polishing compounds, and are safe to use on all metal, including wire wrapped jewelry. They require a little elbow grease but are a low-cost method of cleaning jewelry.  Polishing pads and cloths are very gentle and safe to use on any metal jewelry, regardless of whether it contains any gems, crystals, or stones, and even if it’s been deliberately oxidized. These can be purchased at any jewelry shop and can easily be found online as well.

Clean the metal part of the piece using the polishing cloth or pad and then use a very soft cloth to wipe the stone or pearl. It’s important to be careful when cleaning wire wrapped jewelry with a polishing cloth or pad. Make sure you wipe in the same direction as the thinnest wire when cleaning wire wrapped items. This is to ensure that you don’t inadvertently bend any delicate wires.

Warm, soapy water and soft cloth

Warm, soapy water can be used to clean any type of metal jewelry, gems, crystals, stones of any type or hardness, organic stones and gems, pearls, and polymer clay jewelry. When in doubt as to how to clean any piece of jewelry use this method. You cannot harm any piece of jewelry using warm soapy water.

Mix a mild, fragrance free soap with lukewarm water. Dip a soft cloth into the water and wring until lightly damp. Hold the jewelry firmly in one hand, or hold down on a soft cloth or hand towel and rub the damp cloth over the piece a small portion at a time. When cleaning wire wrapped jewelry try to move the cloth in the same direction as the thinnest wire so you don’t inadvertently bend any delicate wire wrapping. Some of the more intricate wire wrapping may go in one direction on one part of the piece and another direction somewhere else.

Always strive to clean each part in the same direction as the most delicate wires. If you have any doubt about your ability to clean an intricately wrapped piece, most reputable jewelers will be happy to clean any item they have made. A tumbler is a great option for cleaning metal and wire wrapped jewelry.

Ultrasonic cleaning – be very careful!

Ultrasonic cleaners use very high heat and rapid vibration (as well as detergent) to loosen debris and clean your jewelry. The high heat and vibration of ultrasonic cleaners can damage many types of gemstones. Here is a list of metals and gemstones that can be put into an ultrasonic cleaner:

• Metals – all metals used by jewelers including gold, silver, sterling, platinum, copper, and brass. If your metal is deliberately oxidized, clean using a jewelry polishing cloth or pad, warm, soapy water and soft cloth, or a tumbler.
• Diamonds and Cubic Zirconia (CZ)
• Transparent rubies and sapphires  (not “Star” sapphires or “Star” rubies!)
• Amethyst, Citrine