How To Clean Jewelry At Home – Silver, Gold, Pearls & More

Most people are scared of the idea of cleaning their jewelry pieces, but It’s not really that hard. Trust me, I’ve been there. 

Let me give you a spoiler. “How to clean jewelry at home” 101. You just need some warm water and, in most cases, some dish soap. But we’ll get into the details a bit later. 

What you need to know is that there are ways to clean your jewelry at home, easy and fast, without having to go to a professional jewelry cleaner. (Although sometimes it’s better to do that, especially for very expensive items)

So if you’re looking for how to clean jewelry at home, I’m here to help with easy to follow steps. Read more below:

How to clean jewelry at home – suitable for most types of jewelry

The easiest and simplest way to clean jewelry is to use a mix of lukewarm water and mild dish soap. Try to get a very mild detergent, don’t go for the powerful one. And grab an old toothbrush, you’ll need it.

Here’s how to clean jewelry at home:

• Pour some lukewarm water into a bowl and add 1-2 drops of dish soap.
• Soak the jewelry in the water for a minute
• Then gently use a toothbrush to clear away any dirt 
• If there is dirt stuck in small places that a toothbrush can’t reach, you can use a toothpick
• Pat the jewelry dry on a kitchen towel (or face towel) and allow it to completely dry before putting it away

How to clean jewelry at home – Gold

• Using the same mix of lukewarm water and dish soap, put it in a big bowl and leave your gold bracelets, chains and earrings for 3-5 minutes. 
• Swish them around, then take them out and place them on a kitchen or bath towel. 
• Use a soft toothbrush to clear out dirt from crevices and chain links. Finish by buffing dry the gold jewelry with a soft cloth.

How to clean jewelry at home – Silver

If you want to know how to clean jewelry at home, well, when it comes to silver pieces, things a bit more complicated….but nothing too scary, relax. 

The easy way out is to use silver polish from Amazon, for example. 

But if you don’t want to spend money, then use the method below for how to clean silver at home:

• Make sure you have tinfoil, baking soda, salt, water and a disposable pan. 
• Line the bottom of the pan with the aluminum foil, putting the shiny side up.
• Put the silver jewelry pieces in it, making sure it touches foil.
• Pour a bit of baking soda on top and sprinkle some salt, too. To calculate the right amount, use one tablespoon of each for every cup of water.
• Then pour boiling water into the pan until the jewelry is covered.
• Let the silver jewelry pieces sit in the DIY mix until the dirt and tarnish begin to disappear. 
• Then carefully remove them from the water (using some tongs, for example) and put them on a lint-free cloth, with which you can pat them dry. 

BONUS TIP: If there is still some tarnish left on the pieces, apply a dab of toothpaste (white) on them, and rub them gently with a finger. Then rinse well with lukewarm water and buff it out to make it shiny again. 

How to clean jewelry at home – Pearls

Pearls are very special to begin with, so they are also harder to take care of. That is because they have pores and can easily lose their shine. So you have to regularly clean them. 

First and most important rule of cleaning pearls is: never soak them in water (or any other substance). 

If you want to clean pearls, start by laying them on a cloth / kitchen towel. Dip a small, clean, soft toothbrush or, better yet, makeup brush, into a mixture of lukewarm water and a dollop of shampoo. Then carefully and slowly go over each pearl. Rinse them with a clean damp cloth, and then lay them to dry flat on a surface (preferably a clean towel). 

The easy way out – Professional Jewelry Cleaners you can find on Amazon

• Magnasonic Professional Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner 
• Weiman Jewelry Cleaner Liquid
• Connoisseurs Precious Jewelry Cleaner 

What NOT to clean jewelry with? 

Knowing how to clean jewelry at home is knowing how to avoid using harsh ingredients such as:

• Alcohol
• Lemon juice
• Acids 

Conclusion

You’ve made the first step into knowing how to clean jewelry at home. I hope the information above was useful. I also hope your jewelry pieces will soon be shiny and fresh. Take care!

p.s. Speaking of cleaning, check out the articles below about similar topics:

• How to clean shoelaces
• Cleaning schedules for busy couples
• Essential Laundry Hacks You Need To Know
• How to remove coffee stains from carpet