How to Clean Jewelry

Co-authored by Kennon Young

Last Updated: June 16, 2021

Gold, silver and pearl jewelry tends to look dull after months of wear. There are methods you can use at home to remove obvious grime and restore your jewelry's shine, and in certain cases a professional cleaning is called for. Learn how to care for gold, silver and gemstone jewelry.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Cleaning Gold Jewelry

1
Use a soap and water solution. Gold jewelry is most easily cleaned using a simple solution of soap and water. Fill a bowl with warm water and a few squirts of mild dishwashing liquid. Place your gold jewelry in the bowl and let it soak for about 15 minutes, then use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently scrub away the grime. Dry your jewelry with a soft cloth to restore its shine.
- Avoid using strong detergent, a toothbrush with hard bristles, or a course towel when handling your gold. Even a paper towel is too rough for gold jewelry. Gold is a soft metal that is easily scratched and bent. The higher your jewelry's karat, the more careful you must be not to damage it.
- Don't let your jewelry soak for too long, since the cleaning agents in the soap might damage it over time.
2
Use a cleaning machine. Ionic cleaners and steam cleaners may be used to clean gold jewelry that doesn't respond to the soapy water treatment. Jewelry is inserted into a slot or box in the machine, and the machine works to clean it over the course of a few minutes.
- Jewelry cleaning machines are available at drugstores and home goods stores.
- If you'd rather not buy your own machine, you can take your jewelry to a jeweler and ask that it be treated with an ionic or steam cleaning.
3
Have your gold polished. Gold jewelry that is very old and tarnished doesn't respond to steam or ionic treatments. Take it to a jeweler and have it professionally polished. This process is done in stages with lightly abrasive papers that are rubbed over the surface of the jewelry. The polished gold should look good as new.
- Don't attempt to polish your own gold jewelry. Jewelers work with special papers that are made specifically for polishing gold, and using a different type of paper could cause damage.
- When jewelry is polished, the surface layer of gold is removed, and your gold will be worth a little less afterward.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Cleaning Silver Jewelry

1
Use salt and aluminum foil. The tarnish that accumulates on silver jewelry can often be removed with a solution made from salt, water and aluminum foil. The salt and aluminum foil act as a magnet that draws the tarnish from the silver.
- Line a bowl with aluminum foil and fill it up with hot water. Add a tablespoon of salt and stir until it dissolves.
- Place your silver jewelry in the bowl and let it sit for several minutes.
- Remove your jewelry from the bowl and dry it off using a soft cloth.
2
Use toothpaste. The ingredients in toothpaste that help your teeth get clean can also be used to clean silver. Apply a dab of toothpaste to your silver jewelry and use a soft cloth to rub it in. Rinse the jewelry and dry it off using a clean cloth.
- You can use a soft-bristled toothbrush to help loosen stubborn tarnish.
- Avoid using a hard-bristled toothbrush or other brush on silver, since you may accidentally scratch its surface.
3
Try silver cleaner. Silver cleaner comes in paste or dip form. It's an effective cleaning tool, but it contains harsh chemicals and should only be used if other methods don't work. Wear gloves to protect your hands when you use silver cleaner, and don't use this method for jewelry that contains pearls or gemstones.
- To use silver cleaner paste, apply a small amount to your jewelry and use a soft cloth to rub it in a straight motion across the jewelry (rubbing in circles can be too abrasive). When you're finished, rinse the jewelry off and dry it with a soft cloth.
- To use silver cleaner dip, pour a small amount of the solution into a bowl and place your jewelry in the solution. Let it soak for the time recommended on the packaging, which should be no more than a minute or two. Remove the jewelry and rinse it off, then dry it with a soft cloth.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Cleaning Gemstone Jewelry

1
Clean diamonds with soapy water. Mix water with a few drops of mild detergent in a bowl. Place the diamond jewelry in the bowl and let it it for about 5 minutes. Remove the jewelry and use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently scrub around the grooves of the diamond until it is clean.
- Rubies and sapphires may also be cleaned using this method.
- Buff the surface of brilliant gems with a soft, lint-free cloth for a quick shine.
- Clean your diamond jewelry once a month to prevent buildup from forming on the stones.^{[1]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Kennon Young
  Certified Jeweler
  Expert Interview. 11 September 2019.}
2
Clean pearls with baby soap. Using a pH neutral soap such as baby soap is gentler on pearl than dish detergent and other soaps. Make sure the pearls are secure in their setting, then gently rub them clean with a soft cloth dipped in a solution of water and baby soap.
3
Have soft gemstones cleaned professionally. Gemstones like opal, lapis and many others have soft, porous surfaces that are easily damaged by soap and household cleaning techniques. Take soft gemstones to the jeweler and have them cleaned using a professional technique.

Expert Q&A

Question

What is the best homemade jewelry cleaner?

Kennon Young
Master Gemologist Appraiser
Kennon Young is a Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Graduate Gemologist, an American Society of Appraisers (ASA) Master Gemologist Appraiser, and a Jewelers of America (JA) Certified Bench Jeweler Technician. He received the highest credential in the jewelry appraisal industry, the ASA Master Gemologist Appraiser, in 2016.

Kennon Young

Master Gemologist Appraiser

Expert Answer

Dish soap is one of the best things: it removes effectively the buildup of hand lotion and oils that come off the skin, and it is not typically harmful to jewelry. So I would use a bowl of warm water, just a drop of dish soap and a small toothbrush like a child's toothbrush. After cleaning just make sure it's dried very well. You don't want to leave either residue or sitting water on the surface of jewelry.