What are the best ways of cleaning jewelry?

I have a white gold and diamond earrings and necklace set that I would like to clean. I also have a white gold and blue topaz ring. What are good, inexpensive ways to clean the jewelry without damaging it? The necklace has a very fine chain.
Thanks!

White gold won't tarnish although it can still get dirty. White gold is rhodium plated (as in nature 'white gold' is actually grey) and this plating is thick and will last many years. If the metal is still nice and silvery-looking then just give it a good clean.

In a basin, add some just-warm water and a few drops of mild detergent. Then with an old toothbrush, thoroughly scrub all along the chain, and pay particular attention the settings themselves as this is where dirt will accumulate. Clean around and behind the settings until you can see through to the back of the stone and it is nice and clean (providing the settings are open!).

Blue topaz is usually irradiated to get it to the lovely blue colour and is softer than diamond, so avoid harsh chemicals, abrasive solutions (eg toothpaste is often recommended to clean diamonds) and extreme heat/cold.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 at 9:13 pm and is filed under how to make jewelry. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

3 Responses to “What are the best ways of cleaning jewelry?”

  1. loves_jewels Says:
    April 24th, 2009 at 2:35 am

    Tarnish can be removed with dish soap and water with a few drops of ammonia. Brush the cleaning solution into the gold with a small brush (a toothbrush works well). After you have finished cleaning, simply rinse the gold with lukewarm water (plug the sink first) and allow it to dry. Then polish with a lint free cloth.
    References :
    jewelry cleaning
    http://www.wedunit.com.au

  2. Vian Says:
    April 24th, 2009 at 3:01 am

    dip in soda water for half an hour and wipe with soft cloth; tooth paste also ok; if you want to have some jewelry, take care about diamond
    References :
    Shop pearl & diamond rings, http://www.pearlhours.com/index.php?url=pearl-rings-style-4

  3. Annette P Says:
    April 24th, 2009 at 3:35 am

    White gold won't tarnish although it can still get dirty. White gold is rhodium plated (as in nature 'white gold' is actually grey) and this plating is thick and will last many years. If the metal is still nice and silvery-looking then just give it a good clean.

    In a basin, add some just-warm water and a few drops of mild detergent. Then with an old toothbrush, thoroughly scrub all along the chain, and pay particular attention the settings themselves as this is where dirt will accumulate. Clean around and behind the settings until you can see through to the back of the stone and it is nice and clean (providing the settings are open!).

    Blue topaz is usually irradiated to get it to the lovely blue colour and is softer than diamond, so avoid harsh chemicals, abrasive solutions (eg toothpaste is often recommended to clean diamonds) and extreme heat/cold.
    References :
    http://annettepiper.com/information.php?info_id=13