Jewellery Cleaning: Doing it Safely at Home

I was disappointed when I used store bought jewellery cleaner and then found that my jewellery still didn’t look clean. I then started to wonder whether or not I could find some do it yourself recipes online for jewellery cleaner.

I found many sites that suggested the use of detergent mixtures. Many proposed mixtures contained baking soda, salt and/or ammonia in various combinations and I also found several sights that recommended the use of toothpaste.

I started to wonder though, what would a professional jeweller think of these cleaning methods?

It didn’t take long to find a site that was selling jewellery which warned against the use of toothpaste and baking soda.

Color Spark Studio: How to Clean Jewelry

After looking around further, the site that I found most helpful was that of the American Society of Appraisers. This site gives detailed information about the various methods that can be used to clean jewellery. As each method is outlined the author comments on which stones are suitable for that cleaning method.

More importantly the site is a credible source of information on the subject and is authored by a professional Master Gemologist Appraiser rather than a non-professional, which is often the case with many DIY sites.

I was able to get my jewellery clean just by using mild detergent and water but it is great to know what can be safely used if I ever need some stronger cleaning power.