Key Facts
- •Avoid toothpaste and baking soda on soft stones—micro-scratches add up.
- •Mild soap, warm water, and a soft brush work for most solid metals.
- •Porous stones like pearls, opals, and turquoise should never go in ultrasonic cleaners.
- •Store jewellery dry, separate, and padded to prevent scratches and tarnish.
Safety first (what to check before any cleaning)
Inspect prongs, settings, and strings; loose stones or cracked enamel need a pro.
Before cleaning, do a shake test: hold jewellery close to your ear—if you hear a rattle, stop. Tug gently with a lint-free cloth; if fibres catch, prongs may be worn. Cracked enamel or loose pearls should go straight to a jeweller.
**Caution:** DIY cleaning on damaged jewellery risks stone loss.
Universal quick clean (the mild-soap method)
Most solid metal pieces tolerate a short soak, soft brush, rinse, pat dry.
- Mix warm (not hot) water with a drop of mild dish soap
- Soak jewellery for 5–10 minutes
- Gently brush with a soft toothbrush
- Rinse thoroughly in clean water
- Pat dry with a lint-free cloth
**Pro Tip:** Always plug the sink drain first—rings bounce.
Metals guide (gold, silver, platinum, steel, vermeil, plated)
Pure metals are tougher; plated/vermeil need gentle, short contact and no abrasives.
- **Gold (14k–24k):** mild soap works; avoid abrasives
- **Silver:** use silver cloth for tarnish; dips only sparingly
- **Platinum/steel:** very durable, mild soap fine
- **Vermeil/plated:** wipe only; no soaking or scrubbing
**Do:** Store silver with anti-tarnish strips to slow oxidation.
Stones guide by hardness/porosity
Hard stones tolerate more; porous/soft stones need kid gloves.
- **Hard:** diamond, sapphire, ruby → safe with mild soap or ultrasonic if secure
- **Medium/soft:** emerald, opal, turquoise, pearl, amber, coral → no steam, no ultrasonic, minimal moisture
**Caution:** Never soak pearls—wipe with a damp cloth only.
Ultrasonic & steam cleaners (when they’re safe—and not)
Great for sturdy, tightly set diamonds; unsafe for porous, included, or fracture-filled stones.
Ultrasonics clean with vibration; steam uses pressure. Both are fine for diamonds in strong settings. Unsafe for opals, emeralds, pearls, turquoise, or treated gems.
**Do:** Ask your jeweller if your warranty allows ultrasonic cleaning.
What NOT to use (myths & risky hacks)
Skip toothpaste, baking soda scrubs, bleach, acetone on organic/porous stones.
- **Toothpaste/baking soda:** abrasive scratches
- **Bleach/acetone:** weaken alloys and damage gems
- **Boiling water:** cracks porous stones
Storage that prevents damage
Dry, separate, padded; stop chains from knotting and silver from tarnishing fast.
- Use lined boxes with compartments
- Store silver in anti-tarnish pouches
- Add silica packs to absorb moisture
- **Travel:** padded roll or zip pouch
Routine care schedules (daily / monthly / yearly)
Wipe daily, deep clean monthly, pro check yearly (or after snags/impacts).
- **Daily:** quick wipe with soft cloth
- **Monthly:** mild soap soak + brush
- **Yearly:** jeweller inspection + polish
When to see a pro (red flags & estimates)
Loose settings, missing stones, cracks, extreme tarnish, worn plating—professional inspection.
Jewellers can tighten prongs, restring pearls, polish, and replate. Turnaround may be days to weeks depending on the job.
Quick troubleshooting scenarios
Short, actionable fixes or “stop and see a pro.”
- **Green finger marks:** polish inside band; use barrier
- **Cloudy diamond:** mild soap soak + brush
- **Tangled chains:** use a pin + baby powder
- **Oxidised silver:** silver cloth or pro dip
- **Dull pearls:** wipe only—see a pro if chalky
Cleaning Compatibility Matrix
A matrix for metals and stones with safe methods, what to avoid, and pro-needed cues.
| Material/stone | Safe method | Avoid | Notes | Pro needed when… |
|----------------|-----------------------------|--------------|------------------|------------------|
| Gold (14k–24k) | Mild soap soak | Abrasives | Durable | Deep scratches |
| Silver | Cloth + mild dip | Toothpaste | Tarnishes fast | Blackened deeply |
| Platinum/steel | Mild soap | Strong acids | Very durable | Resizing needed |
| Diamonds | Soap, ultrasonic (if secure)| Chlorine | Hardest stone | Loose setting |
| Pearls | Damp cloth only | Soak, steam | Organic, porous | String frays |
| Opal/emerald | Quick wipe only | Ultrasonic | Porous/included | Cracks appear |
| Turquoise/amber| Damp cloth | Heat, chemicals | Very porous | Discolouration |
Key Takeaways
Fast reminders for safe cleaning and storage at home.
- Always inspect before cleaning
- **Mild soap + soft brush** is the universal safe method
- Avoid harsh chemicals, abrasives, and risky hacks
- Porous stones need minimal moisture—**pearls never soak**
- Store dry, padded, and separate to prevent scratches
- See a pro yearly or sooner if issues arise
