Cleaning your jewellery properly and regularly can help to keep it in the best possible condition so you can wear and love it for a lifetime, so it’s definitely worth doing! Whether your collection features flat back earrings, necklaces, rings or anything in between, keep them looking stunning and sparkling with our cleaning tips. From the actual cleaning method to how often to clean and then also when to get professional cleaning, we’ve got it all covered!
Use Warm Water and Mild Soap
Firstly, create your cleaning solution with a combination of mild soap and warm water. Mix it together well, then take a very soft bristled toothbrush and gently brush the jewellery to remove any build up, particularly focusing on any areas that are prone to buildup like the back of settings in rings or the back of tragus earrings. Try to avoid soaking jewellery for too long, but instead dip the toothbrush into the cleaning solution.
Once you’ve removed any dirt and your jewellery is sparkling, make sure to rinse it really well to remove any soap. Whilst you might trust yourself with your jewellery under the tap, we always just put a sieve in the sink as an extra level of precaution in case anything does slip!
Ensure It’s Fully Dry
Now your jewellery is all clean, it’s vital you make sure it’s fully dry before you put it away. Try not to leave it lying down on anything like a towel or a piece of paper, as you want to avoid it sitting in moisture. Instead, get something like a jewellery stand that everything can dry on, before putting it away. This might take up to a day for it to dry properly, even if it’s dry to the touch not too long after!
Get Delicate Jewellery Cleaned Professionally
If you have any delicate jewellery, like pearls, or anything with precious gemstones, you should get it cleaned professionally at least once a year. This will help to protect the jewellery and keep it in impeccable condition, especially with something like pearls where you need to be really gentle with how you clean them. Some jewellers will provide free annual cleaning with expensive purchases, like engagement rings, so it’s worth asking if you have been to a reputable jeweller.
Clean Every 6 Months
In terms of how often you should clean your jewellery, it should be around every 6 months. If you rarely wear some pieces and store them well (out of the sun and in a container away from dust) then you may not need to do them that often, and if you wear items more often (like wedding and engagement rings) then you’ll need to clean them slightly more often probably. It’s all personal preference really, especially with solid gold and sterling silver as they won’t tarnish, so it’s about how fresh you want them to feel! It is also important to remove build up of dirt to keep everything looking perfect and to prevent any damage.
