Check out the new Jewelry Cleaning Education Page - Any thoughts?

[John Pollard]

Hi Jewelry Lovers,

We just published a page on cleaning, featuring "Seven Steps to Sparkle."

Advice on how to keep your metals shining and your refractive-indices refracting.
https://www.pricescope.com/education/engagement-rings/how-to-clean-jewelry

Any thoughts? Any advice? Any additional suggestions? What works for you? Any chance you have cool techniques, along with before and after photos?

Alternately, do you have any crazy stories about what NOT to do? - For example, using sulfuric acid on an heirloom diamond ring (yes, I saw this).

 

[Rockdiamond]

Excellent piece John!
One thing we've found is that as a final step, compressed air is better than simply drying the piece- especially the bottom of stones.
We have electrical pressurized blowers....but a can of "dust off" will work well too....

Anyone else use this method?

 

[Demon]

Excellent piece John!
One thing we've found is that as a final step, compressed air is better than simply drying the piece- especially the bottom of stones.
We have electrical pressurized blowers....but a can of "dust off" will work well too....

Anyone else use this method?

I use an electric air duster to dry. Colorado also has hard water, and will leave spots.
I used to use canned air, but got tired of buying it.

 

[Bron357]

Tip No 1.
NEVER take your rings off to wash your hands unless you are at home and you place your rings in their “safe place”.
The edge of the sink is not a safe place.
Tip No 2.
ALWAYS place Jewellery you aren’t wearing in their “safe place”. Don’t take them off at the gym or the pool or the beach to put them in your bag.
Tip No 3.
If you don’t have a loupe to check prongs, simply gently shake your ring and listen for a rattle. Using a fingernail on the girdle of the gem, see if you can wiggle it up and down or side to side. If you hear a rattle or notice movement, dont wear the ring, take it to the jeweller for inspection / repair. Better safe than sorry.
Tip No 4.
To clean tarnish off sterling silver (not if gem set with pearls or Opals) place a piece of aluminum foil on the bottom of a glass or plastic (no metals) bowl, add 1/2 cup of washing soda and 1 gallon very hot water. Place silver jewellery on aluminum foil and leave for 15 minutes. The tarnish, through a chemical reaction, will be removed from the silver.

 

[heididdl]

Tooth paste and soft bristle brush cleans in a pinch.

 

[Karl_K]

The majority of the gunk on a ring will be oil based use blue dawn for soaking with warm water and nothing else except for on oiled stones like a lot of emerald.
Safe enough to remove oil from birds and effective enough to remove oil from birds with no residue.
What is not to like?

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

this should be pinned to help newcomers and lurkers

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

A cheap ELF eyeshadow brush - like their flat oval - is softer and has longer more flexible bristles than a toothbrush. I think it can "get into places" that a toothbrush can't. And it's very gentle.

 

[John Pollard]

These are all great comments. A+ for the class!

Keep them coming.

 

[RunningwithScissors]

I love Lavish. It works beautifully, is easy and gentle.

 

[Wink]

Tooth paste and soft bristle brush cleans in a pinch.

I have been told to advise my clients not to do this, as the toothpaste is abrasive and can wear away at your jewelry.

I have been brushing my teeth every day for more than seventy years and I still have them, so I am not sure I am buying into the wearing away the gold and platinum, at least not in my lifetime.

However, the micro abrasions can really mess up your mirror like polish pretty quickly. You wont see then with the unaided eye for awhile, but you will notice your polish not being what it was. With a microscope or strong loupe you will see them pretty quickly and understand why your polish is not what it was.

Wink

 

[Bonfire]

Is there a reason hot water (not boiling) should be avoided? Is it because of too much temperature difference between cleaning and rinsing?

 

[Dancing Fire]

I use a soft brush to loosen up the gunk and then drop it into a heated US for about 15 mins, then rinse off with warm water, then dry it off with compressed air spray.

 

[sarahb]

I use a soft brush to loosen up the gunk and then drop it into a heated US for about 15 mins, then rinse off with warm water, then dry it off with compressed air spray.

Hi @Dancing Fire , I have the exact same US. But don’t like the jewelry hanger thing I have. Like your’s ALOT better—where did you get it?? Mine doesn’t have enough ‘posts’ to hang things IYKWIM.

 

[MamaBee]

Does a hair blow dryer work as well as compressed air? That’s what I use..I will buy the cans of compressed air if it works better!

 

[DejaWiz]

Great article, John Pollard!
My wife and I use non-abrasive dish soap, warm water, and a very soft bristle brush on our rings. To dry, we gently blot using a lint-free towel.
It's amazing what 3-5 minutes can do for both my tungsten band and her diamond ring!

 

[John Pollard]

I have been brushing my teeth every day for more than seventy years and I still have them, so I am not sure I am buying into the wearing away the gold and platinum, at least not in my lifetime.

You're not imagining scratches if you're using a heavy brush or abrasives. From the linked education page.

<< Tooth enamel has a Mohs hardness of 5, and can be scratched by medium, firm or hard bristles. Most gems in jewelry will be harder than that, but gold alloys used for jewelry have an average hardness of 2.5 and platinum has a hardness of 4.5. Don’t use an old brush or one which might have detritus on it, as debris could also scratch your jewelry.>>

@Wink you should know this. Weren't you alive back when prospectors bit down on gold ore to test it because gold is softer than your tooth?

 

[MillieLou]

Any reason why we can't use even freshly boiled water on diamonds and platinum?

<looks shiftily around>

 

[John Pollard]

I use an electric air duster to dry. Colorado also has hard water, and will leave spots.
I used to use canned air, but got tired of buying it.

A cheap ELF eyeshadow brush - like their flat oval - is softer and has longer more flexible bristles than a toothbrush. I think it can "get into places" that a toothbrush can't. And it's very gentle.

I have incorporated the info and suggestions above on the education page. Thank you.

 

[John Pollard]

Is there a reason hot water (not boiling) should be avoided? Is it because of too much temperature difference between cleaning and rinsing?

Any reason why we can't use even freshly boiled water on diamonds and platinum?

<looks shiftily around>

Blanket advice for John and Jane Q Public is to avoid high and low temps. Diamonds should be safe, but certain gemstone and (especially) organic jewelry pieces can be at risk, depending on specifics. Jewelry pieces with malachite or letterwood shouldn't even be exposed to water.

What is appropriate for each specific piece needs to be considered, even among pros. I once watched a jeweler split a customer's topaz in half using the store's steam cleaner.

I tend to overstate cautions, rather than understate them, as do most reputable pros I know. The wide world of jewelry-cleaning needs to be a place of speed limits and traffic lights for John/Jane Q to prevent inadvertent damage to some heirloom... With that said, many PS members are experienced "drivers," fully familiar with the needs of their "jewelry vehicles" and can safely navigate beyond the generic cautions.

 

[John Pollard]

Tip No 1.
NEVER take your rings off to wash your hands unless you are at home and you place your rings in their “safe place”.
The edge of the sink is not a safe place.
Tip No 2.
ALWAYS place Jewellery you aren’t wearing in their “safe place”. Don’t take them off at the gym or the pool or the beach to put them in your bag.
Tip No 3.
If you don’t have a loupe to check prongs, simply gently shake your ring and listen for a rattle. Using a fingernail on the girdle of the gem, see if you can wiggle it up and down or side to side. If you hear a rattle or notice movement, dont wear the ring, take it to the jeweller for inspection / repair. Better safe than sorry.
Tip No 4.
To clean tarnish off sterling silver (not if gem set with pearls or Opals) place a piece of aluminum foil on the bottom of a glass or plastic (no metals) bowl, add 1/2 cup of washing soda and 1 gallon very hot water. Place silver jewellery on aluminum foil and leave for 15 minutes. The tarnish, through a chemical reaction, will be removed from the silver.

These are great. I've made a note to adapt some where appropriate.

 

[Wink]

@Wink you should know this. Weren't you alive back when prospectors bit down on gold ore to test it because gold is softer than your tooth?

Yes. I had to refer many of them to my dad, the local dentist near the mines. Seems that teeth may be harder than gold, but the slightest angle could end up with stress fractures up and down the tooth.

I once watched a jeweler split a customer's topaz in half using the store's steam cleaner.

I was in New York on a buying trip in 1978 prior to the opening of my store. I had a wonderful rhodolite garnet that was over 10 carats in a beautiful gold ring that I wore a lot back then. I asked the gem vendor I was visiting with to have his jeweler clean and polish my ring.

His jeweler came in ten minutes later with my ring and the two pieces of my center stone. It came apart when he hit it with the steamer. In spite of searching for two years, no garnet of equal quality was ever found.

 

[MillieLou]

Would there be a problem with daily ultrasonic use on a platinum diamond solitaire (no pave)? Asking for a friend

@Dancing Fire how often do you use your ultrasonic?

 

[Bonfire]

Love this thread @John Pollard thank you!
Love everyone’s cleaning tips

 

[diamondseeker2006]

@MillieLou You didn’t ask me, but on a daily basis I do something close to what John recommended: soak, brush, rinse. I only use the ultrasonic every couple of weeks or once a month.

@John Pollard I think your advice is great! The one thing that really bugs me is when people said they wear their diamond jewelry 24/7. That indicates to me that their diamonds will be coated with oils and soap scum in a couple of days. I just do not understand treating fine jewelry that way!

 

[MamaBear]

Would there be a problem with daily ultrasonic use on a platinum diamond solitaire (no pave)? Asking for a friend

@Dancing Fire how often do you use your ultrasonic?

@MillieLou , your question has me interested! I clean my jewelry every night in my ultrasonic. I’ve never thought that may be a bad thing….???

 

[MillieLou]

@MillieLou , your question has me interested! I clean my jewelry every night in my ultrasonic. I’ve never thought that may be a bad thing….???

Interesting! How long have you been doing it for, and have you ever had diamonds come loose from their prongs? That's the only potential downside I can think of...

I only use it once a week at the moment but would love to do it daily, if it was safe. The culet of my diamond is close enough to the setting that I can't get a brush in there, but it comes up beautifully with the ultrasonic.

 

[MamaBear]

@MillieLou , I’ve done it this way for 2 years. It’s just part of my nightly routine. I’ve never had a problem with loose prongs.

 

[StarshineSweet]

My favorite homemade solution for dirty diamonds is equal portions hot water and room temperature white vinegar. On platinum and gold pieces it's safe enough to soak your pieces in and get all that nastiness out from under the prongs. And you'd be surprised just how much patina some shaving cream can remove from platinum pieces!

Over time it is actually normal for prongs to loosen a bit, which is why it is suggest that you have your prongs checked bi-annually. If you use an ultrasonic cleaner frequently, you definitely want to make sure your prongs are tight. Be very careful when cleaning multiple pieces in an ultrasonic as it can result in diamonds scratching each other if they make contact.

For those who "never take my rings off!," you're still married whether or not the ring(s) are on your hand. Allowing weeks, months, or years of grime to accumulate under your diamonds can not only make them look dull and lifeless, but can actually shorten the lifespan of your settings.

While this tip isn't about cleaning, it is perhaps even more important...having the proper size ring on your finger is more than just vanity. It's important. I recently fell and broke my arm in two places. While I was screaming in pain on the floor, my youngest came running to see what happened. The first thing I told them to do was to get my jewelry off, especially my 3 carat three-row pave band that I had recently had sized up a bit as my fingers swell during summer months. If I hadn't had it sized up, they most likely would have had to cut the band off of my hand and it would have destroyed the ring. We were able to stick my hand in a shallow dish of cool soapy water and slide it off before heading to the hospital. So yes it can be annoying to be without your ring for a week or two while it's being sized, but it sure beats having to wait over a month while the ring is being remade because it had to be cut off after an accident.

 

[John Pollard]

Thanks @EVERYONE for the participation, the great ideas and the kind comments.

RE the US Cleaner Query:

With the exception of plain metal bands the classic 6-prong platinum diamond solitaire is as hearty a beast as there ever was for regular baths in your home ultrasonic cleaner. My wife practiced a nightly habit with hers for some time - my "guymond" ring joined in when I wasn't traveling.

Do be sure your friendly preferred professional is checking prong-tightness and integrity annually...or as your own wear-mileage dictates. The danger with even simple settings in the US bath is the bubble implosions exaggerating some damage that happened in normal wear, where a knocked-about tension-area (prong, bezel, etc.) has been compromised.

It could be argued that a gold setting is even more robust for regular bathing, given its tensile strength. We're a PLAT household so I don't have that daily experience. Covid also changed our wear-habits so that gentle clicking doesn't serenade us nearly as often.