What''s in your Ultra Sonic?

[genette]

I know people say to use ammonia and water to clean their diamonds but what type of ammonia are you using ie.Mr. Clean.... I even read about people using Windex. Is this safe? Are there any reprecussions in the future?

 

[FireGoddess]

A few sprays of windex, a drop of dishwashing soap, and warm water.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I use plain old ammonia, a few drops of Dawn, and hot water. Works like a charm!

 

[klavigne]

I use windex and distilled water. Tap water has too much "junk" in it, the distilled water doesn''t have all the heavy metals and minerals that "sneak" through the water filter. Anyway, I use a ratio of about 1 part windex and 5 parts water. Works awesome!!!

 

[jcrow]

hot water and a splash of mr. clean

 

[Mara]

-microwaved hot tap water (so hot i can't touch it!)
-straight household ammonia (a few bucks in a big clear bottle)
-sometimes mr clean
-sometimes a drop of dish soap
-i don't use windex anymore as it was not getting the diamonds 'as clean' as mr clean or ammonia

stuff like ammonia etc is safe for use on platinum but i wouldn't use such harsh chemicals on white gold continuously. for my wg stuff like my earrings i tend to just put some white gold jewelry cleaner in with super hot water.

 

[Kaleigh]

I have a great jewelry cleaner in mine that I found in FLA. I dilute it with a touch of water.

 

[cflutist]

I use a non-amoniated solution specifically formulated for ultrasonics. You dilute 40:1 for general cleaning.

Bought it from http://www.ottofrei.com/store/product.php?productid=3367&cat=730&page=1

 

[luckyhonu]

I also use the non-ammoniated Otto Frei solution that cflutist recommended (thanks!

) with hot water.

 

[justjulia]

Squirt of Dawn and a cap of ammonia in hot water. Lately, it''s just been a dab of bar soap and a nail brush. Actually, have seen a good cleaning while washing my own hair with clarifying shampoo while wearing ring... I don''t like my ultrasonic right now because it shimmies everything like bumper cars into each other, which I have to stand and watch so it doesn''t happen! PITA I would like to get something that holds each piece of jewelry separately. Or maybe a steamer of some sort...

 

[justjulia]

Oh, and I get the cheapie gimongous sized bargain store ammonia. I figure a chemical is a chemical...

 

[VegasAngel]

I use hot water and the jewelery cleaner the system came with.

 

[KristyDarling]

Hot water from the tap and ammonia. I used to put a drop of Dawn in there too but found that it was causing my stone to look a tad grimy....kinda greasy looking. I make sure to put in some fresh solution about once every 5 days.

 

[divergrrl]

Hey...thanks for this thread! I use Parson''s Sudsy Ammonia, but never thought to add dish soap. I''m having cleaning issues. I usually dilute the ammonia with hot water...but I think I''ll do as Mara says & get it hot hot hot.


Off to try new things...move my u/s to the kitchen. (safer anyway with toddler in casa)

Jeannine

 

[ladykemma]

dawn dish detergent to get the greasies off.

 

[ephemery1]

Date: 7/20/2006 11:31:52 AM
Author: Mara

stuff like ammonia etc is safe for use on platinum but i wouldn''t use such harsh chemicals on white gold continuously. for my wg stuff like my earrings i tend to just put some white gold jewelry cleaner in with super hot water.

Mara, just wondering where you found this info? In my research on cleaning white gold, I''ve found a lot of jewelers (online and IRL) recommending ammonia for use with gold. The only real chemical to avoid is chlorine/bleach. My concern was the rhodium-plating... but then I read an article about rhodium-plating being resistant to nearly all chemicals. I''d be interested to know if you heard differently though!

 

[CareBear]

after you take it out of the ultra sonic do you have to rinse it again with water?

 

[snlee]

Date: 7/21/2006 2:15:10 PM
Author: CareBear
after you take it out of the ultra sonic do you have to rinse it again with water?

Yes, definitely rinse it well.

Sooo CareBear, have you bought an US yet?

 

[AlyceC]

I picked up a tip from the jewelry counter at Nordstrom--diluted Mr. Clean. It''s great. I find that even spraying it on my diamond jewelry, rinsing it, and toweling it dry works great in a time crunch.

 

[diamondlove]

I remember reading that some people blowdry their rings after using the US-- is this true? How do most of you guys dry your rings afterwards and not get water spots?

I haven''t cleaned my ring yet since it''s only been two days since the proposal but am getting prepared! He bought me a SI US so that I could keep the ring clean once he proposed.

DL

p.s. I''m constantly trying to be careful when I wash my hands to not get the diamond wet so that I don''t get water spots-- isn''t that a pain?

 

[Mara]

diamond love just use lint free paper towels to wipe the diamond clean. that's what i do after i rinse it. i don't have the time to blowdry it. hehee.

ephem...sorry i missed your comment up above about white gold and ammonia. i remember reading on here multiple times that the harsh chemicals we use on platinum would not be great for white gold. i don't remember if it has to do with the plating coming off sooner or if it has to do with the metal weakening over long-term. i don't think that once or twice with white gold and harsh chemicals does anything as i have just thrown my wg studs in with my rings sometimes (rarely) and have not seen them any worse for the wear. i'll check around on here and see if i can find where people have said not to use ammonia on WG. it's just one of those things i am sure i heard and it stuck with me yanno!

eta: i searched back a bit through the archives, and i didn't find anything from an expert where it says don't use ammonia on WG.... but it was said to not use 'harsh' chemicals with wg...but i don't know what harsh necessarily means. anyway i also read through here, that there is a non-ammonia mr clean formula, so for those who are hesitant about using ammonia on the wg then i'd maybe find the mr clean sans ammonia and use that.

 

[Ellen]

Mara, I''ve read that too. I remembered it as I have a WG setting.