DAVERIO1933 Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date!

Free shipping throughout Italy in 2-3 working days

How to clean gold and gemstone jewelry

cleaning jewellery, How to clean gold and gemstone jewellery

We often forget about it, but even jewels get dirty. Why and how clean jewelry? Better to do it at home or by taking them to the jeweler? In this article we give some tips on how to take care of your jewelry.

Why clean jewelry

Like clothes, rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings are also worn in contact with the skin and can therefore be subjected to the action of various factors which tend to dirty their surface.

First of all, they undergo the action of normal skin secretions, from sebum to sweat, especially when temperatures are higher or in hot places, and this creates a patina that reduces the beauty of jewellery: gold, for example, although it does not oxidize like silver, it can be duller ei diamonds they can lose up to 30% of their shine.

Jewelry can also get dirty due to products we use every day, such as make-up, creams, perfumes, or other chemical products. To avoid possible damage, here's what they recommend experts for jewelery care:

  • wear them last, after applying creams, make-up, perfumes, hairspray;
  • avoid contact of jewels with shower gel, shampoo, lotions;
  • remove jewelry to do household chores, such as cleaning or gardening;
  • do not wear precious necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings to go to the hairdresser or beautician
  • do not wear them at the beach or in the pool, to prevent them from coming into contact with salt water or chlorine-based products, which can damage metals and precious stones, and in the summer, remove them before applying sun creams and lotions

Even following these rules, it is still advisable clean jewelry with regularity. It is an operation that can be done personally at home, or by contacting a trusted jeweler.

cleaning jewellery, How to clean gold and gemstone jewellery

How to clean jewelry at home

Home cleaning is quite simple and does not require special tools or products. All you need is a toothbrush with soft bristles (avoiding those with stiff bristles that could scratch the gold or more delicate stones), liquid dish detergent and a soft cloth (preferably microfibre).

clean jewelry just immerse them in a bowl where we will have poured warm water (avoid too hot water, which could damage some stones) and a few drops of liquid dishwashing detergent. Carbonated water can also be used: carbon dioxide, in contact with the detergent, helps to remove dirt. The jewels should be left in this solution for 10-15 minutes and then gently brushed with a soft bristle toothbrush. Finally, rinse them under warm running water to remove any dirt and detergent residue, and dry them gently with a soft cloth.

This procedure is effective for all types of jewelry and stones, except for pearls, which are very delicate and need special care, even for cleaning. In fact, pearls should never be immersed in water, in order not to damage the surface, and the use of any detergent and chemical product must be absolutely avoided. Pearl jewelry should only be cleaned with a microfiber cloth moistened with a little water.

Ultrasonic cleaning

The alternative, for clean jewelry professionally, is to resort to an ultrasonic cleaner. It is a machine that has recently become widespread also for domestic use and which allows for quick and thorough cleaning; however, for jewellery, it is advisable to consult a jeweler.

In fact, ultrasonic cleaning is very effective and allows you to clean jewels and stones in a few minutes, especially stones solitary rings; furthermore, through ultrasound it is possible to verify any stability problems of the stones and therefore resolve them before a possible damage to the jewel.

This procedure is ideal for diamonds, rubies, sapphires, amethysts, but it is not suitable for all stones: ultrasound can damage emeralds, topaz, tanzanites, aquamarines, for example causing the stones to discolour. A expert jeweler will know which method to use for clean jewelry at best, they respect the characteristics of each stone.