Firstly figure out what the jewelry you will be cleaning is made of. Is it all gold, silver, or a mixture of metals and jewels? Knowing what it is made of will give you a better idea of how you need to clean it or what you should stay away from when you do clean it.
Diamonds
Simply take some warm soapy water and a soft tooth brush and polish the diamond clean. Do not use anything else to clean the diamond for example toothpaste has been used to potentially make the diamond sparkle longer. By doing this, certain toothpaste can be abrasive to certain metal around the diamond.
Gold
Gold can be cleaned similarly to the diamond method with the exception of the soap must be dish soap. By using general shower soaps used in the shower it will cause whatever gold that is exposed to the soap to look tarnished. When cleaning gold make sure to use soft bristles as to not cause abrasion on the item. Avoid chlorine when cleaning your gold, too high of a concentrate will also cause your gold to look tarnished. If your gold is tarnished then simply add some ammonia to the soapy cleaning solution while brushing it with soft bristles to help restore some of the original shine.
Silver
Silver is a softer metal and will scratch if anything too rough of texture scratches against it. It is advised that when cleaning silver to use a silver polishing cloth or something of similar texture. Do not use the same method to clean silver as you would gold. Even a soft bristle maybe too much for some silver jewelry.
Pearls
When dirty, pearls are easily cleaned by using 1 teaspoon of Woolite mixed in 1 quart of water. Submerge the pearls into the solution you have made for 20 seconds remove and wipe down with a soft cloth. Once you have cleaned the pearls to their original color lay them out to dry.
What if you are afraid to clean the jewelry yourself?
Most jewelers and big department stores will refuse to clean or even inspect anything that is not theirs. This is especially true if you hand made it yourself. If you feel it is valuable and you want to have someone professional clean it there are some stores and places that will accept the item and clean it. This may cost only a few dollars but it will be done with professional tools and cleaners. It is worth looking into if you are afraid of damaging or causing abrasions to your own jewelry.
Speak with us here at Draper's Jewelry if you're unsure of how to go about cleaning that custom jewelry or if you want us to give it a nice shine. We'd love to have you stop in!














