14 Easy Ways To Clean Jewelry At Home
1. Vinegar
¼ cup vinegar 2 tbsp baking soda Warm water
5-10 minutes
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl to make a thick paste. With an old but soft toothbrush, rub the paste all over your diamond ring or jewelry. Continue to do this for a few minutes. Rinse it with tap water and pat it dry. Alternatively, you could soak the jewelry in vinegar for about 5 minutes before you go ahead and clean with the paste.
2. Baking Soda
2 tbsp baking soda Warm water
5-10 minutes
Take about 2 tbsp of baking soda and add a little water to it to make a thick paste. You can replace water with white vinegar (optional). With an old toothbrush or a scrub, apply this paste to the jewelry you plan to clean. Scrub carefully. You will start to see the dullness diminish and your jewelry piece begin to shine. Rinse it with water and repeat this procedure if needed. Avoid using them on anything with enamel, gemstones or pearls.
3. Toothpaste
Toothpaste Cotton cloth or toothbrush Fresh towel
5 minutes
Toothpaste is one of the most inexpensive, easy, and effective ways of cleaning your junk or silver jewelry. With a soft cotton pad, cloth or a toothbrush, rub a little paste all over and wipe it thoroughly. Give it one last rub with a damp or a fresh towel.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide 5 minutes
Pour a cap full of hydrogen peroxide in a cup. Make sure the ringgets fully immersed in it. The dust will react with the hydrogen peroxide and start to make bubbles. Remove the ring from the liquid. After a while, dip it back in and leave it there for another minute or so. Take it out and rinse with regular water. Your ring will be shinier than ever.
Note: Hydrogen peroxide helps remove all the stubborn grime and grit that has settled on your diamond rings over the years.
5. Alcohol – Vodka, Tequila, Beer
Alcoholic drinks like vodka, tequila or beer Bowl Soft cloth
5 minutes Dip a soft cloth in vodka, beer or tequila and rub it onyour jewelry thoroughly. You will start to see that your jewelry will start to shine. These come in handy for more things than one, if you know what I mean.
6. Ammonia
1 cup warm water ½ cup ammonia Paper or cloth towel
15-20 minutes
Take ½ cup of ammonia and mix it with a cup of warm water – put your diamond, silver or gold jewelry in this. Let it be submerged in the liquid for 15-20 minutes. Rinse it with water, and let it dry on a cloth or a paper towel.
7. Tamarind Paste
Tamarind paste Toothbrush Paper towel or cloth
15-20 minutes
Tamarind is acidic and helps remove the black pigment on your silver items and jewelry. Plus, it is the most natural way of cleaning your silver items. Soak a lemon sized portion of tamarind in a little water for about 15 minutes and mash it into a paste. Scrub your items with a brush using the tamarind paste. You can do this as often as you like to keep your silver shining and brand new.
8. Soapnuts
Fistful of soapnuts Warm or regular water Bowl Scrub or toothbrush
20 minutes
Take a handful of soap nuts and soak them in a cup of water for about 15 minutes. Now, extract the soapy liquid from it and submerge your gold or silver jewelry in it for some time. Scrub the items and wash them with tap water. Let them dry, then clean them with a paper towel.
9. Aluminum Foil
Aluminum foil Laundry detergent liquid or powder/ baking soda Pot of boiling water Toothbrush Paper towel or a cloth to dry
30 minutes
Line a steel bowl with aluminum foil and fill it up with water. Let it come to a boil. Now, add laundry detergent powder or baking soda and turn the stove off. You could alternatively just use shredded aluminum foil and throw it in the boiling water. Add your jewelry pieces to this and leave them for a couple of minutes. Take them out and brush them using a scrub or an old toothbrush. Dry them on a paper towel.
10. Ketchup
2 tbsp ketchup Soft cloth
10 minutes
Dip a soft cloth or a brush in ketchup and clean the items with it. Rinse it with tap water. Repeat, if needed.
Note: Ketchup might sound a little bizarre, but it works because it is highly acidic and helps getting rid of all the grit and grime build up on your silver jewelry.
11. Boiling Water
Pot of boiling water Laundry detergent (optional) A dry towel
30 minutes
Cleaning your jewelry with boiling water is the safest option. Turn the stove off. (Add a little detergent of any kind to the bowl if you want.) Soak the jewelry for about 15-20 minutes. Scrub them and clean with fresh water.
12. Lemon Juice
1 tbsp lemon juice ½ cup water Scrub or toothbrush Paper towel
Overnight Squeeze out 1 tbsp of lemon juice and add it to ½ cup of water. For best results, soak your jewelry in this solution overnight and wash them the next morning. If you are in a hurry, scrub your jewelry with this liquid for a few minutes and rinse it with tap water.
13. Dish washing Liquid
Dish washing liquid Warm water
30-35 minutes
Add a few drops of the dish washing liquid to a bowl of warm water. Add your silver, gold or diamond jewelry to this. Let them soak in the water for 30 minutes or so. Rinse them with cold water. Pat them dry with a paper towel or a soft cloth.
14. Alka Seltzer
Alka Seltzer Warm water Dry cloth
30 minutes
Alka Seltzer cleans your diamond rings in minutes and makes them sparkle like new. Just add a couple of Alka Seltzer tablets in a bowl of warm water. Put the jewelry in the bowl. Let them stay there for about 20-25 minutes. Take them out and clean with a dry cloth.
Can I clean my jewelry with a nail polish remover? It is not advisable, especially if it is an expensive diamond ring or jewelry piece. If it’s inexpensive and not something very valuable, you can dilute acetone or nail polish remover in water and clean it. Will any of the household ingredients spoil my jewelry? You can clean your silver jewelry with almost anything without having to worry about them losing their shine. However, if you have precious diamond, gemstones, gold or pearl jewelry, it is best to use the most delicate methods like soapnuts, detergents or washing liquids. If you are not sure, it’s always best to take it to a professional or a jewelry store. Can you clean jewelry with hand sanitizer? The chlorine-based chemicals in a hand sanitizer may tarnish the quality of your jewelry. Therefore, it is not ideal to clean jewelry with it.
