Jewellery Cleaning
Generally, keeping your jewellery looking bright and sparkling is a simple process and not necessarily expensive. You can do a lot to preserve the look of your pieces, simply by removing them when you tackle those dirty jobs such as gardening. Surprisingly, it is also beneficial to take your jewellery off when bathing! Soaps and creams are the main culprits in taking the shine off your jewellery, as they leave a residue.
The best cleaner is your jeweller, who would normally clean your jewellery in their ultra sonic cleaner as a Free Service, although there are very few who would charge a fee. At the same time, a good jeweller will check any claws or settings and advise of any possible security issues with your stones. They will also offer to polish your rings, but would usually charge for this service as well as other services such as rhodium plating to enhance your white gold pieces. Nevertheless, polishing is only recommended on average every 12 months and usually costs less than dinner out.
If you wish to do some cleaning at home, an old toothbrush is a useful tool, as the bristles can get in behind claws and into fine piercings. You can purchase a professional cleaning solution otherwise, washing liquid makes a handy substitute. Rinse thoroughly, and remember if there are small stones, rinse in a tea strainer or similar – if you dislodge a stone it will not be swept away down the drain. A little methylated spirit in the rinse water will strip off any residue or grease.
CAUTION: The above cleaning techniques are only recommended for Diamonds, Rubies, Sapphires and Tourmalines where you know the stones have not been treated in any way All other stones should be professionally cleaned.
