By: Diane Nicole Go, GIA Graduate Gemologist
Ever wonder why your ring isn’t as sparkly as it used to be? Maybe it’s time to get it cleaned!
Jewelry gets dirty over time, especially if you wear them often. This is very true for rings, since you can get pretty busy with your hands. Things that you handle every day, like lotions, soap, or even bits of food and unidentifiable stuff can get into the nooks and crannies of your jewelry’s setting. This makes your gemstones less shiny (especially diamonds—those are grease magnets that look dull if you keep touching them), and gold pieces look… lackluster.
Well, if you don’t want that to happen, it’s time to start paying attention to them. With a little TLC, you can make your jewelry look brand new!
We take a look at 3 common ways to clean your jewelry here:
Cleaning Solvents: NO!
Expensive and chemical-heavy solvents aren’t necessary in keeping your jewelry clean, especially if you aren’t familiar with what the stone or metal is used in the piece. Solvents can, after all, damage treated or enhanced stones such as Emerald, which are mostly fracture-filled with oil or resin to conceal cracks that come naturally with the way they’re formed. The harsh chemicals in these cleaning solutions can even cause the oil to leak out or the filling to become unstable in these kinds of stones, making it costly and sometimes even impossible to restore to its pristine condition. Chemical solvents, when used incorrectly, can even remove the thin layer of gold plating on your jewelry! Alcohol-based solutions can also abrade soft gems like pearls, while those with an ammonia or chlorine base are definitely too harsh on metals and can cause them to corrode or discolor.Ultrasonic Cleaner: Use with Caution
Ultrasonic Cleaners use a combination of vibrations and chemicals to remove dirt and tarnish, and although that sounds like a godsend, not all gems and jewelry pieces can be cleaned with it. The general rule is that the more brittle the stone, the more you should NOT put it in the Ultrasonic Cleaner.
Source: Eric Welch/GIA (https://4cs.gia.edu/en-us/blog/holiday-buying-guide-clean-jewelry/)
According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), you should never use this device on:- Fracture-filled Stones: these include gems with cracks that reach the surface, such as Emeralds and some diamonds with cracks or chips, which are filled with oil, resin or glass. The Ultrasonic Cleaner can dislodge these fillings or make the cracks worse.
- Organic Gems: these include pearls, mother of pearl, coral, ivory, shells or amber. They have a soft and sometimes porous surface that cannot withstand the heat and chemicals in the Ultrasonic Cleaner and can even damage (or worse, dissolve) them!
- Coated Gems: Some gems like emeralds, jade, opal or lapis lazuli come with a coating of oil, plastic or wax. The chemicals in the Ultrasonic Cleaner can abrade the coating or dislodge the filling.
- Some Heat-treated Gems: gems like Ruby and Sapphire may be heat-treated to enhance their color. Be careful when putting them in the Ultrasonic Cleaner, since leaving them in there for a long time may cause the color to fade. Star Sapphires and Star Rubies, however, should NOT be cleaned with an Ultrasonic Cleaner.
- Gems Sensitive to Changes in Heat and Temperature: if your jewelry piece has Tanzanite, Sunstone, Moonstone, Fluorite, Iolite, Kunzite, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Opal, Peridot, Topaz, Turquoise or Zircon, among other stones, stay away from the Ultrasonic Cleaner, whether or not they’re treated! If they’re suddenly exposed to heat, stones like opal might just crack (this cannot be repaired, by the way!). Peridot, on the other hand, can cloud over, and there is no way you can remove that. Tanzanite’s color can fade when the temperature gets high, and the stone itself may even crack!
- Antique Jewelry: old jewelry, or even those with a loose setting, may be damaged if you use the Ultrasonic Cleaner. Prongs holding the stones can get loosened, or worse, break off, and you risk damaging the finish on jewelry pieces, especially if they have an oxidized look to it.
- Tungsten Jewelry: jewelry pieces made with Tungsten should not go into an Ultrasonic Cleaner, since it gets damaged by the chemicals used.
Warm, Soapy Water and a Very Soft-bristled Toothbrush: Yes, yes, yes!
The safest bet would be to use warm, soapy water and a very soft-bristled toothbrush for periodic, DIY cleaning. Use a mild soap for this. Remember: No harsh detergents allowed!
Source: GIA.edu
The good thing about this method is that it applies to all kinds of jewelry and gemstones! Just make sure you clean your jewelry in a bowl or container— not directly over the sink— and close the drain, so loose stones or the entire piece doesn’t fall in. Because soft gems like pearls can easily get scratched, you can use a new, soft makeup brush to clean them. Afterwards, dry your jewelry and gemstones with a soft, lint-free cloth.
Source: GIA.edu (https://www.gia.edu/gia-news-research-secrets-keep-diamond-sparkling)
