The best tricks to clean your jewelry | Jewelry like a pro 2023

We tell you how to clean silver, gold, pearls, jewelry, remove tarnish, shine diamonds and clean precious stones.

Jewelry is meant to shine, but exposure to dust and dirt, lotions and soaps, and even sweat, wind, and moisture can tarnish your beloved pieces over time and reduce their shine.

Fortunately, it is possible to clean most items in your jewelry box without going to a professional jeweler.  Restore tarnished silver and gold to its former glory, restore luster to precious stones such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires, and make pearls shine again.

If your jewelry is losing its shine, check out these proven cleaning methods and products recommended by the experts at the Good Housekeeping Cleaning Lab.  You just need to grab the right ingredients to get started.

How to clean silver

The safest and best way to clean tarnished silver pieces and prevent tarnishing so quickly is with a good silver polish, which contains ingredients that dissolve and remove tarnish and leave a protective layer to protect it from tarnishing.  Creates new stigmas.

Liquid and paste polishes can be a bit of a hassle, especially if you're in a hurry.  Disposable silver cleaning wipes are a cleaner and more convenient alternative, as are specially treated reusable mitts or multi-layer cloths, which have a special layer for tarnish removal and another for polishing.

3 techniques to clean silver

If you don't have silver polish on hand and need to polish your silver as soon as possible, try one of the following home remedies.  Note that these treatments do not prevent silver from tarnishing again, and silver experts advise against using them too often (if at all), so use them, especially the toothpaste technique.  , only for urgent moments.  In the case of silver-plated jewelry, avoid rubbing it too much so as not to wear away the metal finish.

1. Use in the dishwasher: Mix a few drops in hot water.  Remove the tarnish by rubbing the silver with a soft cloth dipped in the solution.  Wash with cold water and dry with another soft cloth.

2. Try baking soda: For the toughest stains, mix three parts baking soda to one part water.  Apply the paste with a soft, lint-free cloth soaked in silver.  Work between the cracks and rotate the fabric as you pick the stain.  Wash and dry well.

3. Turn to toothpaste: Just as the mild abrasives in toothpaste remove stains from teeth, they can also remove tarnish from silver.  Apply a small amount of white toothpaste (not gel) to your finger or a soft cloth and rub very gently over tarnished silver.  Then rinse well with lukewarm water and polish with a soft cloth.

How to clean gold

You can use this gold and jewelry cleaner, or, if you prefer, you can opt for a more artisanal method.  Gently bathe solid gold bracelets, chains and earrings in a solution of a few drops of dish soap and slightly warm water.  Place small jewelry in strainer before placing in solution;  Large pieces can go directly into the bowl to soak for about five minutes to loosen dirt.  Shake the parts, then take them out, place them on a soft cloth, and go over the indentations and chain links with a soft toothbrush to remove any dirt stuck there.  Return the small pieces to the strainer and rinse everything under the tap.  Dry with a soft cloth.

How to clean gemstones

Precious and semi-precious stones like diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires set in gold are easy to restore their luster.  Use the same instructions as above to clean gold, but instead of using plain water, mix your dish soap with seltzer water.  In tests by the Good Housekeeping Institute's Cleaning Lab, carbonation helped loosen dirt and remove debris stuck to settings and sides.

Brush stones and settings with a soft toothbrush;  Then wash them and soak in clean water, or place the pieces in a colander and rinse under the tap.  Appreciate their drying and shine.

To clean rings and other stone-set jewelry when you're out and about (or more easily at home), slip a jewelry-cleaning stick like Connoisseur in your bag.  Twist the slime wand to dispense the cleaner and use the soft brush tip to remove dirt and stains.  Rinse well and you will see how your gems shine.

How to clean pearls

Being porous, pearls retain dust and dirt and lose their luster easily.  Whether they are real, cultivated or fake, you must clean them carefully.  Rule number one: Never wet pearls, as this can weaken the thread and cause it to break.

To clean pearls, start by placing the string on a soft cloth.  Dip a small, clean makeup brush into a mixture of warm water and a little mild shampoo.  Shake off any excess solution and go around each bead.  To finish, wash the pearls with a clean, damp cloth that has been thoroughly wiped.  Let the yarn dry flat so it doesn't stretch.

This no-soak treatment works well on turquoise and opal (which are also porous stones).  Special cleaning kits for pearl care, such as the one from Connoisseurs, can be very useful.

How to clean jewelry

Dip a cloth in a soapy dishwashing solution and water, wring it out thoroughly, and gently wipe away any stains or dirt.  Then wash with a cloth wet with running water.  Dry the pieces and place face down so that moisture does not enter the setting.  Since the stones are often glued rather than set, do not submerge the clothing pieces in water or the glue may loosen and the "gem" may fall out.

How to properly care for your jewelry

Remove your ring when washing your hands, applying beauty products, cleaning the house, or applying lotion to keep your settings free of dirt.  And don't wear necklaces, bracelets and earrings - apply perfume first

Do not wear jewelry while swimming: chlorine and salt water can damage it.

Wipe the pearls with a soft cloth after each use to remove body oils and perfumes that can yellow the pearls.

Don't let money stay in the jewelry box: use it!  The longer you wear it, the shinier it gets (friction slows tarnish).  When you're not wearing them, store the pieces in a stain-resistant bag.

Have precious jewelry regularly checked by a trusted jeweler to ensure the stones are in good condition and the settings are secure

Now that your jewelry is looking like new.