Charm School 101: The Urban Charm Guide to Cleaning Jewelry and Caring for Gemstones and Diamonds

A Guide to Cleaning Jewelry and Caring for Gemstones and Diamonds

DIAMONDS: With a soft bristle brush, gentle scrub the diamond with a mixture of warm water and mild soap to get rid of the grease buildup. This method will also bring back the shine with an ammonia based cleaner. An alternative for a milder non-ammonia cleaner is leaving the diamond overnight in a glass of club soda to restore the shine. 

GOLD

Mix 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and 1 cup of warm water to bring back the luster of gold, add ½ teaspoon of ammonia if needed. Simply dip the gold into the solution and with a soft bristle brush, gently scrub to remove residue. Finish it off by rinsing the jewelry in clean water and pat completely dry. 

STERLING SILVER

With baking soda and aluminum foil (example linked here), let the sterling silver soak in it for 30 minutes to allow the tarnish to transfer to the water through ion exchange. Finally, remove it from the water and pat dry. 

RUBIES, AMETHYSTS, CITRINES, SAPPHIRES & GARNETS

Create a solution of mild soap and warm water, and then scrub with a soft gentle brush. After that, rinse with clean water and pat dry. 

EMERALDS

Compared to other stones, emeralds are softer, therefore, it can chip easily. Gently clean the stone with a mixture of water and gentle dishwashing soap. 

PEARLS, OPALS, AND TURQUOISE

These three are porous stones, so they should neve be submerged into water. Instead, use a soft and dry cloth to polish them. With their setting, clean with a soft brush, but make sure that water does not get into the holes that will eventually cause discoloration. Simply blow into it; do not use a hairdryer. After every wear, pearls should be cleaned with a soft cloth to remove all the oils from your skin. 

COSTUME JEWELRY

Soak costume jewelry in a glass of water with two Alka Seltzer tablets for 5 minutes and then pat jewelry dry. 

MORE TIPS FOR GEM CARE

• Keep your jewelry in a safe soft place like a lined container or box that is sealed airtight to prevent oxidation. 
• Store jewelry pieces at least an inch apart.
• Keep jewelry out of direct sunlight.
• Avoid keeping them in a humid and damp environment to prevent tarnishing. 
• Before storing your jewelry away for a long period of time, properly clean them before and make sure they are all dry.