Even the best jewelry gets dirty. Oils from the skin, lotions, and other beauty products, can tarnish your cherished pieces over time.
You can keep your jewelry looking clean and bright right at home with a few simple steps. With a little foresight, you can keep professional cleanings to a minimum.
Cleaning Tips
Most jewelry can be cleaned in very warm water with a little dishwashing liquid. Use a soft toothbrush to reach crevices and details.
For heavily grimed pieces like rings, which take the most abuse and store the most debris, a long soak in a hot, soapy solution prior to hand cleaning is recommended. If soaking and brushing doesn't seem to have an effect, see your local jeweler to have the piece professionally cleaned.
Diamond Jewelry
Do not wear your diamond ring when doing rough jobs such as cleaning or gardening. Catching in things can damage prongs and settings. Diamonds, even though the hardest of stones, can be chipped by a hard knock.
Check the prongs of your rings regularly as they can catch in your clothes when you are dressing. The damage caused to the prong may lead you to lose your diamond. You can sometimes tell if damage has been done if the ring keeps catching in your clothes and on close examination, you can see the prong is either missing or raised from the stone.
If a prong is found to be damaged or missing, the item should be taken to a qualified jeweler for repair and should not be worn before then.
You can clean your diamond ring by first soaking it in warm water. Brush carefully with a small brush around the diamonds as the area under the stones can become very dirty. This can cause your stones to appear dull as no light can pass through from underneath. Rinse in cold water and dry with a soft cloth.
