Today we’re talking about how to keep your jewelry clean at home. No, you don’t need professional cleaning materials. You don’t need to take it to a jewelry store and pay them to do it (or worry about whether you are getting your diamond back). Here at Spokes Jewelry Services, we have some easy fixes and cleaning methods below. We’re using our fine jewelry manufacturing know-how to help you at home. Whether its a custom piece or off-the-shelf. If you’ve ever gotten a compliment on a ring or earring only to apologize that it needs cleaning…apologize no more!
Cleaning your Jewelry
For a jewelry piece you love and wear daily, its bound to get a little dirty. Here’s the simple way to keep it clean. Us a soft bristle toothbrush over a bowl of warm water. This will clear out any accumulated soap scum and have your gemstones back to sparkling and catching the light. If you need a better clean a mild dish detergent can help. Just make sure you rinse, rinse, rinse. Please use the bowl and not just the sink. Slippery soapy hands over a drain you hope you put the plug into? Better not. I’m not sure where some of the urban legends about cleaning products came from. Let me just say that pledge and toothpaste are NOT advised. They can actually damage the softer gemstones. Even on a harder gemstones they will just gather in corners and under prongs and settings. Skip them. Plain old water and maybe a drop of dishwashing liquid. Cheap and easy. Suddenly your fine jewelry is back to beautiful. Pearls are a very sensitive item and need to be treated differently. See what the experts at GIA have to say about this by visiting the link below. GIA Pearl Care
Unknotting your gold chains
Knotted gold chains? Hold them loosely and shake them to encourage the knots to loosen. Then take a tweezers to separate out the strands. Its best not to pull on the ends as it tends to tighten the knot. Be patient. This is a good one to do while you are watching t.v. and not in a hurry. That pendant you haven’t worn in ages because of the knot? Its ready to wear again.
Loose Earring Backs
Sometimes an earring back (also known as earring nuts or butterflies) can come loose over time. In this case grab a set of pliers or tweezers and squeeze the two loops together gently. This will hold the post (stick) tighter. Then there’s no concern about losing an earring.
Loose Gemstones or Diamonds
If you are concerned that one of your gemstones is loose in your fine jewelry, pick it up and give it a shake. Does it rattle? Does it clack? If you can hear these noises when you hold it close to your ear, chances are there’s a loose gemstone. At this point, we highly recommend that you bring it back to the store or designer. Any good jewelry store or brand should back up their work and be more than willing to fix it. Even if they don’t have a guarantee, its worth contacting them to ask. In the meantime, stop wearing it! A loose diamond can be tightened. There’s nothing to be done if it falls out and is lost however. Here at Spokes Jewelry Services, we guarantee our workmanship and HAPPILY repair any issues. Thankfully those are very rare as we produce everything in-house. We also manage every step of production personally. Contact us today to find out more.
