The little secrets of sparkling jewels:

Looking at my diamond, the top looks sparkly and shiny, however on the sides it does get a bit dirty. Like any expensive diamond ring worth quite a bit, it comes with a warranty that includes regular cleaning services. So I used it once. I went straight to the diamond exchange, waiting in line, taking photos, asking for ID and a very long story just to write here.

A diamond expert in a jewelry store told me a secret, you don’t have to run to the store to clean the shiny and shiny ring, you can do it yourself at home.

Unlike silver, gold does not take on a tarnished or dull finish over time. However, gold can still collect dirt from everyday use. To restore the brilliance of gold rings, bracelets, necklaces and other precious diamond jewelry, you can do the following:

1-Cleaning jewelry with soap:

Pour a few drops of dishwashing liquid into a bowl or cup of warm (not boiling) water and mix gently. Plain tap water will work, but for best results, you can use sparkling water. Do not use boiling water, especially if the jewelry contains gemstones and fractures such as opal stones that can crack due to rapid and extreme temperature change.

Soak gold jewelry in the solution for about 15 minutes. During soaking, the hot soapy water will find its way into cracks and crevices and remove dirt that is difficult to remove by hand.

Take off the jewelry and gently scrub it with a toothbrush. Scrub each piece individually, paying special attention to hidden corners where dirt can hide. Use a very soft brush, the softer the better. Hard bristles can scratch the surface of jewelry. If the jewelry is gold plated (as opposed to pure gold), the particularly hard bristles can even remove the gold layer completely. Special brushes designed for this purpose are best, but most soft brushes (such as brow brushes) will work as well.

Then wash each piece under lukewarm running water. Additional washing under running water will help remove any dirt that has not gotten caught on the brush. Again, make sure the water is not too hot. If jewelry washing is done in the sink, be sure to put something down to block the drain. This way you won’t accidentally lose your jewelry if it slips out of your hands. Alternatively, you can wash the jewelry in a colander.

Finally, dry the jewelry with a soft cloth and let it dry on a towel in the open air before wearing it again. If the jewelry is still wet, it will form a moisture trap for the skin, which can lead to irritation.

2- Jewelry cleaning with toothpaste:

Mix a small amount of toothpaste with water (for every inch of toothpaste in a bowl or in the palm of your hand, mix one to two tablespoons of water to make the paste). Toothpaste is good for removing built-up dirt from gold jewelry without scratching it. This cleaning method does not wear away jewelry and therefore can be used frequently, for quick cleaning or when other cleaners are not available.

Scrub the toothpaste mixture gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush. If there are scratches on the jewelry, it’s probably from the toothbrush and not the salve. Use as soft a brush as possible. Alternatively, you can simply rub in undiluted toothpaste with water. But this method can be more difficult to clean in the small crevices of the jewelry.

Finally, wash the jewelry well to remove any accumulated dirt.

3- Use of boiling water:

As mentioned above, one must know when it is appropriate to clean with boiling water. Pure gold can be boiled with no problem. However, boiling delicate gems (such as clarity-enhanced diamonds, opals, pearls, coral, and clear stones) can break and destroy them. Especially if the jewelry is at a cold temperature before boiling. Boiling is also not good for jewelry with glued gems, as it can loosen the glue. If the goal is to clean pure gold jewelry or gold jewelry with “strong” gemstones (such as diamonds, not clarity-enhanced diamonds), cleaning with boiling water is an excellent option.

You don’t need to boil a lot of water to “drown” all the jewelry. You can boil them in a small gas pot or other water-safe tools (such as a mug, Pyrex bowl, or metal container). ). It is important to make sure that the jewelery is not placed on top of each other because the water must be able to reach any jewellery. So make sure the tool is the correct size.

Wait for the water to cool down. When you can get your hands in the water, it’s time to remove your jewelry. Scrub each piece with a soft brush, then pat dry with a soft towel and allow to air dry completely.

Don’t be alarmed if the water looks dirty, it’s a good sign! When boiling water releases the accumulated dirt on the jewelry, it can float to the surface of the water. The appearance of dirty water, promising clean jewelry!