When you notice your favorite custom necklace or bracelet has lost its shine, it’s time to take some action.
Custom jewelry made with sterling silver or gold is cleaned using a soft toothbrush and some baking soda. You can also use acid-free soap, dishwashing liquid, and white vinegar diluted in water to get the job done. If the jewelry is severely tarnished and DIY techniques don’t work, it’s best to consult a professional!
Jewelry is a special and unique piece of art that can last a lifetime.
However, jewelry tarnishes when exposed to air, water, sweat, makeup, and other chemicals. This process causes the metals in the jewelry to oxidize, making them look dull or black.
This article will help you learn a few ways to clean your custom jewelry at home. We will also discuss how to prevent your jewelry from tarnishing in the first place.
3 Different ways to clean your custom jewelry
If your jewelry has turned grey, orange, or greenish, simply rub the tarnished area with half a raw potato for 10 minutes, then rinse it clean. You should now see some improvement!
Here are some other effective DIY hacks that can help clean and maintain your delicate pieces on the go!
Warm bubble bath
A warm bubble bath can be the perfect solution for any tarnished custom jewelry.
Use a mild dish soap of your preferred scent, combine it with warm water in a bowl until you see foam, and then soak your silver or gold pieces for about 30 minutes.
If your bowl is big enough, you can soak up multiple pieces in the solution but make sure they don’t touch each other.
After 30-40 minutes, put the jewelry pieces in another bowl with clean water to rinse them. You must place each piece separately instead of dumping them altogether! You’ll see tons of black marks sliding right off your jewels!
Now, take a soft toothbrush and gently scrub your jewelry to remove the tarnish and lather, if any. Once the pieces look clean, lay them flat on a clean cloth and let them air-dry before storing!
White vinegar and lemon juice
Vinegar can also help you clean custom jewelry made of sterling silver and gold.
Add one teaspoon of distilled white vinegar to 2 cups of lukewarm water. Dip your jewelry into the solution for 10-20 minutes. Then pat the pieces gently with a soft cloth or toothbrush to remove any loose tarnish.
You can also dip your toothbrush in a mixture of salt and lemon juice (about two tablespoons of each to one cup of water), which will give you an even more potent cleaning agent.
Baking soda
If you have silver jewelry with ugly black marks on its surface, those marks can be cleaned right off.
Mix about two tablespoons of baking soda into one cup of warm water until dissolved; then stir in a few drops of dish soap if desired. The consistency should resemble pancake batter or oatmeal, but don’t let it get too thick!
To remove the tarnish, soak your silver jewelry for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing off with warm water. Don’t use anything abrasive that will scratch the metal: a soft cloth or a brush with gentle bristles will do the job.
As for gold jewelry, do this.
Cover a bowl with aluminum foil and place your delicate items on it. Now, sprinkle baking soda generously over your jewelry, covering every inch possible.
Next, boil one to two cups of water and pour it over your jewelry. You have to submerge your ornaments in boiling water completely.
This will loosen dirt particles lodged deep within the nooks and crannies of each piece that you can’t get yourself with a toothbrush!
Things to consider when cleaning custom silver jewelry
Clean your silver jewelry gently with mild cleaners like baby shampoo or mild dish soap. Also, use a soft cloth or a microfibre towel to clean out the dirt and absorb the excess moisture.
Tarnished silver is not only unattractive; it’s also unsafe to wear because of the risk of infection from bacteria or other substances on the surface. Therefore, it’s best to wear gloves while cleaning off the tarnish!
If you’re out of detergents and baking soda, you can also use toothpaste to refine the shine and polish in silver jewelry.
Mistakes to avoid when cleaning your custom jewelry
Let’s look at the common mistakes you should avoid when cleaning your custom jewelry:
1. You MUST not put your gold jewelry in the same pot or utensil you boiled the water. Instead, take a separate bowl and cover it with aluminum foil.
2. Avoid using baking soda too much to clean gold jewelry. Frequent use of baking soda on gold items can damage it since it’s alkaline.
3. You should never clean your jewelry with a hard-bristled brush. Instead, always use a brush with soft and gentle bristles to minimize scratches and dents.
4. The acidic nature of lemon and vinegar can be harmful to soft metals like silver if used frequently.
When to find a professional jewelry cleaner?
No matter how many cleaning methods you use at home, it’s challenging to return the same glimmer and shine to your jewelry as when first purchased.
Not all jewelry pieces can be cleaned at home due to their delicacy. Also, glued-in gemstones are mostly too fragile to handle yourself. The best solution is to turn towards professionals who specialize in caring for precious gems of this kind.
There are several different factors to consider before you clean your jewelry yourself.
For example, which type of stone do you have? Is it delicate and sensitive? Does it contain any rare or expensive gemstones?
These are just a few things worth considering before cleaning your jewelry!
Professional jewelry cleaners use ultrasonic cleaners to clean your delicate jewels. The ultrasonic cleaners emit soundwaves to remove dirt and grime with ease.
These high-frequency sounds can clean the entire surface of your precious stones and even those tiny, hard-to-reach spaces you can’t scrub with a traditional brush.
How to prevent custom jewelry from tarnishing
Custom jewelry is a beautiful and personal way to show your unique style. But, if you don’t take care of it the right way, it can quickly tarnish and lose its shine.
First off, you should store jewelry in velvet bags instead of plastic containers.
The main reason jewelry tarnishes is when it reacts with moisture. Therefore, it is necessary to store it away from direct sources of humidity.
If you want the color of your jewelry to stay vibrant, don’t wear it in water (even if it’s just for a few minutes) or expose it to chlorine, saltwater, sweat, or other corrosive substances.
Another tip is to wrap each piece tightly inside a tissue paper and seal it within a plastic wrap. After that, place your jewelry into an airtight glass jar filled with silica gel packets.
Conclusion
Getting a custom piece of jewelry is often a significant investment, so it’s essential to keep it in good condition. Unfortunately, tarnish can occur quickly and easily, but there are ways to prevent it from happening at all!
You should keep the do’s and don’ts in your mind while cleaning and storing your delicate ornaments.
Above all, buying high-quality custom jewelry is also equally essential. So whether you’re going for a sleek and sophisticated look or something more casual, our custom jewelry will help accentuate the outfit you choose.