It’s great that you have probably let the thought of heading back to the office sink in. You would have already prepared for this new routine - bought new clothes that fit your new post-CB physique (for the better), and cleaned up your make-up stash. We are excited to bring our jewelry out of the house (Finally!) - let them out for a breather and of course, let them do what we bought them for - jazz up our office outfit!
One routine will definitely stick to you - disinfecting and cleaning surfaces like your mobile phones and tablets and the 20-seconds rule of handwashing. Alcohol and disinfectant would have worked best for these cleaning, but how about the delicate jewelry you always wear? Is there any way for our jewelry to keep up with their shine even after stowing them away for almost a year?
Here are 5 jewelry cleaning or maintenance tips that we hope your jeweller told you!
YES - Alcohol (and beer) could be safe for your jewelry
Just like how you would clean most of your belongings, using alcohol to clean your gold and silver jewerly is safe. Dispense a few drops of alcohol on a micro-fiber cloth and you are set to clean your jewelry. Alcohol evaporates quickly so you do not need to worry about having cleaning stains on your jewelry.
YES - Household staples like dish soap, lukewarm water, soft toothbrush work too
Clean your gold and silver jewelry with one your household staple - dish soap.
Dish soap contains surfactants, which help to remove grease and stucked food particles in your dishes, is an optimal and mild method to clean your jewelry.
Use a (very) soft toothbrush to gently brush your jewelry to get rid of stubborn gunk on your piece of jewelry. Allow your jewelry to soak in a cup of dish soap and lukewarm water (exactly like how you would soak your dishes for easier cleaning) to turn them from dull to brilliance.
YES - The multi-functional toothpaste
Toothpaste is an over-performer. Other than what it is used for, caring for your oral health, it is common to hear that it can help to treat burns… and now even cleaning jewelry. I Toothpaste also comes in different “format” - gel or cream, with many claiming that a gel toothpaste is generally “safer” than the cream ones as it cause lesser friction.
Dispense a small amount of toothpaste and apply it on your jewelry. Save the combination of toothpaste and toothbrush for your oral health, and use a soft cloth to clean your jewelry. Popped it into warm water to wash off any toothpaste residue.
YES - The highly raved eco-friendly cleaning agent - tea tree oil & witch hazel
Witch hazel and tea tree oil are the common go-to rescue for skin inflammation for its calming and repairing effects - sounds pretty useful to a jewelry full of grime.
Witch hazel is also dubbed a great carrier oil for almost all types of essential oil, helping many users use their oil safely.
This combination is also one the highly raved eco-friendly and ‘safe’ way to clean jewelry - think about fast and zero artificial chemicals cleanser for the delicate pieces you own.
Mix half a cup of witch hazel and water, and a drop of tea tree oil. Soak your jewelry in the solution overnight and clean it lightly with a soft toothbrush thereafter.
Feels pretty good to see shiny jewelry and at the same time, know that you are not harming the environment, right?
MAYBE - The king of kitchen cleaning: baking soda
Baking soda is one the most common and inexpensive cleaning agent you can find in your kitchen. Most people vouch for this quick fix - mixing in the golden ratio of baking soda and boiling water and allowing it to soak on an aluminium foil.
However, properties in baking soda may be abrasive and could tarnish your jewelry regardless of how long you have soaked your jewelry in the baking soda solution.
While you could make use of these DIY and common items you have at home to clean and maintain your jewelry, you would love to give your delicate pieces some professional TLC. The above tips are great for daily maintenance and as any last minute SOS if you spot a dull piece. But, nothing escapes the eyes of a professional jeweller, or any eagle-eyed co-worker who wondered when was the last time you clean up your jewelry.
Gold Hub Jewellery offers trusted and professional cleaning services which helps to give a new lease of life to your jewelry. Visit us at City Square Mall to find out more about this service.