Didier Dubot Jewelry Cleaning Hacks

We regularly wash our clothes and wipe down our homes, but when was the last time you gave your jewelry a deep clean? Despite being precious and valuable, jewelry often gets neglected in our cleaning rituals. It’s easy to overlook jewelry when metals and gemstones are odorless and don’t have visible stains.

Research has shown that jewelry can harbor up to 200,000 growths of bacteria in just one week of wear. Regularly cleaning your jewelry is a win-win situation. It protects you from potentially harmful bacteria while increasing your jewelry’s longevity and maintaining its sparkle.

So, what’s the best way to clean your jewelry? TikTok has been blowing up with jewelry cleaning videos that share simple solutions to get your jewelry sparkling clean. The hashtag #jewellerycleaning is at a whopping 9.8 million views, while Google searches on jewelry cleaning have also increased by over 100% in the past year. Find out how to join the jewelry cleaning revolution below.

How To Clean Your Jewelry In Four Easy Steps

1. Create A Cleaning Solution

Fill a clean bowl with a mixture of lukewarm water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Make sure the water isn’t too hot, as some gemstones react negatively to temperature changes. This mixture will be your jewelry cleaning solution. Gently rub the surface of your jewelry, then leave it to soak in your cleaning solution for thirty minutes.

Why choose dishwashing liquid? It’s gentle enough to not damage jewelry while removing dirt, oil, and bacteria. You may have heard about other homemade solutions like baking soda, cola, or toothpaste. These options might provide a decent clean, but they don’t necessarily kill bacteria and may end up damaging jewelry in the long run. Dishwashing liquid and lukewarm is by far the safest and easiest option.

2. Deep Clean Your Jewelry

Once your jewelry has finished soaking, take a previously unused toothbrush and dip it into the solution so that the bristles are wet. Use the toothbrush to gently deep clean your jewelry; the bristles will be able to reach every curve and engraving. Once you’ve finished deep cleaning, thoroughly rinse your jewelry off with cold water until all the suds are gone.

3. Polish Your Jewelry

Use a soft, clean cloth to dry and polish your jewelry after rinsing. If you still aren’t satisfied with the cleanliness of your jewelry, you can dip your cloth in a fresh cleaning solution to give your pieces a secondary clean.

4. Steam Your Jewelry

Steaming your jewelry will kill any lingering bacteria and remove any last traces of dirt and oil. You can use a handheld clothing steamer, a specialty jewelry steamer, or even the steam from your kettle. Hold your jewelry with tweezers to avoid steam burns.

How Often Should You Clean Your Jewelry?

Your jewelry cleaning schedule will always vary. There is no set answer to how often you should clean your jewelry; it depends on the piece itself. The more often you wear it, the dirtier it will get. If it’s a special piece that you only wear a few times a year, there’s nothing wrong with doing an annual clean. If you wear an item daily, you’ll probably want to deep clean it weekly or bi-weekly. You can also give your jewelry an instant refresh by wiping it with a clean polishing cloth. This is a good habit to keep with pieces that you wear on a regular basis.

Tips For Maintaining Your Jewelry

Proper jewelry maintenance also plays a key role in its condition and cleanliness. Follow these tips to ensure your jewelry stays in top form in between deep cleans.

Avoid exposure to water, oil, and chemicals. Remove your jewelry when doing activities that involve potentially damaging materials. This includes hand washing, showering, swimming, and cleaning, as well as applying lotions, oils, and makeup.
Store your jewelry in a felt-lined box. Investing in a good jewelry box helps with organization, aesthetics, and preservation. Felt-lined boxes prevent tarnishing, discoloration, and oxidation. Be sure to fasten necklaces and bracelets to avoid tangles.
Keep your jewelry in a cool, dark, and dry place. Direct exposure to sunlight and humid environments can cause discoloration. Place your jewelry box in a neutral location.