Jewellery is used to make you gleam and is it only good till it sparkles. Most metals used to make jewellery do not require any maintenance over a short time. However, over 5 to 6 years, metals get tarnished or lose their shine. When you wish to use that jewellery you have to give it to a professional to clean. But what if you are in a hurry? If you do not have a lot of time on your hands, you can use some items that are found at home to clean and return your jewellery to its glory.
You may have to rely on professional help for a heavily studded piece of jewellery like solitaire pendants or a tiara but pieces which have higher metal surface are easy to clean. Here are some handy tips you can use to polish your jewellery.
- Effervescence – Want to make that solitaire ring from someone special shine again? You can do it quickly and efficiently. For jewellery that is lightly dirty but not tarnished jewellery, this is a quick solution. Choose a powder that is used to relieve gas and put it in a bowl. Add water and submerge your jewellery in it. Wait for 2 minutes, take it out, clean and dry it. This will get rid of the light dust that settles on your jewellery.
- Toothpaste – Toothpaste is a light abrasive and can be used to clean silver articles. You can also use teeth cleaning powder. Take some quantity on a dry cloth and rub some even across the object. Make sure you don’t rub too harshly as that may scratch your jewellery. If you are using the powder, ensure you use one or two drops of water to make a very thick paste. Once that is done, clean it with a fresh and dry cloth.
- Soap nut – Soap nut has been used for centuries in India and can be used in the place of a laundry detergent. Just like soap, the powder of this nut reduces the surface tension of water. You can make a solution of the powder and water and dip your jewellery for 5 minutes. After that, you can remove it and use a toothbrush to gently scrub the jewellery pieces to restore the shine.
- Window cleaner – A window cleaner can be used to liven jewellery that has metal and gems like diamond or rubies. However, do not use this in case it is studded with opaque gems like opal or turquoise then refrain from using a window cleaner. Corals or pearls can also get damaged with the window cleaner so ensure you are sure of the materials used on the piece of jewellery. Use a soft bristle brush to gently scrub away any dirt on the pieces.
- Aluminum foil – Line a bowl with foil and pour hot water. Add one spoon of powdered laundry detergent which is bleach-free and put the jewellery in. Let it soak for a minute, rinse and let it dry. This technique should be used on silver articles to make them shine again.
Every piece of jewellery holds special meaning to us and it takes just a little effort to keep all of them looking lively.
