How to: clean jewellery at home

To ensure your jewellery is looking beautiful in-between professional cleans, we invite you to explore these simple solutions to keeping your special pieces glistening with just a few simple household items.

 

LOUISE JEAN pieces are intended to be worn every day, however everyday life can lead to a build-up of residue and dirt on your pieces. To minimise this, we recommend removing your jewellery before showering, washing your hands, or applying lotions as this can create a film on your pieces. If your jewellery is looking lacklustre, this is more than likely the reason why.

 

FOR A MILD CLEAN

What you will need:

• 1 tsp of mild dishwashing liquid (household dishwashing liquid is fine)
• 1 cup of warm water
• Bowl or shallow dish
• Soft bristle toothbrush
• Plain tissues
• Polishing cloth

Steps:

1. Mix the mild dishwashing liquid and cup of warm water in a bowl until fully dissolved.
2. Soak the jewellery in the solution for 2-3 minutes.
3. Use a soft bristle toothbrush to gently brush your piece. Mindfully focus behind the stone, in amongst the setting or basket. This is an area that often catches, creams, dirt and residue causing stones to appear cloudy and dull.
4. Rinse your jewellery and lay to dry on a tissue.
5. Polish your piece with a soft cloth, paying special attention your gold band.

For a step by step visual, please refer to our reel. 

 

Above: The LOUISE JEAN Trio Climber Earrings (left) and the Initial Pendant Necklace (right)

 

FOR A HEAVY DUTY CLEAN

What you will need:

• 1 cup hot water
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• ½ cup white vinegar
• Soft bristled toothbrush
• Aluminium foil
• Small bowl or shallow dish
• Plain tissues
• Polishing cloth

Steps:

1. Line a bowl or shallow dish with aluminium foil and add your jewellery. 
2. Mix the hot water, salt, and baking soda together and pour into your lined dish.
3. Slowly add ½ cup white vinegar.
4. Watch as the baking soda and vinegar react and bubble up, this is when most of the cleaning happens. 
5. Allow the jewellery to soak for 5-10 minutes, stirring once or twice to move jewellery around if need be.
6. Use a soft bristle toothbrush to gently brush your piece. Mindfully focus behind the stone, in amongst the setting or basket. This is an area that often catches, creams, dirt and residue causing stones to appear cloudy and dull.
7. Rinse your jewellery and lay to dry on a tissue.
8. Polish your piece with a soft cloth, paying special attention to your gold band.

Note: Avoid using abrasives household cleansers or toothpaste. Chemicals such as chlorine and bleach can damage some of the metals used to alloy gold and abrasives can scratch gold and other metals. Similarly our gold polishing cloths should only be used on yellow and rose gold and avoided on white gold and platinum. Please note these methods have been tested on diamond and gold.

 

Above: The LOUISE JEAN Duo Gem Necklace, Birthstone Marquise Necklace and Initial Pendant Necklace (left) and The Cuff Ring embedded with Hidden Gems (right).

 

FOR A PROFESSIONAL CLEAN AT HOME

Consider investing in an ultrasonic. We recommend a manual clean weekly, however should you find the previous two methods too messy or time consuming we can suggest the purchase of an ultrasonic.

An ultrasonic is a professional grade machine designed to emit high frequency sound waves to create cavitation bubbles in a cleaning solution. When the bubbles collapse, they disturb and remove debris from fine jewellery, engagement and wedding rings.

At LOUISE JEAN we use an ultrasonic daily and can recommend one based on it's efficiency. For those who wear multiple pieces of jewellery daily, this will prove a suitable solution to your needs.

When researching the purchase of your ultrasonic we recommended avoiding designs and brands that prioritise aesthetics. We will always direct our clients to the VEVOR collection as we use these in both our workshop and studio.

 

ANNUAL CLEAN AND SERVICE

For our engagement and wedding ring clients, we are pleased to offer a complimentary annual clean and service. Please look out for our correspondence prompting you to book into this service.

This is your best opportunity to have your special piece assessed for general wear and tear, setting your diamonds up for lasting longevity. For those who own beautiful white gold and platinum rings this service is also your best opportunity to have your special piece freshly rhodium plated.

 

For more tips on how to care for your fine jewellery including engagement and wedding rings please refer to our fine jewellery care guide.

 

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