How to Clean your Jewellery - Credit Crunch Tips

As money is tight at the monent, it doesn't have to cost a thing to clean your bling!

You can use ordinary household items, such as washing up liquid and baking soda.

Here are some tips:

Cleaning Silver
You can use a solution of washing-up liquid and warm water.
Rinse in hot water and buff dry.

Baking soda is fantastic for removing tarnish from silver. Every household should stock this little pot of powder - it is a great all rounder and good for domestic cleaning, and of course, completely safe.

Make a paste using one teaspoon of baking soda and a few drops of white vinegar (or just plain water, if no vinegar). Use an old toothbrush and rub the paste all over the silver piece, in all the nooks and crannies. Wash with warm water and buff with a cleaning cloth.

However, care must be taken when cleaning plated metals as it is easy to rub off the coating if you are too enthusiastic!

Another way of cleaning silver is using aluminium foil:

Line the bottom of the bowl with aluminum foil, add several spoonfuls of baking soda and fill the pan with boiling water. Now drop in your silver pieces and watch the tarnish disappear.

Why not try both methods and see which one works best for you.

TIP - Always clean jewellery in a plastic bowl lined with a cloth. This will protect delicate items and avoid your precious items from going down the plughole.

Gold
A simple bowl of warm soapy water should bring your gold up nicely - use an old toothbrush to get into awkward places.

Cleaning Precious Stones
Amethysts, diamonds, rubies and sapphires can be cleaned in washing up liquid and warm water – use a little paintbrush or make-up brush to gently scrub (toothbrushes can be too harsh for such delicate stones, so take care if this is all you have to clean). Rinse in lukewarm water then dip into surgical spirit to remove any soap residue. Buff gently with a cleaning cloth, or chamois leather works a treat.

Emeralds are softer and porous, so extra care must be taken - shine them using a chamois leather.

Pearls are porous and should not be washed in water. The oil on your skin is the best tonic for pearls, so wear them with abundance, but you must protect them from hairspray, make-up and perfume. You can polish pearls with chamois leather. This brings them up to a bright sheen.

If you are in a hurry, why not try this option - place your jewellery into a glass of warm water with a tablet of Alka-Seltzer, leave for a few minutes, remove and dry. The tablet does all the work for you. NOT suitable for pearls or opals though.

Hope you enjoyed these useful tips.
Kathryn, Lazy Daisy xx