How to clean jewellery: cleaning gold, silver, platinum and stones safely

Jewellery you wear gets dirty all by itself. Skin oils, soap, cream and dust build up, especially behind a stone and between the links. That makes a diamond sparkle less and gold look dull. Cleaning is not difficult, but the wrong method can cause permanent damage. This article explains what is safe, for each metal and each stone.

The basics: lukewarm water, mild washing-up liquid and a soft brush

This method is safe for almost all gold and platinum jewellery, and for hard stones such as diamond, ruby and sapphire.

1. Fill a bowl with lukewarm water and a few drops of mild washing-up liquid. No dishwasher detergent or other strong cleaning product.
2. Let the piece soak for a few minutes.
3. Brush gently with a soft toothbrush, including the back of the stone. That is where most of the dirt sits.
4. Rinse in a glass of clean water, not under the tap over an open drain. That way you won’t lose a loose stone.
5. Pat dry with a soft, lint-free cloth and then let it air-dry.

If a piece is old or antique, use only water and a soft cloth. If in doubt, leave it to a jeweller.

Gold and platinum

Gold and platinum hardly tarnish. Soapy water as described above is usually enough. Note:

• White gold is often coated with a thin layer of rhodium, for the white shine. That layer wears off, especially on a ring you wear every day. Then the yellowish colour of the gold shows through. A jeweller can rhodium-plate the ring again. Many jewellers recommend doing so about once every one to two years if you wear it daily.
• Chlorine from swimming pools, hot tubs or bleach can attack gold alloys. Take jewellery off before you go swimming.
• Scratches in gold and platinum can be polished out by a jeweller. Don’t do this too often: every polish removes a little metal.

Silver: removing tarnish safely

Silver turns black because of a layer of silver sulphide. There are several ways to remove it, from gentle to harsh:

Method	How it works	Note
Silver polishing cloth	A cloth with a mild abrasive and often an anti-tarnish agent	Ideal for lightly tarnished jewellery.
Silver polish	A cream or paste that rubs the tarnish away	Every polish removes a tiny amount of silver and leaves fine scratches. Rinse well.
Silver dip	An acid bath that dissolves the tarnish	Use briefly. Too long makes silver matt and blurs fine details. Not for jewellery with stones, pearls or black decoration (niello). Wear gloves and make sure there is fresh air.
Aluminium foil with washing soda	The silver sulphide is turned back into silver, without rubbing	The silver can look matt and needs a light polish afterwards. Intentional black accents in the design disappear too.

How the aluminium foil method works: line a bowl with aluminium foil, place the silver on it so that it touches the foil, sprinkle a tablespoon of washing soda (sodium carbonate) over it and pour hot water on top. After a few minutes most of the tarnish is gone. Rinse and dry well. It may smell a little of rotten eggs. That is the sulphur being released. Many online guides use baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) instead of washing soda. The principle is the same.

Sometimes black is intended. Many silver pieces have deliberately dark accents in the grooves, so the pattern stands out better. A silver dip or the foil removes those too. Polish such pieces only on the raised parts, with a polishing cloth.

Gold-plated, vermeil and silver-plated

A gold-plated or silver-plated piece has only a thin layer of precious metal. Any kind of rubbing removes that layer.

• Only soapy water and a soft cloth. No brushing.
• No silver polish and no silver dip, not even for vermeil (silver with a layer of gold).
• Don’t wear it in the shower or when exercising. Sweat and soap speed up wear.

Not sure whether a piece is solid or plated? Look at the hallmarks. Read more in Hallmarks on gold and silver.

Tip: Note in AgAurium when a piece was last checked by a jeweller or rhodium-plated again. Then you know when it is time to go back. Try AgAurium for free →

Ultrasonic and steam: not for every piece

An ultrasonic cleaner loosens dirt with vibrations, a steam cleaner with hot steam. Jewellers use them a lot, but they are not suitable for every piece. The vibrations can shake a stone loose from its setting or make it crack. The heat of steam can affect treatments and make sensitive stones crack.

Stone	Ultrasonic	Steam
Diamond	Better not at home, can loosen the setting	Better not at home
Ruby and sapphire (untreated or heated)	Usually safe	Usually safe
Glass-filled ruby and sapphire	No	No
Emerald	No	No
Amethyst and other quartz	Usually safe, not if dyed or filled	No
Garnet	Usually safe, not with small cracks	No
Topaz, tourmaline, peridot, tanzanite	No	No
Opal, moonstone, lapis lazuli, turquoise	No	No
Pearl, coral, amber	Never	Never

Source: the care advice of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). If you are not sure whether a stone has been treated, play it safe and choose soapy water.

What never to use

• Toothpaste and abrasive cleaners. They scratch metal and soft stones.
• Bleach and chlorine. They attack gold alloys.
• Ammonia and strong cleaning products on old or fragile jewellery.
• Lemon juice or vinegar on stones treated with glass or resin. Even a mild acid can damage them.

Have it checked

A stone rarely goes missing out of nowhere. Usually a prong (a little claw that holds the stone) has slowly worn down or bent. The GIA recommends having jewellery you wear often checked about every six months. With a 10x loupe you can see a lot yourself too: worn prongs, small scratches and dirt under the stone.

Go to a jeweller straight away if you hear a stone rattle or the piece keeps catching on clothing.

How AgAurium helps

In AgAurium you record the material, the fineness and the stones of each piece, with a photo. In the notes you keep track of when you had it checked, restrung or rhodium-plated. That also gives you an overview of the condition of your jewellery for your insurance.

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