Jewellery is an investment in beauty, sentimentality, and craftsmanship. With proper care you'll keep your favourite pieces looking their best for years to come. So how do you go about caring for and safely cleaning your jewellery?
Whether you own or are looking to shop for sterling silver jewellery, gold jewellery or gemstone jewellery, all of it will need good care along with cleaning from time to time - and probably more than you might realise.
As an Australian jewellery designer, I have over 30 years of experience working with precious metals and gemstones, along with talking to our customers about issues they encounter with their jewellery.
I've put together this comprehensive expert guide in order to help you care for and clean your jewellery both effectively and safely.
This guide covers mistakes people make with their jewellery, issues encountered with different types of metal, cleaning, storage and much more besides. It's been a labour of love and I hope you find it helpful.
So let's get started ...
PS. Take a look at our jewellery glossary if you're not sure about any of the terms used in this article.
Jewellery Storage & General Care
Most jewellery is delicate to some degree and you should always keep this in mind. Tossing your jewellery into a box or drawer as you might with kitchen utensils is never a good idea. Nor should your jewellery ever take too much weight or force. Also take care to avoid harsh chemicals from coming into contact with your jewellery.
Follow these storage tips to help keep your jewellery in excellent condition:
- Store jewellery in a dry, closed container to prevent tarnish.
- Use soft pouches or padded jewellery boxes for delicate items.
- Avoid letting metal or gemstone jewellery pieces rub or knock against each other: this can cause dents or scratches.
- Use a method to prevent chains knotting: straws or well designed jewellery storage can help with this.
- Never store jewellery in humid areas, such as bathrooms.
- Don't use open display racks for your jewellery: they might look good, but dust and flowing air is not your jewellery's friend.
Invest in good quality, purpose-made storage if you can afford it, such as well designed padded jewellery boxes with sections for different types of jewellery.
However, you can use small boxes with padding to store your pieces, such as the Simone Walsh Jewellery gift boxes that all of our Australian jewellery designs are delivered in. These will certainly keep your pieces safe and it's a solution I use myself, especially when travelling.
Precious Metal Care & Potential Problems
Gold Jewellery
Gold is a particularly luxurious and expensive precious metal - and one of the most loved in jewellery for millennia. One of the reasons it's so valued is that it's the second least reactive metal (beaten only by even more valuable platinum).
However, that's not to say it doesn't have potential issues and that you don't need to take care with your gold jewellery.
Many people aren't aware that real gold can discolour or even leave marks on your skin in the right circumstances. Thankfully these events are fairly rare, but if you're having such problems with your gold jewellery, then most likely they can be explained.
Here are some issues to look out for and how to avoid them.
Gold Tarnish
Solid gold jewellery of 14ct (14K in the USA) or greater is highly tarnish resistant, especially compared to sterling silver. However, genuine solid gold can be discoloured by exposure to chemicals or environmental conditions. Keep reading below for details about how to identify and avoid these issues.
Gold vermeil jewellery may tarnish over time. This finish has a heavy real gold plating, but tarnish from the sterling silver under the plating may appear on the surface. Tarnish cleaning methods will clean gold vermeil just as well as silver, but be gentle to avoid removing the gold surface.
Finally, gold filled and especially regular gold plated jewellery may eventually wear through to the base metal underneath, which can itself discolour. See more about plated jewellery below.
Learn more about Different Types of Gold Jewellery and also All About Gold in general.
Gold Jewellery Turning Black or Green:
Genuine solid gold jewellery can indeed discolour or cause skin discolouration in the right circumstances. Here are some clues as to what might be causing it:
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Metal Blackening & Corrosion: Almost all gold jewellery is an alloy: only 24ct is pure gold. Gold itself doesn't tarnish or corrode, but the small quantities of the other metals it's alloyed with can (eg. copper, silver, zinc). The lower the carat/karat of gold, the more of these other metals there are in your jewellery and the greater the chances of discolouration. Potential causes can include:
- Swimming while wearing jewellery in salt or chlorinated water: just don't do this!
- Washing your hair while wearing earrings: residue from shampoos, conditioners and tap water can get lodged inside your piercings, causing interactions with alloyed metals over time. This is most likely to cause black discolouration on posts or hooks.
- Sweat chemicals building up on jewellery, especially earrings, rings and fine chains. Either remove jewellery prior to exercise or clean it ASAP afterwards.
- Living in a high humidity, high pollution or seaside location.
- Some types of medication.
- Harsh cleaning chemicals and some types of makeup or skin care products.
- Metallic Abrasion: This can turn your skin black from gold jewellery and is often seen around rings. It's usually caused by cosmetics or cleaning compounds which contain particles that are harder than gold. These stick to your skin and rub against jewellery, causing tiny amounts of gold to be removed. This gold combines with sweat and oils to develop a black smudge. Try changing cosmetics and cleaning chemicals if you can. Otherwise use them with your jewellery removed and wash your hands well before putting your jewellery back on.
- It's Not Really Gold: Gold coloured jewellery which turns your skin green in particular may not be real gold, but it could be brass. If your gold jewellery was cheap then it's highly unlikely to be gold, which is a very expensive metal. I don't recommend wearing base metals like brass against your skin. If you're worried about whether your jewellery is really gold, a local jeweller can test it for you.
The good news is that real solid gold jewellery discolouring is rare. If it's happening to you, try making some changes, as outlined above. Also scroll down to read our tips on cleaning your jewellery to remove discolouration.
Silver Jewellery Discolouration
Silver jewellery is known for tarnishing. Tarnish is a process caused by oxygen and moisture coming into contact with metal. In the case of sterling silver, the main culprit is the small amount of copper used to make the alloy. If your once shiny silver jewellery has turned dull and dark - or even looks like it has dark stains - this is likely to be the cause.
Tarnish is a natural process that happens to silver: it's not a fault and it doesn't mean the quality of your sterling silver jewellery is poor.
The good news? Tarnish generally won't damage the precious metal and it's easy to clean, especially if you keep on top of it and care for your jewellery appropriately.
Get the Lowdown on Silver Care
Because sterling silver is such a popular metal for jewellery, I've written a guide dedicated to How to Properly Clean Silver Jewellery. It's a must-read for silver jewellery lovers.
Plated Jewellery Problems
Although heavy coatings of solid gold on other metals can be quite durable, such as gold vermeil or gold filled, regular gold or silver plating can very easily wear through to the metal beneath, which can cause all sorts of issues.
Usually you'll have no idea what metal has been used to make a regular plated jewellery item, but it will almost certainly be some form of base metal - and possibly nickel, which can be toxic and commonly causes allergies. The base metal may have a similar colour to the top level of plating so the wearing through of precious metal isn't so obvious, but even this isn't always the case.
Standard or flash plated surfaces are often very thin - sometimes so thin that they can be removed with an eraser or by rubbing against your skin. Cleaning these plated items requires that you be very conservative and gentle. Even then, it will eventually wear off.
Once the plating has worn through, you'll either need to put up with any issues caused by the base metal, replace the piece or get it re-plated by a jeweller. My advice is to avoid buying regular or flash plated jewellery if you want to keep it long term. The money you save isn't worth the problems you'll be buying.
How to Clean Jewellery
You should clean your jewellery whenever it's needed - which is probably more often than you realise.
It's important to pay attention to how it looks so that you notice the signs. When you're wearing some pieces every day it can be easy to miss that they are looking increasingly dull and dirty. You wouldn't neglect cleaning your clothes regularly, but jewellery is often overlooked, even though it's just as 'up close and personal'.
I recommend a thorough check and clean of your jewellery at least twice a year. Doing this in spring and autumn when you're transitioning to different clothing is a great routine to get into. Put it in your diary!
When to Get Professional Help:
Other Jewellery Reads:
Before we dive into how to clean jewellery at home, let's talk about professional jewellery cleaning.
If you have high value jewellery, complex pieces with expensive gemstones (or delicate pearls or opals), or delicate and highly sentimental pieces, then I recommend asking a local jeweller or fine jewellery store to clean them for you. They will know the best and safest methods to use and will have specialist gear to do the job.
This is also an opportunity for them to check your valuable jewels and let you know if there are any problems, such as settings that need tightening. For these high value and/or delicate types of jewellery, ongoing professional maintenance is a great idea.
Important Tip: Unless it's broken or too delicate, always wash your jewellery for dirt and grime before taking it to a jeweller for cleaning or repair (see below). It's common for very dirty jewellery to be handed over to jewellers to work on, so do them a favour and give your pieces a bit of a wash first. Your jeweller will truly appreciate your efforts.
How to Clean Jewellery At Home
Regular cleaning will keep your jewellery sparkling. Here are the safest and most effective methods that you can use at home to keep jewellery clean:
Soap & Water Method (For Light Cleaning)
This method won't remove tarnish, but it will do a good job of removing dirt, grime, debris and some forms of discolouration from your jewellery.
I recommend simply washing your jewellery as a first step before tarnish removal. In fact, you should do it periodically even if you're not removing tarnish: clean jewellery is happy jewellery - and your skin will appreciate it too.
How to do it:
- Mix warm water with a few drops of a mild, fragrance-free liquid soap (Castile soap is great).
- Gently clean jewellery with a soft cloth or soft fibre brush.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Dry immediately using an ordinary soft cloth.
Ultrasonic Cleaners (For Deep Cleaning & Gem Sparkle)
Using an ultrasonic cleaner is an excellent way to thoroughly dislodge grime and debris, especially from areas that can't easily be reached with regular soap and water. It will especially make harder gemstones sparkle.
These cleaners use high frequency sound waves which create bubbles, which in turn dislodge dirt and other debris. An ultrasonic won't remove tarnish and also won't polish your jewellery, but it will make it very clean.
There are some decent little ultrasonic cleaners now available for domestic use and I highly recommend investing in one if you own a lot of jewellery. They'll do a great job cleaning jewellery for you. I use my ultrasonic both personally and professionally on quite a regular basis.
However, you do need to take care with ultrasonic cleaning:
- Avoid ultrasonic cleaning with soft gems like pearls, opals or lapis lazuli: they may get damaged.
- Don't put cracked or flawed gems into an ultrasonic: they may fall apart.
- Blackened, oxidised or otherwise patinated metal shouldn't go into an ultrasonic: it may damage or remove the finish.
- Don't let metal jewellery rattle against the metal surface of the ultrasonic or it may scuff: use a piece of wire or string to suspend it if the cleaner doesn't have a plastic basket.
How to do it:
- It's important to read and follow the instructions for the ultrasonic you use.
- Ideally use warm water and mix in a drop or two of a gentle, fragrance-free liquid soap.
- If the ultrasonic has different power settings, start with the most gentle.
- Remove the jewellery and check it: repeat the process if dirt remains, perhaps on a higher setting.
- Once done, rinse your jewellery in clear water and dry with an ordinary soft cloth.
After using any of the tarnish removal methods below, you might want to return your jewellery to the ultrasonic to remove lurking cleaning compounds or fluff from polishing cloths.
Jewellery Polishing Cloth (For Tarnish & Shine)
Every jewellery owner should own a precious metal cleaning cloth: it will be indispensable in keeping your jewellery clean and will often be your first stop when removing tarnish and similar issues from all sorts of metals. These cloths are embedded with a cleaning compound suitable for precious metals.
Our professional quality Sunshine Jewellery Polishing Cloths will remove most regular tarnish and discolouration from precious metals - both gold and silver - and also restore shine. This is another jewellery cleaning tool that I frequently use and even I am still surprised by the difference it can make.
Polishing cloths are generally safe to use, but there are a few precautions. Avoid rubbing them on gemstones (especially soft stones: opals, pearls, etc.). Also if your jewellery has deliberately blackened or patinated surface, you need to be cautious to clean around these areas to not remove the finishing.
How to do it:
- Gently rub the jewellery with the cloth: not too hard as you may abraid the metal.
- Move the cloth around to use cleaner portions as you need to.
- Once done, rinse jewellery in clean water, using a gentle soap if needed to remove any residue.
- Dry jewellery with an ordinary soft cloth.
- Do not wash the polishing cloth as it will remove the cleaning compound.
- Once the cloth is completely black, it will need replacing: at this point you could wash it and use it as an ordinary soft cloth.
Electrochemical Cleaning (For Heavier Tarnish & Discolouration)
This is a good way to remove or 'loosen' moderate to heavy tarnish and discolouration from precious metals using an electrochemical reaction.
The good news is that it can be done with materials you likely have in your home already. This is the only cleaning method using regular household ingredients that I recommend for cleaning jewellery (see below for ones to avoid).
How to do it:
- Line a small bowl with aluminium foil.
- Mix hot water with: 1 tbsp baking / bicarb soda, and 1 tbsp salt.
- Mix in 1 tbsp of a gentle, fragrance-free liquid soap.
- Place jewellery in the solution sitting on the foil for 5-10 minutes, longer if needed.
- Rinse and dry thoroughly.
- Try a polishing cloth if needed as the tarnish has likely 'loosened' and should remove more easily.
- Repeat with a new mixture and new aluminium foil as needed.
- When done, rinse jewellery thoroughly and dry with an ordinary soft cloth.
Silver Creams, Polishes & Pastes (For Moderate to Heavy Tarnish on Silver)
You can use these sorts of cleaning agents on moderate to heavy tarnish on silver, but be sure to get a high quality version designed specifically for silver. Cleaners created for an array of metals (especially base metals like brass) will likely be too abrasive to trust with your precious jewellery.
Silver cleaning agents like these are unlikely to make much difference to gems or solid gold jewellery, but they will clean tarnish from gold vermeil jewellery (a heavy plating over silver). Be aware that these cleaning methods can be a bit messy and using gloves is a good idea.
We cover use of silver creams, polishes and pastes in our guide to How to Properly Clean Silver Jewellery. As a starting point, just follow the instructions on the cleaning chemical you use.
Silver Dip (For Heavy Tarnish on Silver)
Using silver dip will only work to remove tarnish from silver (the clue is in the name!). Silver dip can get into crevices in jewellery that other cleaning methods can't easily reach. It's also a very fast cleaning method: it should only take a few seconds.
If that sounds too good to be true, that's because it is - to some extent anyway. Silver dip is a harsh chemical and regular use of it can damage your jewellery.
I recommend only using silver dip occasionally for difficult pieces or very heavy tarnish that won't clean using another method. Never let your jewellery sit in the dip for more than a few seconds, rinse it very well after and take care to avoid contact with your skin and other surfaces.
Once again, full details are in our dedicated guide about how to clean silver jewellery, which I recommend you read prior to using silver dip, along with reading the instructions.
Jewellery Cleaning Methods to Avoid
I really don't recommend using the cleaning methods you'll see all over the internet for jewellery (especially silver) that use everyday household ingredients - with the exception of the electrochemical method outlined above.
These 'definitely not recommended' cleaning methods include things like:
- Toothpaste
- A paste of baking / bicarb soda
- Vinegar
- Vinegar + baking / bicarb soda
- Lemon juice
- Glass cleaning spray
- Olive oil (!)
Each of these cleaning methods is problematic in its own way. At worst these methods will damage your jewellery, particularly if used repeatedly.
My opinion is that they are all best avoided. If you love your precious metal jewellery, then it's well worth spending a bit of extra money to have what you need to keep it clean and well cared for.
(Reading this on a website that isn't simonewalsh.com? Be aware that the content has been stolen, infringing the copyright of a small business. ABN: 65108844126)
Gemstone Jewellery Care
Most gemstones won't require much special care, beyond basic cleaning. Soap, water and a gentle cloth or soft bristled brush will do the trick for most stones, being sure to dry them ASAP when you're done.
An ultrasonic cleaner will help harder gemstones to really sparkle by getting them extra clean, including around settings, but as mentioned above, there are exceptions.
Some gemstones do require more care, especially softer ones. Be especially careful with your pearl jewellery and opal jewellery.
Here are my general tips for gemstones which need a bit of extra thought and care:
- Don't get soft gemstones wet repeatedly or for extended periods (eg. showering, swimming): especially pearls and opals.
- Avoid ultrasonic cleaners for these softer gemstones, including stones like lapis lazuli and turquoise.
- Makeup and fragrance can discolour pearls: apply these away from where your pearl jewellery is worn and before you put your jewellery on.
- Diamonds are one of the hardest materials on earth: store so they don't rub against other stones or metal as they will cause scratches. Take similar care with other hard precious stones.
If you have valuable and/or sentimental jewellery pieces with expensive gemstone settings, I highly recommend taking them to a local jeweller occasionally, who can check them and tighten settings as needed.
This is a normal part of jewellery maintenance and many settings will eventually need tightening or repair. But do remember to clean your jewellery for dirt and grime before taking it to a jeweller for work: they will be grateful for it.
For more specific gemstone care information, take a look at this article from the International Gem Society which gives details about how to care for different stones.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
There are plenty of Jewellery Mistakes We Wish You'd Stop Making! But here are my top mistakes to avoid when it comes to caring for and cleaning your jewellery.
Showering with Jewellery
Aside from the potential risk of losing precious pieces down the drain when showering, your earrings, necklaces and gemstone rings are likely to get gummed up over time by chemical residues from shampoos, conditioners, soaps and even tap water.
This is especially the case with earrings and it can cause discolouration and even corrosion of hooks and posts. Showering with jewelelry can also create a build up of residue which lodges inside your piercings and can potentially lead to infections.
If you do keep some pieces on when you shower, then make sure you take them off regularly to give them a good clean with a polishing cloth or similar (see below for cleaning tips).
Especially avoid wearing opals or pearls in the shower: repeated or extended contact with water and other chemicals can permanently discolour and damage these stones. If you're getting them wet in order to wash you're jewellery, then that's fine, but don't let them sit in water too long and dry them ASAP when you're done.
Swimming with Jewellery
If you're going for a swim, then leave your precious jewellery safely at home. Swimming in pools or the sea while wearing precious metal or gemstone jewellery is never a good idea, but this is especially the case if you do it regularly.
Chlorine and salts used in pools or jacuzzis can discolour silver and many gemstones. It can also potentially blacken and even weaken gold by corroding the metals your gold jewellery is alloyed with. As for salt water, it can dull even diamonds and erode soldered parts in metal jewellery.
The bottom line: don't wear jewellery when swimming if you want it to look good and last.
Excercising with Jewellery
Sweat and jewellery is not a good combination. Sweat contains salt and acids which can cause your jewellery to tarnish and discolour. This is especially the case for silver jewellery, but can happen with gold too as the metals it's alloyed with can react to sweat build up, particularly if it's left on the surface of the metal for extended periods.
So either remove your jewellery prior to exercising or clean it with gentle soap and water ASAP afterwards (see above for tips).
Not Storing Jewellery Correctly
As outlined above, not storing your jewellery in an appropriate way will cause you problems. And, yes, I'm nagging you about this!
Take some time to think about how to keep your jewellery stored when it's not being worn so that it's away from flowing air and dust, isn't subject to humidity, won't knock and rub against itself or other pieces, won't end up knotted, etc..
Also think about how you want to see and access your jewellery. I find it's helpful to have different types (earrings, rings, necklaces) separated so I can quickly find what I want to wear and so that each type is stored in a suitable way.
My personal recommendation is something along the lines of the mix and match jewellery boxes created by Stackers. However, a simple and very affordable solution is to use small padded boxes for different pieces of jewellery. I use the gift boxes we ship with our Australian jewellery to store my jewellery when travelling, but they'd work well at home too.
Not Cleaning Your Jewellery
It's one thing to have an understanding of how to clean your jewellery, but quite another to actually take the time to do it. Yep, I'm nagging you again!
It's a great idea to take time out twice a year to check your jewellery, give it a wash, remove any tarnish and ensure it's stored appropriately. Doing this in autumn and spring can be a good time to attend your jewellery as you think about transitioning your wardrobe. If it helps, put a reminder into your diary.
Keeping your jewellery clean and free from tarnish and chemical residues will keep on top of any issues and ensure it's in good shape well into the future.
Ready for New Jewellery?
If you've cleaned your jewellery, found a good way to store it and have realised you've got some gaps in your collection, then check out the most popular women's jewellery designs, all created with love in Australia and made in quality materials like sterling silver, gold and gemstones. I hope you'll find something to treasure.
Simone Walsh is a jewellery designer in Australia with over 30 years experience making unique silver, gold, and gemstone jewellery. Having worked extensively with precious metals and gems, Simone understands how jewellery is made, worn, and cared for. She loves helping people dress their best, care for their jewellery and be well-informed when shopping for jewellery.
Simone lives and works on the beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia. She enjoys beach walks and gardening in her free time. She is Founder & Creative Director of Simone Walsh Designs: a small businesss and Australian jewellery online store.