First and foremost, health and hygiene are always more important than any piece of jewelry. Due to the global spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), we’re all being reminded to be extra cautious about keeping our hands clean! However, is the extra use of hand sanitizer dulling your jewelery's shine?
Regarding hand sanitizer on jewelry:
Generally speaking, applying hand sanitizer while wearing your rings is safe for all hard stones and precious metals (i.e. gold, silver, titanium, and platinum). However, soft stones like opals or pearls could be damaged by the alcohol in hand sanitizer. For soft stone rings, we advise you to remove them before applying hand sanitizer!
Thinking of skipping the sanitizer just in case? Well, you’re in luck because we’ve got you covered on how to clean your jewelry at home! (Your ring should be as clean as your hands, are we right?) There are a few simple tips and tricks that we have up our jeweler’s sleeves and are going to pass along to you. ? The best part? You probably already have all the “ingredients” for this homemade remedy in your kitchen and it can be done in under 10 minutes!
DIY RING CLEANER
Here’s what you will need:
- 3 Glass Bowls
- Dish Soap
- Soft Bristle Toothbrush
- ½ cup Warm Water
- ½ cup Room Temperature Water
- ¼ cup Vinegar or Windex
- Towel (lint-free will work best)
Step 1: Fill one glass bowl with the warm water and a few drops of the dish soap. Mix equal parts room temperature water and vinegar/Windex in the second bowl. Fill the third bowl with the remaining room temperature water.
Step 2: Place your jewelry into the bowl with the warm water and dish soap for approx. 2-3 minutes and allow it to soak. The warm water will help loosen any sunscreen, sand, lotion, etc. from the grooves of your ring, necklace chain, or earring backs.
*Due to their porosity and softness, some stones should not be submerged for too long (i.e. coral, opal, pearls. CHAT WITH US for more information)
Step 3: After soaking, use the soft bristle toothbrush to lightly scrub your jewelry to help remove excess debris. Dip the toothbrush into the mixture of water and dish soap and lightly scrub the jewelry so that you see small bubbles form and the final remnants of summer get removed! As you go, feel free to rinse your jewelry in the clean water so that you can see what areas need to be lightly scrubbed more.
Step 4: When you’re done scrubbing, give your piece a final dip in the clean water to remove the last bits of soap and particles!
Step 5: Dip your jewelry in the bowl with the water and vinegar/Windex. If needed, use a clean toothbrush to give a final once-over to your jewelry. Remove from the bowl and pat dry. The vinegar solution will help your pieces dry streak-free and the lint free towel won’t leave any pieces of fuzz stuck around the prongs.
Step 6: SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND.
As always, feel free to bring your jewelry into a D. Geller and Son near you! Our showrooms are open and the cleanest they have ever been! If you feel comfortable, we’d love to help give your jewelry its sparkle back with our expert cleaning service.