Over time, diamond earrings become dull and dirty due to frequent use. When in contact with the hair and the sebum of the skin, the gems and the metal are damaged and lose their original shine. Fortunately, many commonly used products can restore them to their former glory while, for the most difficult cases, you will have to think about contacting a goldsmith.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Getting the Correct Materials
Step 1. Purchase a jewelry cleaning kit
These are generally products that contain a specific cleaner for earrings, which certainly won't damage them.
- These kits are available in goldsmith shops, at trade fairs, but also in craft and DIY stores. Read carefully the instructions on the back of the package to be sure the product is safe even on diamonds.
- Pour a small amount of the cleaner into a bowl. Dip the earrings and let them soak overnight. The next day you can rinse them with warm water, dry them and polish them with a lint-free cloth. If your kit provides different instructions, follow them and ignore those described in this tutorial.
Step 2. Get the right toothbrush and cloth
You must use a brush that has soft bristles. Know that this is an important detail, because if you use hard ones, you could damage the jewelry. You also need a soft cloth that can clean the earrings gently.
- All you need is a simple toothbrush, but be careful to choose one with soft bristles. Do not use steel brushes or a stiff bristled toothbrush, to avoid irreparably damaging the earrings.
- Children's toothbrushes are a great solution, because they have really soft bristles. You can also buy a specific brush, both in jewelry stores and online.
- Do not neglect this detail and always use a soft brush because, otherwise, you could damage your precious jewels. If in doubt, use only household products and avoid too abrasive tools.
- A microfiber towel is perfect for drying earrings, because it is very soft and at the same time allows you a good cleaning.
- If the diamonds are set on gold earrings, remember to use only soft brushes, but if the setting is antique or fragile, avoid these abrasive tools altogether.
Step 3. Choose a good flat work surface
Do not clean the earrings over the sink or you run the risk of dropping them down the drain. You may believe that this will never happen to you, but try asking any plumber and he will confirm how many times he has had to do this!
- Work on a table or any flat surface away from the sink; you need enough space to rest the bowl and cloth.
- You will also need a glass or container in which to store the jewelry. Depending on the degree of toxicity of the cleaner, you can think about using rubber gloves.
Part 2 of 4: Household Cleaning Techniques
Step 1. Use a dish soap
If you don't have a specific kit available, you can make your own cleaning solutions with various household cleaning products. Regular dish soap allows you to remove dirt and grease from diamond earrings.
- Put 240ml of warm water in a bowl with 5ml of mild dish soap. Mix the solution with your fingers to form bubbles. Check that the soap is odorless and colorless, otherwise it could damage the jewelry. Leave the earrings to soak for three to four minutes to loosen the dirt a little.
- At this point you can use a soft toothbrush and dip it into the solution. Carefully brush the diamonds and then soak them again for 1-2 minutes. After this time you can remove them from the soapy water and place them on a sheet of kitchen paper. Fill a bowl with clean water and rinse the jewelry; do not rinse them under the tap with running water, to prevent them from falling down the drain.
Step 2. Try the glass cleaner
There are many household cleaning products that are also perfect on earrings and, among them, we mention the glass cleaner. Alternatively, you can soak the earrings in a mild detergent that contains sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES).
- Spray a toothbrush with glass cleaner and then use it to carefully scrub the earrings.
- Be gentle and use a small toothbrush with very soft bristles. At the end you can rinse the diamonds with water and dry them with a soft cloth.
Step 3. Try ammonia
At first glance it may seem too aggressive, but know that it is one of the most used detergents to clean diamond earrings.
- Prepare a solution with one part of ammonia and six of very hot water. Do not use hot water, however, if other types of gems are set in addition to diamonds, as the heat could damage them. Leave the earrings to soak for 20 minutes. If you choose this solution, wear rubber gloves.
- Next, put the earrings in a container with warm water. Add a spoonful of dish soap and scrub the diamonds with a soft jewelry or toothbrush. Finally, rinse the jewelry with warm water.
Step 4. Put the earrings in sparkling water
This simple liquid will make diamonds and other gems much brighter, just let them soak overnight.
- Simply fill a glass with sparkling water and add the diamonds and other precious stones (such as rubies and sapphires). Wait for the night to pass.
- A similar technique involves the use of effervescent tablets for cleaning dentures. These are able to restore the luster of diamonds. Put the tablet in 240ml of water and let the earrings soak for several minutes. Finally rinse the jewelry.
- Eliminates all obvious dirt and fabric fibers. Take a toothpick and remove the dirt that is stuck between the bezel and the diamond; use tweezers to gently remove the fabric fibers.
Step 5. Make a simple solution of soapy water to get rid of light dirt and oil
If you don't have anything better available, you can use the most obvious products: soap and water.
- Mix one part of mild dish soap with three parts of warm water in a container. Dip a soft-bristled toothbrush, cloth, or cotton swab into the soapy water.
- Gently scrub both the stone and the metal frame. Alternatively, let the earrings soak for half an hour.
- At the end you can take the buds out of the solution and rinse them with warm water. Remember to dry and polish them with a microfiber cloth.
Step 6. Give the vodka a try
If you don't have any other cleansers, this liqueur may be for you.
- Fill a shot glass with vodka. Drop the earrings inside and wait a minute or two. Finally rinse them with warm water.
- Dry and polish them with a soft, lint-free cloth.
Part 3 of 4: Protect the Diamond Earrings
Step 1. Don't wear them constantly
Cleaning will be much easier, if you don't over-dirty the earrings. For this reason, it is worth taking them off when they could get very dirty, for example at the beach, when playing sports, gardening or when washing dishes.
- Avoid them coming into contact with bleach, as it can damage them.
- To restore the natural brilliance of diamond jewelry, the layers of sebum that cover them must be removed. Contact with the skin, creams, powders and soap leave a kind of film on the earrings.
- Wear the earrings last, only after you have styled your hair, put on the cream and perfume. All of these products damage jewelry and you should limit exposure.
Step 2. Keep them properly
Diamond earrings are damaged and worn less if you put them back in the right way. This means that you don't have to carelessly throw them in the drawer, although diamonds cannot be scratched except with another diamond.
- For this reason, do not store them near other diamond jewelry, as they could scratch each other.
- Don't touch them unnecessarily. The hands are covered with sebum, which dulls the buds.
Step 3. Secure them
Sometimes home insurance also covers home theft, check your policy. If the diamonds are not insured, it is worth changing the policy or taking out a new one specifically for jewelry.
- However, you need to consider whether it is worthwhile to proceed with this operation, based on the economic and sentimental value of the earrings.
- Do several searches and compare multiple quotes from different insurance agencies, before choosing the policy that best suits your needs; don't forget to check if part of the insurance premium is tax deductible.
Step 4. Have your earrings checked
An experienced goldsmith may notice imperfections that you would not even be able to see; for this reason it is worth having the gems checked from time to time to preserve their luster.
- You must be sure that the tips of the setting are not loose, otherwise you may lose the gemstone.
- You should take the earrings to a qualified goldsmith once or twice a year.
Step 5. Have your earrings cleaned by a professional
- Ask the goldsmith to perform a cleaning with ultrasound or an ionic product; most professionals will only ask you a small amount for this service.
- If the diamonds are very dirty and you have no alternative, look for a gemological laboratory that can clean them with sulfuric acid. This product is relatively inexpensive, but the service will cost more than cleaning with ultrasound; also the acid can damage the earrings if it is used incorrectly.
Part 4 of 4: Cleaning the Silver and Gold Earrings
Step 1. Remove oxidation stains from silver and gold
In the case of silver, you can use household cleaning products.
- Take 50g of baking soda and mix it with 30ml of water to form a thick paste. Rub the mixture into the silver using a damp sponge. Finally rinse the metal and dry it.
- You can also use baking soda to polish gold by covering it with a light coat. At the end you can pour the vinegar on the metal and rinse it off.
- You can make gold even brighter by wiping it with a cloth moistened with beer.
- Believe it or not, you can use ketchup to make silver shine. Put the jewel in the sauce for only a few minutes.
Step 2. Use baking soda
This product is able to eliminate the oxidation encrusted on silver earrings and polish gold ones.
- For silver jewelry, mix 50 g of baking soda with 30 ml of water in a bowl and dip a wet sponge into the mixture.
- Being very careful, rub the paste on the metal of each earring; finally dry it and polish it with a lint-free cloth. In the case of gold earrings, sprinkle the baking soda on the metal and wet it with a little vinegar.
- Use clean water to rinse the jewelry, dry it and polish it with a microfiber cloth.
Advice
- Remember that some of the methods described in this article are not suitable for earrings that contain other gemstones besides diamonds. Vodka, for example, damages stones that are not crystals.
- Do not perform any of these operations over a sink with the drain open, or else you will have to call a plumber to get your gems from the siphon!
- When cleaning your jewelry, be very careful; do not let them soak too much and do not rub them too vigorously.
- The best method is to use some toothpaste and a toothbrush (used or new, dedicated only for this purpose). Scrub the earrings and then rinse them in clean water, then let them air dry.
- Do not dry them with a towel or cloth, wait for them to air dry.
