What is the best way to clean jewelry? It is a question that is always asked and there is a very easy way to do it: It requires baking soda, ammonia and some liquid, dish soap. Most of the time jewelry becomes oxidized over time or just filled with grease and dirt. Soaking the jewelry in a small amount of ammonia mixed with dish detergent for a couple of minutes. This loosens the grease and dirt deposits. Check the jewelry carefully to make sure the settings are in good shape and that the stones are securely set. Finally scrub the jewelry gently with a soft toothbrush dipped in a generous amount of baking soda mixed with dish soap. Rinse and then dry. This will clean the stones and burnish the oxides off all of the metallic surface. After drying the pieces, don’t forget to check over the stones to make sure they are are clean and secure.This technique works well on most metals and is more effective than most commercial jewelry cleaning products.
This technique is good for cleaning silver candlesticks, tea services, silver flatware and, of course, silver jewelry. Here, the backing soda plays a much more important role in stripping the dark oxides off of the surface of the metal. One combines a generous amount of baking soda with a small amount of dish soap to make a paste. it can be rubbed straight on the pieces with one’s hand or applied with a soft tooth brush to clean smaller detail.
Occasionally, there are pieces that resist becoming clean and the problem can be the type or condition of the metal. It could have worn off plating, perhaps subjected to a harsh chemical or otherwise damaged. If this has occurred, definitely contact a professional jeweler.