How to Clean Jewellery

They say all that glitters is not gold, but at Francesca we believe, be it yellow gold, diamonds, sterling silver or rose gold, all metals can sparkle if you know how to clean jewellery the right way.

It’s all about know how. Whether it’s learning how to clean silver jewelry or knowing if there is a specific silver jewelry cleaner, our simple go-to guide on how to clean jewellery will help you make everything sparkle anew.

But, before rushing to pour your gold or silver jewelry a bath and reaching for a scrubbing brush, it’s so important to get to know the metal and jewellery type you’re cleaning.

If it’s sterling silver you may need a silver jewelry cleaner or if it's gold plated knowing which cloth to use will make a big difference for how to clean gold jewelry. It’s all dependent on the metal and how tarnished it is.

First though, let’s talk about what’s really going on when jewellery loses its sheen.

While there’s a common perception that jewellery metals fade in time, more often it's that they tarnish and grease and debris need to be removed to revive them back to their natural state.

Which means restoring them back to shiny store bought state is easy - it’s all a matter of knowing how to clean silver jewellery or how to clean gold jewellery to restore it back to its natural state.

The tricky part? Knowing that each metal and jewellery piece needs its own love and attention, there is no one size fits all approach when it comes to how to clean jewellery. 

To help you we’ve compiled a list of common Q&A questions about how to clean jewellery best.

Let’s talk metals...starting with the most popular, how best to clean silver jewelry .

How to clean silver jewelry?

The benefit of silver jewelery is that often a cloth polish will do the trick.

If debating whether to use a silver jewelry cleaner or going for a cloth polish, at Francesca we would always recommend a cloth polish first.
When it comes to sterling silver, while it will never fade, it will tarnish and oxidise over time. The best way to combat the ageing process and know how to clean silver jewelry is by using a product you can trust.

Begin with a sterling silver polish cloth from Francesca (buy here).

Made of 100 % cotton with a silver jewelry cleaner and anti-tarnish agent inside, the sterling silver polish cloth is designed to remedy any stale looking silver jewelry pieces - and it’s gentle to use.

Unsure how to clean a silver chain or how to clean a silver necklace? Our polish cloth has got you covered. Gently hold the silver jewelry piece, then using your other hand, rub the sterling silver polish cloth between the chain or necklace links, making sure you get into each loop, cleaning from the inside out.

Giving pieces a polish with our specially designed polishing cloths are guaranteed to have your sterling silver pieces looking shiny and new again in no time. We recommend polishing pieces weekly.

Still not able to bring the piece back to new again? Go into a jewellers direct.

While it can be tempting to wonder what the best homemade jewelry cleaning solution is and how you can do it yourself, we would recommend only purchasing a sterling silver jewelry cleaner from a jeweller.

While sterling silver can be worn in water, we suggest avoiding exposure to harsh chemicals such as perfume, fake tan, soap and other detergents. Sterling silver is a delicate material, so remember to treat your jewellery with love.

How to clean gold jewelry

Most often than not, unless you’re spending a pretty penny with solid gold carat, most jewelry pieces are gold plated pieces.

To know how to clean gold jewelry properly, make sure you know if your gold jewelry is solid gold, gold filled or gold plated, as each will come with a different cleaning protocol.

As a rule of thumb, when it comes to how to clean gold jewelry, it’s slightly different to knowing how to clean silver jewelry, as with gold, you’ll benefit from using a microfibre cloth instead.

While it might seem cheaper to re-use the silver jewelry cleaner cloth, it won’t benefit yellow gold, especially if it’s gold plated. To give the right kind of TLC to your gold plated jewelry, the best approach is to use a microfibre cloth to remove surface oil or smudges.

This is the first step to follow to learn how to clean gold jewelry. However, if the jewelry has been exposed to alcohol, chlorine, acids (including citrus fruits) or sulfur compounds, then a deeper clean may be needed as these substances can cause the base metal to tarnish. 

If after a polish it doesn’t bring a glimmer back, again, we would recommend going to a jeweller you can trust as ultimately they know how to clean gold jewelry in the least harmful way.

Often they can also give you tips on how to preserve your gold jewelry best and help solve any worries around jewellery care - and if you’re lucky may provide the best homemade jewelry cleaning solution for pieces that can be tended to at home.

How to make diamonds sparkle?

On a scale of cubic zirconia to diamonds, diamonds are top of the A-list...which means they really need the same VIP care.

Whether an engagement ring or a ring you bought for self love, when it comes to how to make diamonds sparkle and clean diamond ring, we wouldn’t risk a basic homemade cleaning solution. Diamonds deserve to shine.

If you want to know how to clean a diamond ring, then go to the jeweler it originated from. It’s common for them to provide complimentary clean diamond ring services or at least a service at a low cost using the best products to clean diamond ring effectively. Trust us, they know how to make diamonds sparkle (take it from a boutique jeweler, at Francesca we want you and your pieces to shine).

By choosing the place you purchased the ring, the jeweler will already know how to clean rings or clean diamond rings that they stock specifically, meaning they know the metal, the wear, what it likes and be able to attend to it with the right care.

How often should I clean my jewellery?

We recommend giving your jewellery a weekly polish with a soft cloth (a sterling silver polish cloth if want to know how to clean silver jewelry) or a microfibre cloth (if want to know how to clean gold jewelry) or
a monthly trip to the jeweler for a luxury treat whenever you need need to bring the bling back.

As the saying goes, ‘everything old is new again’ and with your jewelry pieces, with the right TLC and understanding what serves your piece best (be it diamonds, sterling silver, or gold), you can bring your beloved pieces back to their best self and dazzle the room at any time. All you’ve got to do is follow our simple steps for how to clean jewellery or come visit us in store direct!

For more guides on how to care for your jewellery, see our blog guide or purchase a sterling silver jewelry cleaner cloth from our collection here.