Your romantic Valentine’s date night is just days away and you’d love to wear that gorgeous jewelry you have tucked away in your jewelry safe (you know, those dazzling pieces you just can’t justify wearing on a daily basis because people might mistake you for Cinderella on her way to the ball?) The perfect occasion is finally here! You go to take out your beautiful diamond necklace and sadly, the sparkle just doesn’t seem the same. What’s the use of having Cinderella bling without the bling?
Never fear, we have just the solutions for all of your fine jewelry piece needs, guaranteed to bring back the sparkle! The best part is, these solutions are quick, easy, and completely DIY! (“Do It Yourself” for all you non-acronym savvy folks out there). Enjoy these DIY Jewelry Cleaners and share your sparkle photos with us on Facebook here; we’d love to see your Cinderella Valentine’s Day glam!
• Diamonds – Let’s start off with the rocks you definitely want to sparkle – diamonds! We have a simple solution that will knock you off your feet; you want to know why? All it consists of is warm soapy water! Simple dish soap will suffice. All you need to do is soak the diamond in the solution and use a soft bristle toothbrush to get into the hard to reach areas and then pat dry with a soft cloth. If you’ve heard that toothpaste will make your diamond sparkle, don’t try it! It may work on the diamond, but if that diamond is on a ring, necklace, or other jewelry piece, the toothpaste will damage the surface of the non-diamond parts of your jewelry, so best to stay clear.
• Pearls – Did you know that your lustrous pearls like to be worn on a regular basis? It’s because the natural oils from your skin help keep them shiny! On the other hand, too much oil or perspiration (which is acidic) can also be damaging by eating away at the pearls, so it’s a good idea to wipe down your pearls after wear with a soft cloth. If you don’t wear your pearls often, you can also get them ready for date night by buffing them out with a drop of olive oil and a soft cloth. Pearls are extra sensitive because they are so soft, the opposite of diamonds, so make sure not to use any abrasive cleaners or ultra sonic cleaners. The safest DIY cleaner would be a very mild soap solution diluted with plenty of water. However, do not soak the pearls in the solution; this will damage the silk thread. Instead, dip a cotton ball into the mild soapy water and apply directly to the pearls, and pat dry. Do not hang them to dry; this will stretch the silk thread, if it’s damp.
• Gold – A quick and easy DIY gold cleaner is a few drops of a mild detergent mixed with 2 cups of warm water. Soak your gold pieces in the solution for a few minutes and use a soft brush, such as an eyebrow brush, to brush away dirt and grime. Finish by using a soft polishing cloth.
• Silver – Don’t you hate when your silver starts to get that tarnished look? An easy DIY fix just takes a ½ cup of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of baking soda! Simply mix up the solution, let your silver pieces soak for a couple hours and then run them under cool water. Final step, like the rest of our jewelry tips, rub your silver pieces down with a soft cloth and their tarnish will be no more!
We hope you find our DIY jewelry cleaners to be useful and that your Valentine’s nights are filled with all of the sparkle of Cinderella’s bling, but maybe minus the glass slippers…those just seem painful! Have a question about a DIY cleaner for a type of jewelry we did not cover or have other jewelry cleaning tips that have worked for you? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page here! Happy Valentine’s Day!