KEEP IT CLEAN
Again, make sure you buy the correct dip for the metal you want
to clean. These are strong chemicals and you should take great
care when using them. Avoid immersing any gemstones and
never dip pearl jewellery. The downside of using silver dip, I've
found, is that items tarnish quicker needing repeated dipping.
And, if you have any blackened areas on pieces, as part of the
design, it will strip them o . It does clean exceptionally well, but
at a cost to your jewellery.
- Ultrasonic cleaner
These used to be only commercially available, but you can buy a
fairly inexpensive version for home use now. Using just warm
water and a little liquid soap, ultrasonic cleaners create sound
waves, which break down accumulated dirt. They're great for
loosening particles of dirt in complex pieces and chains. But be
warned, some stones are not suitable for ultrasonic cleaning,
and pearls as previously mentioned are a de nite no no. Check
with the jeweller you bought the piece from to see if it can be
cleaned safely this way.
- Baking soda, aluminium foil and hot water
A good old fashioned way - non toxic and environmentally safe,
but still take care to avoid scratching. Yes it sounds crazy, but it
works well for silver items as long as they don't contain stones,
pearls, glue or resin. Simply lay a piece of foil in a deep glass
dish (or use a foil container), place the items on the foil trying to
avoid overlapping. Sprinkle over about a tablespoon of baking
soda to cover the pieces and pour in just enough boiling water to
cover. The whole thing will foam up. The process takes only
about 30 seconds and once the foam has subsided, you'll see
the tarnish has swapped over onto the foil leaving the silver just
needing a rinse and a rub with a soft cloth. Heavy tarnishing
may need a little longer, or a second go. After use, the liquid can
simply be poured away safely down the drain.
- Cleaning chemicals - dips and liquids
