Your Guide to Cleaning Jewellery at Home

Have you ever gone to put on your favourite jewellery pieces and noticed they’re looking a bit dull, or even grimy? Everyday build-up of dust, oils, moisturisers and hand sanitiser can make your gold, sterling silver, and gold plated jewellery lose a bit of its lustre. However, you can keep your shiny things… shining (and very Insta-friendly), with our guide to caring for and cleaning your jewellery at home. So go ahead and bookmark this jewellery cleaning guide, and return to it whenever your pieces could use a little pampering.

1. How to clean gold jewellery at home

For everyday maintenance, get into the habit of giving your gold jewellery a gentle polish with a soft cloth regularly (a dedicated jewellery cloth is best, but you could also use the cloth that comes with your sunglasses in a pinch). This will sweep away any dust that gathers throughout the day. When it’s time for a deeper clean, your 10k solid gold jewellery is durable and does well with a little bubble bath now and then. In fact, giving your gold pieces a clean with some jewellery cleaning soloution consisting of water and mild dishwashing detergent will help to remove any oils and products that have built up, revealing your beautifully shining piece underneath.

To do so, follow the simple steps below:

1. Fill a small bowl with warm (not hot!) water, and a few drops of dishwashing liquid.
2. Mix it up to make it foamy!
3. Place your gold jewellery into the solution and let it soak for about 15 – 20 minutes to break down any oils.
4. Give your gold jewellery a swish around and rub it with your fingers to remove any remaining grime.
5. You can also use a cotton bud to clean inside any nooks.
6. For stubborn grime, you can use a very soft, clean toothbrush (a baby toothbrush is best) and give your pieces a gentle scrub. Note the ‘gentle’ part – if you brush too hard or use a brush with tough bristles, you’ll risk scratching your gold jewellery.
7. If your gold jewellery contains diamonds, you can also gently scrub the stone to unveil its beautiful sparkle.
8. Finally, it’s time to rinse! We recommend holding your pieces over the bowl and pouring clean water from a jug to rinse, to avoid any drain-related mishaps.
9. Gently pat dry with a soft, lint-free cloth and allow to air-dry completely before putting your pieces on or storing them away.

2. How to clean sterling silver jewellery at home

The best way to clean your sterling silver jewellery at home is to follow the same guidelines as cleaning gold jewellery above, to give your pieces a little at-home bath (but avoid using a brush). As sterling silver is naturally prone to tarnish over time, it’s also a good idea to invest in a professional silver jewellery cleaner which is designed to gently remove tarnish and make your pieces shine. You can use this from time to time to restore your silver pieces. Find out more about our 925 sterling silver jewellery here.

3. How to clean gold plated jewellery at home

At Medley, our 18k fine gold plated jewellery is made for quality. All of our gold plated jewellery is crafted with a 925 sterling silver base – never brass – so you can enjoy styling your shiny pieces for a long time to come. It’s best to take a less-is-more approach to cleaning gold plated jewellery; including yellow gold plated and rose gold plated styles. Simply give your pieces a gentle polish with a soft cloth now and then (avoid jewellery cleaner or anti-tarnish polishing cloths). If they need a little extra TLC, give them a warm soapy bath as detailed above, but avoid brushing. Learn more about our 18k fine gold plated pieces here.

4. A few important things to remember

Ensure your jewellery remains looking its lustrous best. Take note of these important tips to care for your jewellery at home:

• Last on, first off. Even when it comes to durable jewellery such as our 10k gold pieces, it’s good to pick up the habit of taking your jewellery off at the end of the day. Sleeping in your jewellery can cause unwanted tangles in fine, delicate pieces and even possible breakage.
• Avoid contact with your lotions, perfumes, and makeup. Refer back to that ‘last on’ point above. Pop your jewellery on just before you head out the door, so that any moisturisers and perfumes have absorbed into your skin and so you don’t get any makeup caked in your fave pieces.
• Definitely avoid contact with any harsh stuff, such as household cleaners and bleach. These products are a definite no-no for cleaning your jewellery. We also recommend taking your jewellery off, or popping protective gloves over the top, when doing the dishes, cleaning the bathroom, and so on.
• Avoid contact with anything abrasive, as much as possible. Reserve your toothbrush for when it’s really needed, and aim to let a warm bath and your fingers do most of the work when cleaning your jewellery.
• Take your jewellery off before swimming, if you can.
• Storing is caring. When you take your jewellery off, pop it inside a jewellery box or pouch to keep it out of strong light, heat, humidity, and to avoid dust gathering. This will also prevent fine chains from becoming annoyingly tangled.
• Take extra care with gemstones, especially delicate stones such as pearls. For these pieces, it’s best to just give them a gentle wipe with a soft cloth whenever they need some attention.

All this talk about jewellery make you want to shop? We’ve got you. Explore our gold, silver, and diamond jewellery online >