Cleaning Jewellery

Necessary (but something I tend to avoid)

Nice: The safest and most highly recommended jewellery cleaner - a few drops of Dawn dish detergent (I've also used baby shampoo) and lukewarm water. Let soak for a few minutes. Use a soft bristle new baby toothbrush or a cotton or linen cloth to gently cleanse away any determined dirt. Rinse in lukewarm water, approximately the same temperature of your soapy solution. Set on a towel and using the coolest setting, blow dry your pieces.

Gemstones (other than diamonds, sapphires and rubies), should be cleaned professionally since even water temperature can do damage.

No Thanks: salt, bleach, baking soda, vinegar - anything acidic can potentially damage all jewellery.

Noteworthy: Costume jewellery can literally fall apart if you use harsh acidic products. I once used a bleach solution which lifted the coating on a bracelet. To add insult to injury I thought the bracelet was real silver. It was a double "Merde - Oh Shit " moment.

Chemical cleaners can often change the colour of costume jewellery in the same way sweat, perfumes and hairsprays can (which is why you should clean your costume jewellery). Stick with the many who suggest putting your jewellery on after all your primping and spraying.

Even water itself can cause spot damage or loosen glue on costume pieces so instead of soaking a few minutes, soak a few seconds and dry quickly. Another reason to use a blow dryer.

Regarding Silver: Bob Vila suggests on his website: "Simply pull out and uncap a bottle of ketchup, then squirt a tiny amount on a paper towel. Next, gently rub the condiment along each piece of silver anywhere it appears tarnished. If it doesn’t come right off, let the ketchup sit for 15 minutes, then wipe the red away with a dishtowel and rinse your silverware clean." (Retrieved April 6, 2020 from https://www.bobvila.com/articles/homemade-silver-polish/) 

No Thanks: Result - little noticeable removal. 

Noteworthy: Maybe the pieces were too heavily tarnished. Will try it on lightly tarnished items. After my husband watched me do this for several pieces with no discernible results, he took my jewellery and began using a commercial silver polish, which of course worked beautifully.

After all that, silver is silver and no amount of elbow grease or Dawn® liquid detergent or Ketchup is going to result in removing tarnish. Unfortunately a chemical silver polish is about the only solution I have found to do the trick. 

I have used the foil, baking soda and hot water trick which does work and can be used on cutlery but there's loads of advice out there saying it should not be used on jewellery.

Store your silver pieces in plastic or cloth bags to protect from humidity and sulfur in the air, which contributes to tarnishing along with skincare products and hairspray.

I may continue looking online for less caustic solutions but for the moment, I will use the silver polish, at least until it is finished.

NEED: Someone to comment and give me an alternate to commercial caustic silver polish.