With 65 Years in the jewelry industry, I have been around longer than some of these wives’ tales!
#1 – Toothbrush and Toothpaste
They are great for your pearly whites, but not your pearls or any other type of jewelry. The abrasives in toothpaste will scratch metals and softer gemstones and buildup in crevices.
#2 – Ammonia, Windex®, and Mr. Clean®
Ammonia, Windex, denatured alcohol, acetone and other harsh cleaners can dull or pit the surface of softer gemstones. While these cleaning agents may be safe on harder gemstones in small concentrations, most of us do not use the correct ratio, making them a bad choice.
#3 – Hydrogen Peroxide
While many of us know hydrogen peroxide to be an effective disinfectant, it is not really designed to be a cleaner. In some cases, it may have a chemical reaction with sterling silver and other metals, harming the finish. Professional products from your jeweler are your best bet.
#4 – Bleach
Bleach is not safe for cleaning jewelry, as it damages metal alloys in gold.
This is also why it is not recommended that you wear your jewelry while swimming or in a hot tub because both bleach and chlorine are often used to clean them.
#5 – Vinegar and Lemon Juice
Old wives are big fans of vinegar and lemon juice, and they are great cleaning agents for many things. Just not for jewelry. Both are way too acidic and abrasive, which is damaging to metals and softer gemstones.
The Jewelry Judge cleans every piece of jewelry brought in for a consultation or appraisal, so that the condition of the gemstones and mounting can be properly evaluated.
If you would like the Jewelry Judge to speak at an upcoming club or organization meeting, he does so for FREE to educate and protect the jewelry consumer!
