Jewelry Cleaning Hacks You Shouldn't Try at Home

The Internet is a vast and astonishing resource of information that exists right at our fingertips. No longer is making the perfect brioche or using mosaic to cover a tabletop some sort of mysterious art form. Plenty of "Do It Yourself" guides exist for just about everything you might want to learn how to do!

It's great that going online can inspire a real "DIY" spirit, but it's also best to not believe everything you read there. So much of what exists on the Internet isn't fact-checked by anyone, even a copy editor. That's why what may seem like an amazing recipe for perfect brioche may turn out to be missing a step or an ingredient; the same goes for craft projects. But while it may be frustrating to work on something like a homemade loaf of bread only to have it be not all you dreamed of, at least all you've wasted is a bit of flour and time. With things like home or auto repair or jewelry cleaning, a little bad advice may lead to a lot of heartache.

If you look for them, there are a lot of DIY "bling wash" jewelry cleaning solution recipes out there, but if you're interested in jewelry cleaning in Kansas City, it's really best to entrust your treasures to professionals who know what they're doing. Why risk doing damage to your engagement ring or your great-grandmother's ruby cross necklace or the birthstone earrings your family got you when you graduated from college?

It may not seem like common household cleaners could do damage to metals and stones, but the truth is, there are plenty of things in your kitchen cabinet or under your sink that could mess up your fine jewelry, alone or in combination. They can do everything from leaving a persistent film to even permanently damaging the stone. After all, we've seen DIY jewelry cleaners that used salt, dish detergent, baking soda, essential oils, white vinegar, household cleaners (including ammonia!), toothpaste, witch hazel, antacid or denture tablets, beer, club soda, vodka, boiling water, and even ketchup.

A little common sense would eliminate a good portion of these ingredients, it's true, but we know there's always the temptation to try to replicate what the pros do. At the same time, why risk something priceless on some recipe you found on Pinterest or in one of those little videos on Facebook? You don't need to be an experienced jeweler to put something up on the internet, and a lot can go wrong. Different metals and different types of stones need different treatments to stay looking their best due to their chemical compositions, and softer stones like opals can be scratched or chipped.

There's plenty you can do to keep your jewelry looking its best, including taking off your rings when you're cleaning, exercising, or gardening, or when you're in the pool. But when they really need to be cleaned, take them to a professional like the jewelers at Noe's, and save the vodka and beer for 5 o'clock!

Jewelry cleaning is only one of many services we offer at our Raymore, Missouri jewelry store. Call Noe's today or come in today!