Put some windex on it? At home cleaning tips for your jewelry!

Heading home for the holidays?  Laundry shouldn't be the only thing on your to-do list before you leave.  Follow these at-home jewelry cleaning tips to make sure your jewelry is sparkly and bright for the holidays.

Please note that these cleaning tips only apply to *fine jewelry.*  If your jewelry is plated you can't clean it.  If you don't know what you're jewelry is made out of, it's probably not real jewelry, but it's best to check with the place you purchased it from.

1. Sunshine polishing cloths are the kings of all polishing cloths. Everyone should have this cloth – it’s the best cloth ever.  It's amazing for silver, 14K gold filled, regular gold, and even brass (though brass requires a lot of cleaning). Buy a bulk pack - save some for yourself and use them as stocking stuffers.  My friends always ask me for them!

2. Windex.  Great for silver, gold, rose gold.  It gets the grime off jewelry and is particularly good for people living in the city (especially NYC - jewelry gets so grimy).  Soak your jewelry in windex or spritz some on and rinse with warm water.  You can use a toothbrush to clean small spaces like chains or wire work.  ************PLLLEEAASSEEE DO NOT use windex or any other cleaning product on turquoise, opal, or coral.  You'll ruin it!*************

 

3. Ketchup.  For brass and copper jewelry!  Squirt some in a bowl, put your brass or copper pieces in, let them sit, rinse.  The acid from ketchup disintegrates the oxidization on the surface of the brass/copper which leaves it clean.  Theoretically this could brighten rose gold a bit because rose gold has copper in it, but windex is a better bet for rose gold.

 

Delia Langan Jewelry uses 14k gold filled, rose gold filled, argentium sterling (tarnish resistant sterling), fine silver (.99 silver, also tarnish resistant).  The bangles /cuffs are made from brass.  All of these materials can be cleaned with the above tips! 

Now you have all the tools you'll need to have clean sparkly jewelry when I see you during the holidays!