Jewellery items, especially those bearing precious stones, do not have the friendliest relationship with antiseptics and detergents.
The safest way to clean our jewellery at home (gold, platinum or silver, but not pearl), is with lukewarm -not boiling- water and soap with neutral pH, or with a small amount of mild dishwashing liquid. If necessary, we can let our jewellery soak in the soapy water for sometime to release any dirt that may have stuck to the inside of the jewellery or the bottom of the stones (remember that diamonds have the property of attracting grease and keeping it on their surface). Then, with the help of a soft toothbrush, we gently remove the dirt and rinse very well. Finally,we wipe the item thoroughlywith a soft, lint-free cloth.
Strong antiseptics can damage many gemstones, causing discoloration and dullness. Also, biogenic stones such as pearl, coral and amber, being more susceptible to chemical attacks, are likely to develop cracks, dullness or other damage to their surface if they come into contact with the alcohol contained in most antiseptic liquids, or if they are cleaned with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). Due to alcohol or other chemicals, porous stones such as opal, malachite and turquoise will show discoloration over their entire surface or in spots, and/or surface dullness.
Solutions with bleach, alcohol, ammonia, and other chemicals, as well as homemade preparations containing vinegar or lemon, should be avoided. Jewellery bearing the gemstones mentioned above, as well as emerald, kunzite, peridot, tanzanite or tourmaline should be cleaned only in safe ways and without the use of chemical agents, alcohol or antiseptic wipes. It is advisable to avoid such cleaning methods for all jewellery with precious stones. Diamonds (if not in a closed setting), and corundums (sapphires and rubies) are the most resistant stones to chemical attacks, however it would be good to use gentle cleaning methods on them as well.
Finally, we can safely clean our hands with a solution containing isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide while wearing our gold or platinum jewellery, if there are no coloured gemstones or enhanced diamonds.
Eva Kountouraki GG, AJP, JBM
GIA Gemology Instructor, Jewellery Consultant
