What Do Professional Jewelers Use To Clean Jewelry? The Sparkling Secrets Revealed!
Ever wondered how your diamond jewelry manages to look even more spectacular after a trip to the jeweler than after your best at-home cleaning session? It’s not magic (though it might seem like it)! Professional jewelers have an arsenal of specialized tools and techniques that go far beyond the bowl of soapy water and toothbrush we all know and love. At Robinson’s Jewelers, we’re pulling back the curtain on the sparkling world of professional jewelry cleaning. Get ready to discover the high-tech gadgets and secret solutions that make your precious pieces shine like they’re fresh from the red carpet.
While your at-home care is crucial for maintaining your jewelry between professional cleanings, there’s a reason why experts recommend bringing your pieces in once or twice a year. It’s not just about making your rings sparkle—it’s about ensuring their longevity and catching potential problems before they become heartbreaks. Let’s dive into the fascinating tools of the trade!
The Ultrasonic Cleaner: The Jewelry Jacuzzi
Imagine a tiny, incredibly powerful jacuzzi specifically designed for jewelry. That’s essentially what an ultrasonic cleaner is! This amazing machine is a workhorse in most jewelry shops. It works by generating high-frequency sound waves through a specialized cleaning solution, creating millions of microscopic bubbles that gently but effectively scrub away every last bit of dirt, grime, and that mysterious gunk that accumulates in the tiny crevices of your favorite pavé ring or intricate filigree necklace.
It’s particularly fantastic for pieces with hard-to-reach spots that your toothbrush simply can’t touch. However, not all jewelry can handle this intense bubble bath. Softer gemstones like opals, emeralds, and porous stones like pearls can be damaged by the vibrations. That’s why professional assessment is key—we always check your pieces before giving them the ultrasonic treatment.
The Steam Cleaner: The Dirt Blaster
For jewelry that’s too delicate for the ultrasonic bath, jewelers often turn to the steam cleaner. Think of it as a miniature pressure washer for your precious baubles! These machines blast focused jets of high-temperature, pressurized steam to vaporize and remove built-up oils, lotions, and everyday dirt that dull your jewelry’s brilliance.
Steam cleaning is exceptionally effective on sturdy metals like platinum and white gold, restoring their bright, white shine. It’s also great for diamond pieces with secure settings. But again, heat-sensitive stones like opals, amber, or treated gems need to steer clear. It’s all about using the right tool for the job!
Specialized Cleaning Solutions: The Secret Sauces
Sorry to disappoint, but the “secret solution” isn’t just dish soap and water (though that’s not bad for home care!). Professional jewelers use a variety of specially formulated cleaning solutions designed for specific metals and gemstones. These aren’t your average household cleaners.
We use pH-balanced, ammonia-free solutions for general cleaning, along with specific formulas for different materials. For example, cleaning a delicate pearl necklace requires an entirely different approach than cleaning a robust ruby ring. Some solutions are designed to enhance the warm hue of rose gold, while others are specifically formulated to prevent sterling silver from tarnishing too quickly. Using the wrong solution can damage your jewelry, which is why we leave it to the pros!
The Polishing Wheel & Cloths: The Final Touch
After a deep clean, many pieces get the royal treatment with a polishing wheel and specialized cloths. This is what gives your jewelry that incredible, mirror-like finish that makes you gasp. Jewelers use soft, muslin-bound wheels with gentle polishing compounds to buff away microscopic scratches and restore the metal’s incredible luster.
For at-home maintenance, we often recommend specialized polishing cloths impregnated with a fine polishing compound. These are fantastic for keeping your cuff bracelets and bangles looking their best between professional cleanings. Just remember: different cloths for different metals—you wouldn’t use the same cloth on yellow gold as you would on platinum!
The Soaking & Brushing Technique: Old-School Expertise
Sometimes, nothing beats the hands-on approach. For extremely delicate pieces or those with significant buildup, jewelers will use the soaking and brushing method. This involves immersing the jewelry in a mild, appropriate cleaning solution to loosen debris, followed by gentle, expert scrubbing with soft-bristled brushes designed specifically for jewelry.
This technique is perfect for pieces with intricate details, like halo rings or antique pieces with fragile settings. The brushes used are far softer than a toothbrush and the jeweler’s trained hands know exactly how much pressure to apply to clean without causing damage.
The Professional Inspection: More Than Just a Spa Day
Here’s the most important part that often goes unnoticed: when you bring your jewelry to Robinson’s for a professional cleaning, you’re getting much more than just a surface clean. Our jewelers perform a thorough inspection of each piece under magnification. We check for loose stones, worn prongs, weakened clasps, and any other potential issues that could lead to damage or loss.
This is especially crucial for frequently worn items like engagement rings and wedding bands that undergo daily wear and tear. Catching a loose diamond during a cleaning is a much better outcome than discovering it’s missing later! Many potential disasters are prevented during these routine inspections.
Can I Do This at Home? (Spoiler: Not Really)
While you can purchase small ultrasonic or steam cleaners for home use, we generally don’t recommend it. Why? Because professional jewelers have the training and expertise to know which method is safe for each specific piece of jewelry. Using an ultrasonic cleaner on the wrong gemstone can crack it. Using steam on a heat-treated stone can damage it. Using the wrong cleaning solution can strip finishes or harm delicate materials.
Think of it like dental care: you brush and floss regularly at home (that’s your light, soap-and-water cleaning), but you still need to visit the hygienist for a deep clean and the dentist for a check-up (that’s us!). Both are essential for long-term health.
How to Keep Your Jewelry Sparkling Between Professional Cleanings
So what should you do between professional cleanings? Plenty! Proper at-home care will keep your jewelry looking great and extend its life dramatically.
The classic warm water + mild dish soap soak is still a winner for many pieces. Let your jewelry soak for a few minutes, gently scrub with a very soft-bristled brush (a baby toothbrush is perfect), rinse thoroughly, and pat dry with a lint-free cloth. This is safe for most gold jewelry, sterling silver, and sturdy gemstones.
Most importantly: store your jewelry properly! Keep pieces separate in a soft-lined box to prevent scratches. A diamond can scratch another diamond, and gold can be scratched by harder metals. Also, for the love of sparkle, please remove your jewelry before applying lotions, perfumes, hairspray, or before jumping into the pool or hot tub. Chemicals are jewelry’s worst enemy!
When It’s Definitely Time to See a Pro
How often should you bring your jewelry in? We recommend every six months for pieces you wear daily, and at least once a year for items worn less frequently. Also, bring your jewelry in if you notice significant dullness that doesn’t improve with gentle cleaning, if there’s buildup you can’t remove, or if stones seem less brilliant. And of course, if you’re preparing for a special occasion and want your pieces to look absolutely jaw-dropping, we’re here for you!
At Robinson’s Jewelers, we combine decades of expertise with state-of-the-art technology to care for your precious pieces properly. Whether you own a family heirloom, a recent engagement ring purchase, or a growing collection from designers like Roberto Coin or Oscar Heyman, we have the tools and expertise to keep each piece looking its absolute best.
Ready to give your jewelry the professional treatment it deserves? Visit us today to experience the difference! And while you’re here, why not browse our stunning collection of new pieces that are just waiting to be loved—and professionally cleaned for years to come.