Be gentle with costume jewelry
Not all costume jewelry is cheap. Some is sentimental, whereas other pieces are actually worth quite a bit of money. For most people it can be a guessing game as to what a costume piece is made of. That is why a gentle cleaning is essential. A soft polishing cloth, an old toothbrush and a gentle solution can help you quickly restore old jewelry. Add three drops of lemon essential oil to 1/3 cup of water. Let the piece rest in the solution for at least five minutes and up to overnight. Scrub, rinse and buff to a brilliant shine.
Give your pearls a gentle bath
Pearls are delicate and require special care to prevent damage. This simple method for cleaning pearls keeps them safe and removes grime. Place your pearls inside a knee high nylon stocking. Knot the stocking so that they stay in place. Fill a sink with warm water and add a bit of mild shampoo, such as a baby shampoo. Place the pearls in the warm water and gently massage the pantyhose against the pearls. Rinse with fresh water, remove from bag, and gently pat to dry.
Try Alka-Seltzer
You don’t need to rely on fancy cleaners. Rinse your dull jewelry in a glass of fizzy Alka-Seltzer. Once you take it out, it will be shining like a star.
How to clean tarnished jewelry
If you haven’t worn your silver jewelry in a while it will definitely tarnish. Reduce the amount of cleaning you have to do by taking steps to prevent silver from tarnishing in the first place. All you need to do is throw a few pieces of chalk in your jewelry box. It will absorb excess moisture and keep your silver nice and shiny.