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angel85
17-12-2009, 03:45 PM
Hi,
Clean jewellery properly is extremely important to making it survive decades. While just throwing it into a jar of commercial jewellery cleaning solution is the easiest answer, this isn’t always the safest and most effective method.The most important thing to consider in cleaning jewellery is the type of metal that the particular piece is made from. As every metal has different properties, each should be cleaned with solutions that will not damage the metal. Any one have any tips for specialist cleaning??? Tricks of the trade etc???

Lisa Quinn
17-12-2009, 05:42 PM
I'm afraid I can't help you Angel, for cleaning old jewellery I use a hot soapy water and the ultrasonic. You can use cola which apparently cleans things brilliantly.

Sorry that I couldn't give you any really technical advice.

What is that you need to clean up?

Fi Wilson
17-12-2009, 07:58 PM
I've got an ultrasonic cleaner but I've not used it since it's first outing when my pieces didn't seem to be any cleaner. Lisa, how hot does the hot soapy water need to be as I was advised to use warm water. Maybe that's were I was going wrong! Also bought some natural eco-friendly cleaning solution with it but I've only use a bit of Fairy with it so far.

Fi

Lisa Quinn
17-12-2009, 08:40 PM
I've got an ultrasonic cleaner but I've not used it since it's first outing when my pieces didn't seem to be any cleaner. Lisa, how hot does the hot soapy water need to be as I was advised to use warm water. Maybe that's were I was going wrong! Also bought some natural eco-friendly cleaning solution with it but I've only use a bit of Fairy with it so far.

Fi

To be perfectly honest my ultrasonic was a cheapy £30 one and is rubbish, so I just give stuff a scrub with hot soapy water and a toothbrush and then put it in the ultrasonic, but when I have used other ultrasonics at college they are quite hot which makes sense really, as rouge etc is greasy and they do really lift all the stubborn dirt off. A good ultrasonic is just one of the items on my wishlist.

mizgeorge
17-12-2009, 08:44 PM
Chuck a little bit of ammonia in with some very hot water and a bit of cleaning solution (which leaves less of a film than Fairy) and it will do the job much better.

I'd love a big one, but it's yet another thing that needs plugging in, and more space, and something has to give :)

Lisa Quinn
17-12-2009, 08:53 PM
I'd love a big one, but it's yet another thing that needs plugging in, and more space, and something has to give :)

Yet more evidence of our mutual tool lust George.

Lou_85
17-12-2009, 09:33 PM
Hi,

Any tips on cleaning tarnished 925 snake chains? I've tried silver dip and tumble polishing etc...

If there is no hope for a tarnished snake chain can I put in my cooksons scrap pot?

Thanks
:)

:merryxmas:

Emerald
17-12-2009, 10:06 PM
Ho Lou welcome to the forum a silver cloth should get that nice and shiney, i am suprised the other things dident work though

reeves
17-12-2009, 11:06 PM
We use polishing motors in the trade,you use different mop's and compounds i.e rouge,finish off with hot,warm ultrasonic which also has cleaning solution in it.:Y:

AlexandraBuckle
18-12-2009, 09:43 AM
I have been cleaning my sterling jewellery with hot water, soda crystals and tin foil.

I'm no chemist so don't ask me how its works, but I line a container with tin foil, put the jewellery on top of the tin foil, sprinkle some soda crystals on top and then add hot water. It will fizz and bubble - it will help if you agitate it a bit, and then the tarnish will transfer from the silver to the tin foil.

I then rinse everything VERY thoroughly and dry it all, and wipe over with a silver cloth (in the hope that it will prevent it from tarninshing again too quick!)

It seems to work well.

bustagasket
18-12-2009, 10:37 AM
I have been cleaning my sterling jewellery with hot water, soda crystals and tin foil.

I'm no chemist so don't ask me how its works, but I line a container with tin foil, put the jewellery on top of the tin foil, sprinkle some soda crystals on top and then add hot water. It will fizz and bubble - it will help if you agitate it a bit, and then the tarnish will transfer from the silver to the tin foil.

I then rinse everything VERY thoroughly and dry it all, and wipe over with a silver cloth (in the hope that it will prevent it from tarninshing again too quick!)

It seems to work well.

i like the sound of that

glen
18-12-2009, 07:12 PM
for cleaning tarnished silver the best stuff in the world is:
Goddards-Hotel-Silver-Dip (http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Goddards-Hotel-Silver-Dip---5-Litre-Un3264c-prcode-998-036)

to clean antique and older jewellery requires specialist methods as alot of antique pieces cant be cleaned the same as modern techniques for many reasons nor be worked on the same when repairing.

angel85
21-12-2009, 03:12 PM
Love this forum! Guarenteed useful feedback. Cheers guys. :Y:

Dennis
31-12-2009, 09:25 PM
Sorry to be pedantic, but the foil should be aluminium as in cooking foil,not tin.

The method works well,but tends to reverse if left for more than 4 minutes or

so.Dennis.

vannetta
02-01-2010, 01:22 AM
Hi,

you can use toothpaste with a soft brush to clean silver jewellery. It works really well and very effective.

Good luck