Cleaning earrings: the best tips and home remedies
Why you should clean your earrings regularly
Whether gold, silver or gold-plated - daily wear can cause dirt and debris to accumulate on our earrings and affect their color and shine. You should also clean your earrings, as bacteria can build up on the studs over time and lead to infection. But don't worry - we'll show you how to clean your earrings effectively and provide you with valuable tips and tricks depending on the material and shape.The most important facts at a glance
Cleaning silver earrings
The popular precious material is particularly susceptible to discoloration. With our two professional tricks, however, these can be erased.
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Proper care of gold earrings
How washing-up liquid and baking soda make your ear studs shine.
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Cleaning earrings with pearls or gemstones
Caution is also required here: water and a soft cloth alone work wonders.
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Cleaning silver earrings
Toothpaste not only cleans teeth
All you need for this method is toothpaste, a soft toothbrush if necessary and a soft cloth. And this is how it works:Apply a small amount of toothpaste to your earrings and gently massage it in with your fingers or the cloth. For stubborn dirt and hard-to-reach areas, you can use the brush.
Now rinse your jewelry with clear water and dry it with the cloth. If you happen to have a silver cleaning cloth at home, you can also polish the earrings. That's it!
Using aluminum foil for other purposes
The next hack will probably produce a wow effect. What you need: aluminum foil, salt, a small bowl, hot water and a cloth.
Step 1: Line the bowl with aluminum foil
First attach a suitably sized piece of foil to the edge of the bowl.
Step 2: Fill the bowl
Pour hot water into the bowl and add a teaspoon of salt. Stir until it has dissolved.
Step 3: Let jewelry soak
Now place your tarnished silver jewelry in the water bath and leave it to soak for a few minutes.
Step 4: Drying the piece of jewelry
As a final step, dry your earrings and enjoy their newfound radiance!
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Proper care of gold earrings
Cleaning with detergent or soap
Simple but effective - washing-up liquid or soap have proven to be effective for cleaning gold earrings. You will also need: a small bowl, warm water, a soft toothbrush and a cloth.
- First fill the bowl with warm water (not hot) and add a few drops of mild washing-up liquid.
- Leave your gold earrings in the mixture for a few minutes. A few minutes longer if they are very dirty.
- If necessary, you can now gently scrub the earrings with a clean, soft toothbrush.
- Now rinse the earrings with lukewarm water.
- Finally, dry the jewelry carefully with the cloth.
- Et violà!
Baking powder: a miracle cure in a bag
The next cleaning method revolves around a household remedy that you are sure to have at home. Use baking soda to clean your earrings gently but thoroughly and you will notice a difference immediately. But be careful: please do not use this method on earrings with enamel, pearls or gemstones.
Other utensils: soft toothbrush, a bowl, a cloth, warm water.
Other utensils: soft toothbrush, a bowl, a cloth, warm water.
Step 1: Mix the paste
Mix approx. two tablespoons of baking powder with enough water in the bowl to form a firm paste.
Step 2: Massage in the earrings
Now you can gently rub the paste onto the earrings. Use either the soft brush or your fingers for this. Alternatively, you can also leave the ear studs to soak in the paste.
Step 3: Rinse and dry the jewelry
Rinse your earrings with clear water and polish them afterwards. You can repeat the process if necessary.
Cleaning gold-plated earrings
A cloth is often enough
As gold-plated earrings are far more sensitive than silver or solid gold earrings, household remedies such as baking soda or salt would do more harm than good. We will now show you how to make your earrings shine again without resorting to cleaning agents:Gold-plated earrings are generally sensitive to moisture, which is why you should always take them off before showering or exercising and store them in a dry place, such as a jewelry box.
The same principle applies to cleaning them: the best way to clean gold-plated jewelry is with a dry cloth without water. It is best to use a soft cotton cloth; a microfiber cloth or rough paper towel may scratch the surface of the earrings.
To remove stubborn dirt, you can dampen the cotton cloth a little and run it over the dirty area. However, make sure that your earring is dry again afterwards.
Cleaning earrings with pearls or gemstones
Earrings set with pearls or gemstones should also be handled with care. This is because aggressive cleaning agents or brushes could scratch their surface and thus reduce their typical shine. Nevertheless, it is particularly important to keep diamonds clean. Because: if the gemstone is dirty, it can reflect the incident light less well and the diamond loses its effect. To prevent this, you should treat your stones for eternity as follows:
- Mix warm (not hot!) water with a few drops of mild detergent in a bowl and leave your diamond earrings in it for a few minutes. Pearl jewelry, on the other hand, should only be soaked briefly in the soapy water.
- You can now rinse the pearl earrings with clear water and leave them to air dry on a towel.
- If the diamond earrings are stubbornly dirty, you can carefully brush the bottom of the diamonds with a soft toothbrush. Most deposits are often found between the setting and the gemstone.
- Now all you have to do is rinse the earrings and dry them in the air or with a soft cloth.
- That's it!
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Conclusion
Whether it's baking soda, washing-up liquid, aluminum foil or plain water - you don't always have to visit a jeweler to clean your earrings, you can also have a jewelry spa at home. With these tips and tricks, your daily companions will quickly become eye-catching again.If you would still prefer to have your stud earrings professionally cleaned, you can visit us in one of our stores in Berlin. You can find us in our showroom at Torstraße 159 or on the first floor of Bikini Berlin. We look forward to advising you personally and giving your favorite earrings a new shine.
