If you have stainless steel jewelry and you’re looking for the best way to keep it looking good, try the baking soda and vinegar method. With a few spoons of vinegar and some baking soda, form a paste; Use an old toothbrush or a clean cloth to scrub all the crevices; Rinse in warm water; Set aside to dry completely; Polish with jewelry polishing cloth.
Does Stainless Steel Tarnish?
Stainless steel is durable and resists corrosion and oxidation. Our jewelry will not rust, tarnish, or turn your skin green, even if worn daily. More reasons why Stainless Steel is the best… … Unlike many other metals, these are safe to wear and no harm will come if you wear stainless steel for life. But you also need to maintain the stainless steel jewelry on a daily basis.
| Stainless Steel Jewelry Material Grade Type | Details |
|---|---|
| 301L | This is an industrial grade of stainless steel with a high level of nickel. This alloy should not be used for body piercings but can be worn externally. |
| 304L | This steel is durable but unsuitable for body jewelry. |
| 316L, 316LVM | Typically called, “surgical stainless steel.” This grouping of stainless steel is commonly used for jewelry and for piercings. |
| 317L | This alloy is closely related to 316L but has a slightly higher nickel content. |
How To Clean Stainless Steel Jewelry?
How to clean tarnished stainless steel jewelry? How to polish stainless steel jewelry?
Using Soap and Water to clean stainless steel jewelry
This is the simplest method of cleaning stainless steel jewelry. To get started, get two small bowls then fill them with warm water. One of these bowls will be used for washing and the other for rinsing. So, ensure that the bowls are big enough to submerge your jewelry pieces completely.
To the first bowl, add 2-3 drops of your mildest liquid soap. Ensure that the soap is designed to fight grease, especially if your jewelry pieces are very dirty.
Using a soft, lint-free, and non-abrasive cleaning cloth dipped in soapy water, start cleaning your jewelry pieces. The use of a soft cloth, preferably microfiber protects the jewelry piece from scratches, especially if you are cleaning a jewelry piece with gemstones. To clean the piece well, rub the cleaning cloth right along the piece while ensuring that you go along and not across its grain. Rubbing across those grain lines increases the risk of scratching.
To clean out gunk from the detailed areas, get a soft toothbrush, and gently brush it, going along the grain and not across the grain. Ge gentle and don’t scrub on the gemstones.
When satisfied, dip the piece in the second bowl then rinse. Bob it up and down to remove soap residue. Do a final rinse with clean water. Then dry it using a dry, clean cloth. If necessary, polish the jewelry piece using a polishing cloth.
Use the Ultrasonic-Jewelry Cleaner
The ultrasonic jewelry cleaner is effective on all types of metals be they precious or steel. Many people see this device as a professional standard. Considering the level of cleaning that it does, it works in the simplest but most effective way. What the ultrasonic module releases are a sound wave. Its pulse is radiated into a consistent source of friction around your jewelry. Your items, however, must sit in a liquid solution.
You can buy liquid formulas or make your mixture out of soap and water. Every piece of jewelry must be fully submerged within the fluid. Since some crevices of your stainless-steel jewelry just can’t be accessed with a cloth or brush, complete submergence is the best answer. You must also space your jewelry apart, for the vibrations of the machine, as it uses a set-and-forget cycle, can move items around. Hot water is the best option.
Some devices will accept hot water while keeping the temperature up. Both frequencies and temps are adjustable through controls settings. The settings options are based on the model you buy. Be sure to let all of your jewelry sit in the solution once a cleaning cycle has passed. Like many of the prior steps that we’ve listed above, be sure to rinse your jewelry off when taking them out. Then let them sit somewhere to dry.
How to clean stainless steel jewelry with vinegar?
1. Clean your jewelry with vinegar and a cloth
To clean your stainless steel jewelry with vinegar and a soft cloth you will need vinegar, water, a container, a soft cloth, and a spray bottle (optional)
In any container, mix one cup of white vinegar with one cup of water. From here you have two options:
- Put the mixture into a spray bottle
- Put the mixture into a bowl
For the spray bottle option: (this method is great for spot cleaning any stainless steel jewelry)
- Spray a soft, non-abrasive cloth with the mixture
- Gently rub your jewelry where it needs to be cleaned
For the bowl option (this option is great if you have some jewelry you need to soak and any jewelry that has prongs that are hard to clean between)
- Soak your jewelry in the mixture in the bowl for fifteen minutes
- After fifteen minutes, take the jewelry out of the mixture
- Use water pressure (like from a sink spray option) to remove any visible particles
- Use a soft, non-abrasive cloth to wipe the jewelry and restore the shine
2. Clean jewelry with vinegar and baking soda
Baking soda and vinegar will create a reaction, so be careful or you could have more fun than intended. This method is great for any heavy grime or dirt that needs to be removed. This mixture creates a reaction that can gently dissolve dirt and other unwanted particles.
To clean your jewelry with baking soda and vinegar you will need baking soda, vinegar, water, two bowls, a soft-bristled toothbrush, and a soft cloth.
- First, you will make a paste in one bowl by mixing three parts baking soda to one part water, the result will be a paste.
- Put a half cup of warm water in the second bowl
- Using a soft-bristled brush, dip the brush in the paste and lightly brush onto all surfaces of the jewelry. Make sure to focus on crevices or areas where the jewelry is engraved. This method is great to get those tiny areas clean.
- Let the mixture sit on the jewelry for three to five minutes
- Gently scrub the jewelry again with the soft-bristled brush
- Rinse the jewelry well in the bowl of warm water
- Using a soft cloth (microfiber is great), gently wipe off the jewelry making sure you have rinsed off all the paste
One final method of cleaning jewelry will combine the use of a baking soda paste and a vinegar dip resulting in a bubbly reaction that will clean your jewelry completely with natural cleaners and a natural chemical reaction.
This is a great way to clean chains, bracelets, and other pieces of jewelry with several prongs or spaces to clean between. The chemical reaction from dropping the baking soda-covered jewelry into the vinegar will force dirt from the piece.
3. Clean your jewelry using a baking soda paste and a vinegar bath
To clean your jewelry with a baking soda paste and a vinegar bath you will need baking soda, vinegar, water, three bowls, a soft-bristled brush, and a soft cloth.
- Mix two parts baking soda and one part water in a bowl. This mixture should be thick and resemble toothpaste.
- Pour a half cup of vinegar into another bowl
- Pour a half cup of water into the final bowl
- Use the soft-bristled brush to brush the paste onto all parts of the jewelry, ensuring you get each prong and crevice and do not forget the engraved areas.
- Allow the mixture to sit on the jewelry for three to five minutes
- After the allotted time, gently brush the jewelry again
- After the second brushing, drop the jewelry into the bowl of vinegar and watch the bubbles! It is important to not allow the jewelry to sit in the undiluted vinegar longer than a few minutes, but you will see the bubbles force dirt off your jewelry.
- After the vinegar bath, drop your jewelry into the bowl of water to rinse off any leftover paste
- Finally, remove from the water and wipe with a soft cloth.
Stainless steel is one of the best metals for jewelry. It keeps its shine over time and does not tend to bend or break as easily as softer metals such as gold. Stainless steel jewelry is also incredibly easy to do upkeep on and you do not need an expensive chemical cleaner or an ultrasonic machine to get it clean. Besides being inexpensive, vinegar has the added benefit of being an effective disinfectant.
This is especially important if you wear rings and bracelets as they are exposed to touching and being touched by different hands and surfaces throughout your busy day. Cleaning stainless-steel jewelry is as easy as going to your kitchen pantry and finding items you probably already have. Even if you do not have them, getting them is simple and inexpensive, so put a big bottle of white vinegar on your next shopping list and wear your stainless-steel jewelry with pride.
Using Toothpaste to clean stainless steel jewelry
Choose a plain, white toothpaste without silica. Avoid using gel toothpaste, as it lacks that special cleaning powder that regular white toothpaste has. Also, make sure that the toothpaste does not contain any silica, or you will risk scratching your jewelry.
Squeeze out a small amount of toothpaste onto the cloth. You do not need a lot—less than a pea-sized amount will be more than enough. You can always apply more toothpaste later.
Gently run the cloth across the surface of the jewelry. Be sure to go with the grain, and not across it. If you rub the cloth across the grain, you will risk scratching it. Also, take care to avoid any gemstones set into your jewelry; many gemstones are very soft and can be easily scratched by toothpaste.
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to reach detailed, intricate areas. Run the bristles under warm water, and apply more toothpaste if necessary. Gently scrub the toothpaste across the surface of the jewelry. Make sure that you are going with the grain, and not against it. Take care to avoid touching any gemstones.
Plug the sink, and rinse the jewelry off with warm water. If needed, rinse the toothbrush with water, then use it to clean any residual toothpaste out of nooks and crannies.
Gently pat the jewelry dry with a soft cloth. This will prevent any water spots. If your jewelry has a lot of details in it, such as a brooch or necklace chain, gently wrap it up in the cloth and wait a few minutes before unwrapping it. This will give the soft cloth time to soak up any excess water.
Polish your stainless steel jewelry, if needed, with jewelry polish or polishing cloth. Make sure that the polish you use is labeled safe for stainless steel. Do not use silver polish, as it will leave stains. When polishing the jewelry, be sure to go with the grain, and not across it.
How to Clean Gold Plated Stainless Steel Jewelry?
Gently rubbing the surface of your gold-plated jewelry using a soft jewelry cloth, helps restore shine. Do not use a polishing cloth as this will strip away the plating. If your jewelry needs more cleaning you may clean it with warm, soapy water. Soak it for a few minutes and you may clean it with a soft cloth.
How To Store Stainless Steel Jewelry?
Now that you’ve cleaned your stainless steel jewelry, you’re probably wondering how you can store it to prevent tarnishing or scratching. Follow these simple and easy steps:
- Don’t allow your stainless steel jewelry to come into contact with other metals or gemstones when you store it.
- Store your stainless steel jewelry in a separate, fabric-lined jewelry box. This will keep it free from dust and moisture.
- Keep in mind that if your stainless steel jewelry item does get scratched, you can always have it professionally polished by a jeweler.
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