After investing in a selection of gorgeous earrings, the next thing that racks your brain is finding a maintenance routine that sustains their shine and luster for the longest time possible. These delightful accessories can be easy or hard to maintain depending on factors such as material, quality and overall design, but one simple trick that seems to work all the time is cleaning. Cleaning earrings on a regular basis is an excellent way for removing dirt, sweat, and greasy substances.
Earrings tend to collect a lot of residue from face moisturizers, makeup and hair products. The sticky nature of this residue increases the potential for diminished brightness, dust accumulation and tarnished appearance.
Since there is no a standard guide for cleaning earrings, we provide guidelines based on specific types of earrings. Magnasonic Professional Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner is a great alternative if you do not prefer the DIY route.
Also check our article on how to clean copper jewelry
How to Clean Diamond Earrings
Diamonds are classic, timeless and designers craft them with elegance and perfection in mind. On the other hand, buyers pay handsomely for these gems and cleaning them as part of care goes without saying. Unlike some other types of earrings, they are relatively easy to clean and handle because the stone is hard and quite resistant. Follow the following steps to get the results of a pro cleaner.
Method 1: water and detergent
What you will need
- Mild detergent
- Soft brush
- A small bowl
- Warm water
- Clean microfiber cloth
Instructions
- Set aside a bowl of warm water and add a few drops of mild detergent
- Gently place your earrings in the mixture and let them sit for approximately 30 minutes.
- Use a soft brush to clean the dirt gently.
- Rinse with cold water.
- Dry completely with a microfiber cloth and store accordingly.
Method 2: hydrogen peroxide
Place your earrings in a small cup or glass container and fill it with hydrogen peroxide. Wait until bubbling and fizzling stops and drain the liquid. Rinse well with cold water and use a microfiber cloth to dry them thoroughly.
Method 3: bicarbonate soda and water
A mixture of bicarbonate soda and water can also be used to clean diamond earrings. Simply mix a small bowl of water with a teaspoon of bicarbonate soda and soak your earrings for a few minutes. You can also form a paste and use a soft brush to rub the earrings with it. Use the brush to clean thoroughly before rinsing with water and drying with a cloth.
Other methods
Some other effective agents that can be used to clean diamond earrings include Jewelry Cleaner and Liquid CONNOISSEURS 1050 Diamond Dazzle Stik.
Lastly, it is important to visit your jeweler for professional cleaning once in a while.
How to Clean Pearl Earrings
Pearl earrings are delicate and should be handled with a lot of care. It is very easy for the outer layer to get damaged by products such as soap, other forms of detergents and alcohol-based cleaning products.
A scrubbing brush and jewelry cleaning machines can also lead to scratching. However, it is not impossible to restore these precious accessories into their original glory and the following steps should get you going.
What you will need
- Microfiber Cloth
- Warm water
Instructions
- Use a soft dry microfiber cloth to wipe your pearls gently until clean (Note that water or cleaning chemicals should not be used on real pearls).
- Wet a section of the cloth with warm water and carefully clean the part of the earring that is not made of pearl.
- Use the dry part of the cloth to dry the wet areas.
- Store in a dry and well aerated place.
- Have them checked by a professional jeweler once in a while.
How to Clean Silver Earrings
Silver earrings are a great choice especially because most of the designs are lightweight, comfortable and pretty. However, just like with other earrings, the challenge of dirt arises once in a while. Sterling sliver is also highly susceptible to tarnishing, which means that no matter how elegant your earrings look, there is a high chance that you will deal with this challenge at some point.
What you will need
- Small bowl
- Mild detergent
- Baking Soda
- Soft brush
- Warm water
- Soft microfiber cloth
- Ziplock bag
Instructions
- To deal with simple dirt, fill a small bowl with warm water.
- Add a few drops of mild detergent
- Place the earrings inside and let them rest for a few minutes.
- Clean thoroughly with a soft brush and rinse with warm water
- Wipe with a soft microfiber cloth and store in ziplock bag or a small lockable jewelry box
- If the earrings are already tarnished, prepare a mixture of boiling water and baking soda in a bowl lined with aluminum foil.
- Use a teaspoon of baking soda for ½ cup of water.
- Place your earrings in the solution for a few minutes and observe as the color goes back to normal.
- Drain the mixture and rinse the earrings with running water.
- Wipe with a microfiber cloth and store accordingly.
How to Clean Gold Earrings
Gold earrings take your jewelry game to a whole new level but when little imperfections in form of dirt begin to take course, you are left with no choice but to clean them.
One common mistake that people make is exposing this metal to harsh cleaning agents whereas all that is needed are simple and readily available cleaning products. The following procedure will restore your gold earrings to their perfect state of brilliant shine and luxurious appearance.
What you will need
- A small bowl
- Mild soap or detergent
- A soft brush
- Soft microfiber cloth
- Warm water
Instructions
- Combine warm water with mild soap or detergent in a bowl.
- Place the earrings in the mixture and let them rest for a few minutes.
- Use a soft brush to clean out the dirt.
- Rinse with warm or cold water.
- Use a microfiber cloth to wipe them dry and store accordingly.
How to Clean Fake Earrings
Sometimes it is not always possible to get original earrings especially when it comes to gemstones such as diamond. They can be very pricey and risky depending on where you wear them. Some fake earrings are quite decent and very durable with proper maintenance.
Generally, the procedure that you follow to clean fake earrings depends on the material used to make them. The safest and most reliable approach for all materials is using a dry microfiber cloth to wipe off dirt after every use. You can wet the cloth with a few drops of water and mild soap if the dirt is sticky and greasy.
How to Maintain Earrings
Cleaning earrings sounds like the ultimate solution to dirt, sweat and germs. However, the more your beautiful, little accessories come into contact with water and other cleaning agents, the sooner they are likely to get damaged. From discoloration to breakage and aging quickly, it is important to consider other maintenance tips and focus on cleaning only when it is necessary.
The section below explains 11 tips that you can follow to maintain your earrings.
- Change earrings frequently: In as much as we all have that one pair of earrings that we want to wear every day, changing earrings frequently helps with both maintenance and piercing hygiene. Earrings that are not worn every day are less likely to accumulate dirt or body care products from the skin and hair. They are also likely to maintain color for a longer period of time.
- Follow the right procedure for putting on and taking off earrings: Always wear your earrings last after applying body products, hair sprays, makeup and putting on clothes and remove them first to avoid unnecessary pulling and scratching.
- Keep earrings in their respective box or holder: Some earrings come with a cute case holder that can be cumbersome especially for people with many pairs. However, these holders are essential for proper maintenance. They protect the pieces from dirt and coming into contact with other objects that can lead to discoloration and scratching. If you find it difficult to keep all your earring boxes in one place, get an empty tray and arrange them there before transferring it into a safe dry place. For example, you can place it on one end of your closet drawer.
- Use organizers: If you can find it in your budget to set aside some money for jewelry maintenance, buying an organizer is the best way to go. These storage bags, boxes, drawers and chests are diverse and can accommodate all kinds of jewelry. You only need to find the most suitable for your earrings and other accessories.
- Consider DIY jewelry organizers: You do not need to part with money to get an organizer. You can use simple and creative ideas to make one at home.
- Often use a microfiber cloth: Keep your earrings clean and neat by wiping them gently with a microfiber cloth every time after you remove them.
- Remove earrings before going to the shower: Although there are some earrings that are water friendly, taking off earrings before shower is a good habit unless you are dealing with new piercings.
- Arrange earrings separately: Most people make the mistake of keeping all their accessories in one place. This leads to tangling and in the process of untangling, most of the jewelry ends up with scratches. Earrings should be arranged separately and in a way that each pair can be spotted easily.
- Do not sleep with your earrings on: It might seem harmless to sleep with tiny, unnoticeable stud earrings but when it comes to fancy elegant pieces that cost an arm and a leg, leaving them in for a long night of rolling on bedsheets is a recipe for disaster.
- Keep your earring display away from sunlight: You might practice all the tips shared here and go an extra mile to buy a good organizer but if you hang it in a place that receives direct sunlight, all your effort will be in vain. Most earrings are made of material that cannot stand direct sunlight for a long time. They begin to turn and look aged in a very short period of time.
- Remove earrings before swimming: This tip should be extended beyond swimming pools to similar settings. Water found in such places contains chlorine and other chemicals that react with some metals.
