Have you noticed your favorite necklace starting to tarnish or your wedding ring slowly beginning to lose its shine and vibrance? If you have, that probably means your jewelry is in need of a nice thorough cleaning. But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you need to take your jewelry to a professional jeweler or pay exorbitant fees just to restore its shine. If it is actually possible to provide a nice deep cleaning for your jewelry at home by making a simple cleaning solution using ammonia and water.
Is it Safe to Clean Jewelry Using Ammonia?
Using ammonia to clean jewelry is a somewhat controversial topic. Some “experts” claim you should never use ammonia because it can cause harm to your jewelry. It is true that ammonia is a very strong chemical with properties that make it caustic. This means it will cause your jewelry to slowly wear through repeated cleanings. However, if done correctly, this negative effect of cleaning your jewelry with ammonia should be negligible.
This method should not be used as often as safer methods like using dish soap and water. You should only use ammonia for occasional deep cleanings. Ammonia is also harmful to your skin, so it is very important to always wear gloves when handling or cleaning with ammonia.
Safe For: | Not Safe For: |
|---|---|
Gold Silver Natural Diamonds | Platinum Soft stones Stones with alot of inclusions Glued jewelry |
Necessary Supplies:
- Ammonia
- Water
- Small bowl
- Soft cloth
How to Clean Jewelry at Home with Ammonia and Water
Step 1: In a small bowl, make a solution that is 1 part ammonia to 6 parts water.
- Stir the solution well to make sure it is evenly mixed.
Step 2: Soak the jewelry in the solution for no more than 1 minute.
- Don’t let it sit for too long, because your jewelry will slowly start to corrode.
- Use a small hand strainer to retrieve your jewelry from the solution, or pour the solution and jewelry into a large strainer.
Step 3: Rinse the jewelry with water.
- Remember to plug the drain if you're doing this over a sink, so you don’t accidentally lose your jewelry down the drain.
Step 4: Gently dry the jewelry with a soft cloth.
Final Thoughts
Ammonia and water is an extremely effective homemade jewelry cleaning solution. It can take your jewelry from dark and dull to bright and vibrant in just a matter of minutes. This method is not without its drawbacks though. If used improperly ammonia can actually do more harm to your jewelry than good. Always take caution when using ammonia and make sure your jewelry is made from materials that can be safely cleaned with this method. To learn more about other ways to safely clean jewelry at home, check out some of our related posts.