The strong metal stainless steel is frequently used in trendy jewelry and men’s wedding rings. It is an extremely strong iron and chromium alloy that does not rust or discolor. However, stainless steel is prone to scratches and tends to lose its brilliance with time, becoming dull.
However, just because your stainless steel jewelry is worn out doesn’t mean you have to replace it. Shine restoration is simple and doable at home. The steps listed below will help you clean and maintain your stainless steel jewelry.
Water and Soap
When your stainless steel jewelry becomes dull or unclean, all you need to do is clean it with soap and water. If your jewelry has any dirt or sludge on it, this method works effectively to remove it.
Pour some mild liquid soap into a jar filled with warm water. Spend some time soaking the stainless steel jewelry in the sudsy solution.
Next, rub the jewelry with a soft cloth. Do not forget to massage against the grain. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush for more compacted filth or if your jewelry has engravings, grooves, stones, or channels. This will guarantee that you go to all the challenging locations.
After properly cleaning every component of the jewelry, give it a good rinse with water. Using a lint-free cloth, thoroughly dry the pieces. This eliminates the potential for water stains.
Baking Soda Use
Making a thick paste with baking soda and water is another method for cleaning stainless steel jewelry. Apply a toothbrush to the mixture once it resembles toothpaste and gently clean the jewelry. For information on how to accomplish this properly, view this video!
Cleaning with Toothpaste
Many individuals really believe that toothpaste is the best way to clean jewelry. While using this technique, be careful with the toothpaste you pick. Some toothpastes are abrasive and harsh, particularly those that contain whitening chemicals. They might damage stainless steel instead of cleaning it by scratching it. Instead, pick a gentle, smooth gel toothpaste. Combined with a soft-bristled brush, use this to clean the dirt from your jewelry’s crevices.
Polishing Stainless Steel
Use a jewelry polishing cloth to keep your stainless steel looking good between cleanings. By polishing your jewelry, you can prevent dust and oils off of it while also bringing back its sheen and restoring its brilliance. To avoid scratching the metal when polishing, always work with the grain of the material.
You can take your scratched jewelry to a jeweler to have it expertly polished. By doing this, all scratches will be removed and the metal’s smoothness will be restored. But before you do, ask yourself if the work is really worth it for that piece of jewelry. Because stainless steel is so inexpensive, going through all that bother might not always be worth it.
Stainless steel storage
On the Mohs scale, stainless steel is rated between 5 and 6.5. This means that any substance that is harder than this according to the Mohs scale can scratch stainless steel. Avoid putting your stainless steel jewelry in contact with other metals or precious stones when storing it to prevent scratches. Instead, keep the stainless steel jewelry in a separate box or pouch that is lined with cotton. Additionally, this will keep moisture and dust out of it.
Making Use of Ultrasonic Cleaners
In general, it is safe to clean your stainless steel jewelry with an ultrasonic cleaner. You will find it simpler to clean intricate drawings that are difficult to access this way. However, it is suggested against using the ultrasonic cleaner if the jewelry contains jewels. This is as a result of the high vibrations and agitation that ultrasonic cleaners produce. The jewels may suffer damage as a result, cracking, becoming loose from their mountings, or falling off entirely.
Chemicals and Stainless Steel
Do not expose your stainless steel jewelry to strong chemicals. Chlorine and bleach can pit stainless steel and harm the metal’s surface. When swimming in chlorine pools, remove any jewelry.
Choose a commercial jewelry cleaner that is marked safe for use with stainless steel if you want to use one. Stainless steel can be scratched with cleaners meant for silver, copper, or brass because they may be abrasive.
Cleaning the dirt off your stainless steel jewelry and protecting it from scratches will restore its brilliance. It is simple to maintain and stays shiny for a very long period when it is clean.
Be cautious when cleaning stainless steel, especially when cleaning stainless steel jewelry, since improper washing can result in further scratches and damage to the object.
The Bottom Line
I hope after reading this blog, you are now aware of the best method of how to clean stainless steel jewelry. Please use the above method and share your experiences in the comment section. Thank You!