Whether you have expensive earrings, priceless heirlooms, or the trendy, inexpensive costume pair that goes with every outfit, there are easy steps you can take to clean your earrings regularly to keep them looking fresh and beautiful. Earrings attract a lot of gunk, from hair spray residue to oil and dirt from our hands, sweat and the cream we use on our faces. Over time, this can lead to discoloration, dullness and even tarnish.
Rubbing alcohol is the best way to clean jewellery, and it’s easy to find in your home. You can simply pour some onto a cotton swap and gently wipe your earrings. Avoid using too much pressure, however, as you can easily damage the surface of your jewelry. This is especially important when cleaning precious metals or gemstones. If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, you can also use some washing-up liquid in warm water to help lift away oils and dirt from your jewellery. If you’re cleaning silver earrings, it’s a good idea to mix in a little baking soda to really knock out any gunk.
Another common household item you can use to clean your earrings is plain, unscented vinegar. Combine equal parts of vinegar and water and soak your earrings in it for a few minutes. This can be particularly effective for removing tarnish from sterling silver earrings. Just be careful not to use vinegar on gold earrings, as it can melt the glue used to hold any gemstones in place. how to clean earrings