DIY: Renew Your Old, Dirty Jewelry!
Image from here
Have any old jewelry lying around that is just too gross or tarnished to wear? Maybe you found some cool antique jewelry at a garage sale or flea market, but it's just too nasty to even consider buying. If you're like me at all, you wear jewelry all the time and never even realize how dirty it is. I go months without ever taking out my earrings! I'm just that kind of lazy. When I do decide I need a change of pace and switch them out I discover how disguting they are. Pretty embarrassing! Well, by
having a background in metalsmithing, I know a fast and cheap way to clean up that nasty jewelry, and make it look as good as new!! It only takes a few simple ingredients and about 20 minutes. Plus it is much more eco-friendly than any jewelry cleaner!
Some things you'll need:
-White vinegar
-Baking soda
-Shallow dish
-Small scrub brush (an old toothbrush will work too)
Step 1:
Place all your tarnished jewelry in a dish. Fill your dish with vinegar until it completely covers all the pieces. If you have gemstones, or if you know your jewelry is plated, you may want to dilute the vinegar with a little bit of water. The vinegar could mess up the finish. Leave your pieces in the vinegar bath for about 10-15 minutes, depending on how dirty they are. You may want to take some pieces out sooner than others.
Step 2:
Next, make a paste with the baking soda by mixing it with water. The consistancy should be like toothpaste, maybe a little thicker.
Step 3:
After your pieces have soaked in the vinegar, rinse them off in some water. Then use the baking soda paste and scrub each piece. It's best to take some time on this step. You really want to get in all the nooks and crannies. If you are doing things right you will be able to tell things are getting nice and clean if the baking soda paste starts to trun grey.
Once you've scrubbed everything nice and good, rinse everything off. Hopefully things look nice and shiny! You can always repeat any of the steps if some pieces are still looking a little grungy. Below are some samples I did.
Before: After:
