CLEANING PLATED OR COSTUME JEWELLERY?

Introduction

Plated jewellery can come in a wide variety of different metals. From gold plated silver, rhodium plated silver, gold plated silver, gold plated stainless steel, the list goes on. It is always a good idea to know what metals make up the piece you are cleaning so you know how it should be treated. With that said, most plated jewellery can be cleaned in a similar way. This guide aims to give you all the information you need to clean plated jewellery.

Cleaning Silver Plated Jewellery

Silver plated jewellery is more often than not a non-precious metal base, usually stainless steel with a thin layer of sterling silver coating. However some sterling silver jewellery can be flash coated with pure .999 silver. When you’re cleaning silver plated jewellery, it is important to take care as not to scratch or chip away at the silver plating.If the plating on your jewellery is chipped and the base underneath is visible, it is best to take it to a professional jeweller to have the piece re-plated.

Our main recommendation for cleaning silver plated silver would be to use a delicate jewellery cleaner. We use Connoisseurs Delicate Jewellery Cleaner or the Connoisseurs All Purpose Jewellery Cleansing Foam as it is much less harsh than other jewellery cleaners and is also perfectly safe to use with any gemstone the jewellery is set with including pearls, opals and more delicate gemstones.

You can also use a small drop of a mild washing up liquid in just above room temperature water to clean silver plated jewellery but this method will take a little bit longer.

When you’re cleaning silver plated jewellery, it is very important to take great care when drying or polishing your jewellery as you may scratch the plating if you are too rough with it.

Cleaning Gold Plated Jewellery

Unsure of how to clean gold plated jewellery? Gold plated jewellery usually uses either a sterling silver or stainless steel base, covered by a very thin layer of gold. Gold vermeil has a thicker layer of gold but we generally treat it the same as cleaning gold plated jewellery. When you’re cleaning gold plated jewellery it is important to take care as gold is softer than silver and may be more susceptible to scratches and chips. It is also worth mentioning that using a polishing cloth on gold plated jewellery can actually strip away the gold plating and expose the base metal underneath.

Again for cleaning gold plated jewellery we prefer to use a very delicate jewellery cleaner. We tend to prefer Connoisseurs Delicate Jewellery Cleaner or the Connoisseurs All Purpose Jewellery Cleansing Foam as it takes just a couple of minutes and is really effective at bringing back that gold lustre. However there is nothing wrong with using a drop of mild washing up liquid or white vinegar in warm water. This method does take considerably longer to get the same result as the Connoisseurs Delicate Jewellery Cleaner but works absolutely fine.

HOW TO CLEAN RHODIUM PLATED JEWELLERY

Cleaning Rhodium Plated Jewellery

Rhodium is a precious metal from the platinum family which is well known for its durability. Quite often, you will see either sterling silver or white gold jewellery that is plated with rhodium as it adds a luscious shiny finish to jewellery and prevents tarnish on top of being hypoallergenic. In fact there are many pieces of jewellery that we offer in store that are rhodium plated…

As durable as rhodium plating is, it still requires a little bit of care to keep it its vibrant best. Even though this robust metal is said to be dent and scratch proof. Like any other plated jewellery, using a polishing cloth is not always recommended but of you do, be sure not to use a polishing cloth that is specially made for polishing gold or silver. Aside from this, it can be cleaned in exactly the same way as any other piece of plated jewellery….

SPECIALISED JEWELLERY CLEANERS

Using Connoisseurs

Both Connoisseurs Delicate Jewellery Cleaner & Connoisseurs All Purpose Jewellery Cleansing Foam are excellent options for cleaning plated and costume jewellery. The chemicals in these products are much less harsh which makes them much more suitable for plated and costume jewellery as they will not damage any plating. Follow the instructions below on how to use Connoisseurs jewellery cleaners on your plated/costume jewellery:

Connoisseurs Delicate Jewellery Cleaner

• Unscrew the lid and remove the seal & place one piece of jewellery into the dip tray.
• Submerge the jewellery in the solution and let it soak for no longer than 10 seconds.
• Remove the dip tray and rinse the jewellery under room temperature water to remove residue
• Use a soft brush to clean any hard to reach areas
• Gently dab the jewellery dry using a soft, lint free cloth
• Give your jewellery a polish using a polishing cloth to bring out its shine.

Connoisseurs All Purpose Jewellery Foam

• Apply the foam directly to your jewellery
• Let it soak for 30 – 60 seconds (if needed use a soft brush for those hard to reach places.)
• Rinse thoroughly with warm water to remove the foam
• Dry with a soft cloth
• Give your jewellery a polish using a polishing cloth to bring out its shine.

WHAT NOT TO DO…

Stay Away From:

PLEASE NEVER USE BLEACH OR HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS ON YOUR JEWELLERY. These types of cleaners are a surefire way to ruin your jewellery in no time and should be avoided at all costs.

Toothpaste is another novel cleaning method we recommend staying clear of as the chemicals inside can strip away the metals of your jewellery over time and leave it looking dull

Polishing plated jewellery can actually scratch and wear away the plating. It is best to avoid, but if you do have to polish then be very gentle and be sure to take care.