Best Jewelry Cleaners

If you have any sterling silver jewelry or utensils, you'll notice how quickly they acquire that dull, tarnished appearance. It's even more pronounced in necklaces, rings and bracelets, because they accumulate salts from perspiration, or chemicals from perfumes and lotions and the like. Even gold and diamonds can get a dull appearance from accumulated grime. A jewelry cleaner is a great way to clean silver jewelry, silverware, or pewter or bronze utensils. They are able to clean ornate jewelry with many crevices that you wouldn't be able to clean just by means of a toothbrush or with a cloth using silver polish. Also, it can be much cheaper than having the jewelry cleaned professionally. Here is a guide to some of the best jewelry cleaners on the market. 

• Ultrasonic: This employs a cleaning solvent that is appropriate for the item being cleaned—both for the type of jewelry, and the soiling or oxidation that has accumulated on it. The solution itself essentially doesn't remove any of the tarnish. In the machine, an ultrasonic oscillator vibrates at around 40 kHz, which generates microscopic vacuum bubbles in the solution. The vacuum bubbles hit the surface of the jewelry, and implode, removing the grime that has built up on the jewelry. Since the vacuum bubbles are so small, they manage to enter little crevices and scrub the jewelry much more precisely than what you would achieve in cleaning by hand.

• Steam: This works by boiling water and heating the steam to a temperature of up to 310 °F (155 °C). The machine lets out a jet of steam that dislodges the dirt and contaminants from the jewelry. It works more quickly than the ultrasonic cleaner. Typically, you hold the jewelry with a pair of tweezers over a basket. After the unit heats up to the desired temperature (in about 3-5 minutes), you hold the piece of jewelry in front of the steam nozzle, above a collecting basket. You release a jet of steam for a few seconds—which blasts off any grime that has accumulated on the jewelry. Since the steam is so hot (much hotter than boiling water), let the jewelry cool off before touching it.

  GemOro makes jewelry cleaners that work both on steam as well as on ultrasonic frequencies—in the same device. 

Based on all the consumers' reviews we've scanned, these are the top things they mentioned about their new stuff:

• Capacities of ultrasonic cleaners: Ultrasonic cleaners come in a variety of sizes, ranging from 1 pint, to ¾ gallon. You can buy one according to the size and quantity of jewelry and silverware that you need to clean.

• Use the basket: Don't put any jewelry or metal object on the bottom of the unit without the basket. That can damage the cleaner.

• Don't use the ultrasonic cleaner for too long: Using the cleaner for too long may damage the jewelry. The ultrasonic cleaner is not meant to be used for more than 3-5 minutes. You should not submit the jewelry to the steam cleaner for more than 3-5 seconds.

• Cleaning solution: Some people don't like using certain solutions in the ultrasonic cleaner, because they are not “environmentally friendly”. But some people just use dishwashing liquid and get fine results.

• Make sure not to fill the steam cleaner too much, or too little: You have to put water in the steam cleaner before use. If you put in too much water, the machine will spray water out of the nozzle instead of steam. That won't clean very efficiently. You also will have to make sure that you don't go beneath the minimum water level. That can seriously damage the machine (just like running an electric tea kettle when there isn't enough water).

• Never unscrew the fill cap when the unit is hot: Don't try to add water to the steam cleaner if it is hot, after use. You will want to let the unit cool off at least a half-hour before adding water. It's also wise to unplug the unit.

• When not to use an ultrasonic cleaner: There are certain pieces of jewelry that could become damaged during cleaning, and may require professional cleaning equipment. This would include:

  • Gemstones that have an overlay to produce a certain color.

  • Porous gemstones such as opals, emeralds, pearls, and amber.

  • Gemstones that are glued into a piece of jewelry.

  • Gemstones that are held in place with prongs that might be loose. Professional jewelers will usually check a piece of jewelry's gemstones before cleaning, to make sure that none of the stones are loose.

• Considerations when using the ultrasonic cleaner: There are a few things to have in mind here:

  • the type of contaminant,

  • the chemistry of the solution and the jewelry,

  • the temperature of the solution. These things could be particular to the type of jewelry or silverware that you are trying to clean.

• Other uses: The jewelry cleaner can be used on glasses, lenses, and other optical devices. It can also be used on dental appliances (braces, dentures), medical appliances, and even engine parts. People even use it for cleaning their fountain pens!

• Size limitations: The steam cleaner is more for smaller objects (that can be held with a tweezers or a pair of forceps). The ultrasonic cleaner can clean larger objects, if you can manage to immerse them in the solution bath.

Magnasonic—has their main office in Niagara Falls, Ontario. They are manufacturers of a number of electronic devices: video projectors, film scanners, jewelry cleaners, CD/DVD players, and more.

Ivation—is based in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. They make a number of innovative electronic products for the home and kitchen, health and beauty, and for travel and office.

GemOro—is a brand of Sy Kessler Sales, Inc. The company was founded in 1968, and are based in Dallas, Texas. They are manufacturers of jewelry related equipment, including instruments for gem cleaning, jewelry testing as well as microscopes, scales, gauges, and more.

Black Hills Gold Source—was founded in Deadwood, South Dakota in 1878 by S.T. and George Butler. They were purchased by Ivan Landstrom in 1944. The Black Hills Gold Jewelry is known by the name "Landstrom"--known for its high quality of hand-crafted jewelry. They have a wide selection of jewelry and jewelry cleaning products.