Buzz
No one wants to wear dirty jewelry, but when it comes to earrings, cleanliness is more than just the surface. The piercing in your ear is sensitive, so it's important to clean any dirt or bacteria that may have accumulated in the earrings. By regularly cleaning your lovely earrings, you can ensure that they continue to look beautiful and last for many years to come.
Steps
Cleaning with Hydrogen Peroxide
Wash your hands thoroughly to prevent spreading bacteria. Wet your hands with warm water and then wash them with soap. Rub the soap between your fingers and wrists, washing for at least 20 seconds. Dry your hands with a clean towel.
- Thoroughly washing your hands will help prevent making the earrings dirtier before you start cleaning them.
Wet a cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is effective in killing bacteria and bringing your earrings back to their shiny state. You can hold the cotton ball or gauze against the mouth of the hydrogen peroxide bottle, then tilt the bottle to moisten the cotton/gaurze.
Stephanie Anders
Owner of Royal Heritage Tattoo and Piercing
Owner of Royal Heritage Tattoo and Piercing
If your ear piercing has healed, use a gentle cleaning solution or alcohol-soaked gauze to clean your earrings. A healed piercing has no new tissue in the wound and is rarely irritated by mild cleaning agents.
Gently press a cotton ball against the earring to clean it. Make sure to use the cotton ball to wipe every corner, crevice, or edge of the earring. Spend a few minutes cleaning each earring, add more hydrogen peroxide if necessary, then rinse them in a bowl of water.
Tip: Hydrogen peroxide and cotton balls are the ideal way to clean detailed earrings.
Soak your earrings in hydrogen peroxide for a deeper clean. Cotton balls can stick to certain types of earrings, leaving behind annoying fibers. To avoid this issue or achieve a deeper clean, immerse your jewelry in a small cup of hydrogen peroxide for about 5-10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly in a bowl of water.
Let the jewelry dry for a few minutes. Once the earrings are clean, place them on a clean cloth and pat them dry. Gently touch them a few times to check if they are completely dry, then store them or wear them again.
Cleaning earrings with hot water
Wash your hands thoroughly before starting. Washing your hands first ensures that you don't spread bacteria while cleaning your earrings. Wet your hands with warm water, then wash with soap for about 20 seconds. Rinse thoroughly with water and dry with a towel.
- Make sure to wash between your fingers and up to your wrists.
Boil water in the microwave or on the stove. Cleaning your earrings with boiling water is a great option when you're lacking tools and want to make your jewelry shinier. Start by pouring two cups of water into a kettle and bring it to a boil on the stove.
- You can also boil one cup of water in the microwave. Begin by microwaving for about 1 minute and 30 seconds, then check and continue heating if needed.
- Boiling water won't clean your earrings completely, but it's a suitable solution when you're short on cleaning supplies.
Soak your earrings in boiling water for about 20 minutes. Remove the boiling water from the stove and place the earrings into the cup of water. Let them soak for 20 minutes to clean them.
- Boiling water will kill bacteria and remove dirt from the surface of the jewelry.
- Boiling water is a safe option for all earrings. If you're cleaning plastic fashion earrings, wait for about a minute or longer for the water to cool down before placing the earrings in it.
Remove the earrings and scrub with a toothbrush. Use a spoon or your hands to take the earrings out once the water cools down. Gently scrub with an old toothbrush, cleaning each earring to remove any dirt, and then rinse them with warm water.
Tip: Wet the toothbrush with warm water before scrubbing the earrings for a more effective clean.
Place the jewelry on a clean towel to air dry. Let the earrings dry for a few minutes or until they are completely dry. You can also gently wipe them with the towel a few times. Touch them with your hands to check if they're dry, then set them aside or wear them again.
Deep clean gold, silver, and gemstone earrings
Clean diamonds with dishwashing liquid and warm water to avoid color fading. Mix 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of dish soap with a cup of warm water, then soak the diamond earrings for 3-4 minutes. Use a spoon to remove the earrings and gently scrub them with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Soak the jewelry for an additional 1-2 minutes, then rinse in a bowl of cold water. Place the earrings on a clean towel to dry.
Did you know? Diamonds are incredibly hard but sensitive to cleaning products, as they can cause discoloration. Only use fragrance-free and colorless soap mixed with clean water to clean diamond jewelry.
Clean silver earrings with warm water and baking soda. To clean silver earrings, first, line a glass tray with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Place the earrings on the foil and pour warm water over them. Sprinkle baking soda into the tray until you see the earrings begin to bubble, and let them soak for about 1 hour. Rinse the jewelry in clean water and let it dry on soft fabric.
- Properly cleaning silver earrings is essential, as they can lose their shine and tarnish when dirty.
- You can clean several pairs of earrings at once using this method.
Use gentle soap and water to clean pearl earrings. Mix warm water with a few drops of mild soap. Wet a soft cloth and gently wipe the pearl jewelry. Let it dry naturally on the cloth before storing it.
- Avoid using harsh chemicals to clean pearl earrings, as they are prone to damage.
- Wipe pearls with a soft cloth after each wear to keep them clean.
Remove stains from gemstone earrings using a toothpick. Stains can accumulate in the corners of gemstone earrings, making cleaning difficult. Use a matchstick or toothpick to carefully and slowly remove the stains.
- You can also try wrapping the toothpick in a cloth to create a softer tip, although this method may not work in tighter spots.
Advice
- To keep your earrings clean, make sure to remove them before going to bed, showering, or swimming.
- You can also purchase a jewelry cleaning machine to make cleaning your earrings more convenient and less time-consuming.
Warning
- Avoid cleaning your earrings over the sink, as there is a risk of them falling down the drain. Instead, clean small jewelry in a bowl or cup.
What You'll Need
Use Cleaning Solutions
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Cotton Balls or Gauze
- Bowl
- Towel
Clean Your Earrings with Hot Water
- Small Kettle or Cup
- Water
- Soft Bristle Toothbrush
- Towel
Special Care for Earrings
- Cup
- Warm Water
- Soft Cloth or Towel
- Fragrance-free, Color-free, Mild Soap (for Diamonds and Pearls)
- Soft-bristle Toothbrush (for Diamonds)
- Glass Tray (for Silver Earrings)
- Aluminum Foil (for Silver Earrings)
- Baking Soda (for Silver Earrings)
