Most of us are unaware of how daily living dulls jewelry. Perfume, dust, pollution, perspiration, and soap residue all make your jewelry a little less attractive every day. Like cleaning your clothes, cleaning your jewelry is a real necessity.

Follow these jewelry cleaning tips to help keep you sparkling.

Tip #1 – Home remedies are not effective, or safe for your jewelry
Don’t be tempted to use toothpaste, glass cleaners or ammonia to clean your jewelry. All are great cleaners but not designed for use on your jewelry. Some products are too abrasive.

Have you heard the one about using vodka to clean your diamonds?  Why waste good vodka!  Save it for your martini.  Use jewelry cleaner for jewelry cleaning!!

Tip #2 – Clean your jewelry like a professional – it’s easy
Many people think jewelry cleaners are too strong for their jewelry.   Maertens carries the Connoisseurs brand of jewelry cleaner which has been used by jewelers for generations. 

Their products are formulated for every type of jewelry, to clean effectively and safely. And most Connoisseurs products carry the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.  This is your assurance that the product is safe to use and will perform well.

Tip #3 – Be sure to choose the right jewelry treatment for gold, silver, pearls, and delicate jewelry 
Maertens recommends having a selection of jewelry treatments on hand to properly clean all the different types of jewelry you may have from gold to silver and diamonds to pearls.  Especially delicate items and antique jewelry can be brought to Maertens for professional cleaning but a majority of jewelry can be cleaned at home using the Connoisseurs brand jewelry cleaners available at Maertens.

Tip #4 – Be sure to read and follow directions carefully on the jewelry cleaners you buy
Proper use of these products will insure that you get maximum performance and appropriate care.  Most liquid jewelry cleaner advises that jewelry be submerged in solution for 15 seconds maximum.  Leaving jewelry in for five minutes won’t make it any cleaner and it may do more harm than good!