# cleaning costume jewelry?



## Use Less (Nov 8, 2007)

I did some looking online. Various sites suggest a little dishsoap and water, or salt and baking soda in warm water in an aluminum pieplate. I have some costume jewelry where the ornament looks OK but the chains are tarnished, dull and mottled-looking. I can experiment, not much lost, but wonder who has been able to restore modest jewelry so it looks OK? and how you did that. Thanks, Sue


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

The stuff is usually plated, or sealed with a coating that's disintetrating, so when it looks scruffy it's probably just worn out & the base metal is showing through. The last thing to use is abrasives. I'd try soaking in straight amonia, watching for the effect, and then rinse well and go over it with a soft tooth brush. It works wonders on brass. Some of the jewelry cleaning solutions are made to counteract silver tarnish. Polishing with a jewelers cloth can buff it up so you have more of a "patina" look.

Lead is what you need to beware of, "plumb gold" is plated lead. Pins are OK to wear, but anything next to the skin can be dangerous. I've used clear nail polish to seal metal parts, but I don't think it makes it safe. 

There's a style called "steam punk" where Victorian bits and pieces of metal are combined on new mounts. You might look to that, bracelets over ribbon for instance.


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## Use Less (Nov 8, 2007)

I used the salt and soda dip and have had good luck. The necklaces with spiral sorts of chains are not improving, so I'm scavenging some clasps and hangers (if any) and donating what's left. After all the furor over dangerous low-end jewelry from China, I'm guessing the major charities have a pretty good picture of what they can put out, and what to sell as recycled metal.


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## acde (Jul 25, 2011)

Not sure how to clean it, but if you store it with a piece of chalk it stays in pretty good condition.


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