Ultra Sonic Jewelry Cleaners?

[SparkleNut]

I''ve looked around and to try to find some info on this but couldn''t, are they really safe for your jewelry? I''ve knew a few people that have used them before, but all three of them have told me how the cleaner has made stones fall out!

I had thought about purchasing a Blitz cleaner since I got my solitaire, but I don''t want to take the chance of it making my diamond loose. I just usually clean it with warm water and dish soap. Thanks to anyone that can give me some info.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Ultrasonics can loosen pave, but shouldn''t affect a well set main stone (prongs or bezel). If the ultrasonic loosens a main stone, then I think it would be for the best since it was probably badly set and would have worked loose by itself.

Also, don''t put coloured stones in an ultrasound. While some stones can be cleaned in one with no problems, it can shatter others such as emeralds.

Personally, I prefer to just use a clean cloth and warm soapy water to clean my jewelry.

 

[ringthings]

Can rubies go in?

I''ve been curious about ultrasonics, and wondering if they really make things shine more than warm water, soap, and an extra soft toothbrush.

 

[SparkleNut]

Thanks for the info Lady_Desdain

I think I''ll just keep to cleaning my solitaire and band how I have been. My solitaire is well set , but I still don''t wont to take any chances, plus I can take it to a local jewelry store every few weeks for them to clean it and check the prongs.

 

[marcy]

I''ve had 3 or 4 US now - the first 2 cheap with plastic, then I got the SI US and they all cracked and started to leak soon. Last time I got a nicer one with metal tank - it eventually started to link but I quit using it after shaking loose a few channel set stones. I just soak my jewelry now in either a mixture of windex and filtered water or the pink stuff. I have a Jewel Jet that I pull out on the weekends sometimes but even worry about it "blasting" something loose.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 4/11/2010 10:03:25 PM
Author: marcyc
I''ve had 3 or 4 US now - the first 2 cheap with plastic, then I got the SI US and they all cracked and started to leak soon. Last time I got a nicer one with metal tank - it eventually started to link but I quit using it after shaking loose a few channel set stones. I just soak my jewelry now in either a mixture of windex and filtered water or the pink stuff. I have a Jewel Jet that I pull out on the weekends sometimes but even worry about it ''blasting'' something loose.

how can a US shake loose stones in a channel set?

 

[T L]

I don't care at all for US cleaners, and I think a good job can be done with a soft brush and some dish soap and hot water. There are a myriad of stones that shouldn't go in one, including soft stones, organic stones (pearls), stones with feathers and crack inclusions, and fracture filled stones. I think US cleaners are a waste of money. If there is hard on dirt on a piece, let it soak for 24 hours in mild soapy water and then loosen with a brush. Repeat the soak if necessary. Diamonds and harder stones can soak in ammonia or even a solution of white vinegar and water (sapphires, rubies and diamonds for example).

 

[marcy]

Date: 4/12/2010 6:59:04 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 4/11/2010 10:03:25 PM

Author: marcyc

I''ve had 3 or 4 US now - the first 2 cheap with plastic, then I got the SI US and they all cracked and started to leak soon. Last time I got a nicer one with metal tank - it eventually started to link but I quit using it after shaking loose a few channel set stones. I just soak my jewelry now in either a mixture of windex and filtered water or the pink stuff. I have a Jewel Jet that I pull out on the weekends sometimes but even worry about it ''blasting'' something loose.

how can a US shake loose stones in a channel set?

Don''t know but it happened in 3 different rings.

 

[yssie]

saw this list on PS somewhere (don''t remember who to credit though

)


Ultrasonic OK Ultrasonic NO
diamond lapis
ruby** turquoise
sapphire malachite
amethyst onyx
citrine pearl
garnet opal
spinel emerald
tourmaline amber
gold coral
platinum aquamarine
iolite peridot
jadeite topaz
zircon tanzanite
**heavily included rubies or rubies glued into jewelry may NOT be ultrasonicated.

 

[T L]

Date: 4/18/2010 1:59:19 AM
Author: yssie

saw this list on PS somewhere (don''t remember who to credit though

)


Ultrasonic OK Ultrasonic NO
diamond lapis
ruby** turquoise
sapphire malachite
amethyst onyx
citrine pearl
garnet opal
spinel emerald
tourmaline amber
gold coral
platinum aquamarine
iolite peridot
jadeite topaz
zircon tanzanite

**heavily included rubies or rubies glued into jewelry may NOT be ultrasonicated.

I respectfully disagree with this list because i have some gems that have fractures and cracks in the "okay for US list" that I would never put in a US cleaner.

 

[virgoruby]

I nearly had a heart attack when the jeweller told me that, after setting a spinel in a LOGR halo setting, they cleaned the ring in an ultrasonic cleaner!

Luckily none of the melees came loose...

 

[yssie]

Date: 4/18/2010 5:12:21 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 4/18/2010 1:59:19 AM
Author: yssie



saw this list on PS somewhere (don't remember who to credit though

)


Ultrasonic OK Ultrasonic NO
diamond lapis
ruby** turquoise
sapphire malachite
amethyst onyx
citrine pearl
garnet opal
spinel emerald
tourmaline amber
gold coral
platinum aquamarine
iolite peridot
jadeite topaz
zircon tanzanite



**heavily included rubies or rubies glued into jewelry may NOT be ultrasonicated.

I respectfully disagree with this list because i have some gems that have fractures and cracks in the 'okay for US list' that I would never put in a US cleaner.

Ah, I don't claim to know much about anything when it comes to coloured stones!

What changes would you recommend, TL? That would be good info to have

 

[anitabee]

being a sapphire ring owner myself and doing it for many, many years, ultrasonics are fine for anything on the moh''s scale of like, 8 or above.

sapphires and rubies are exactly the same (technical name: corundum) and score 9 on the moh''s scale.

i''ve been told many times over that sapphires/rubies are fine for the ultrasonic and my experience has shown that it is fine.

fire up that ultrasonic!! i''ve got one myself and have never had a problem.

 

[T L]

Date: 4/21/2010 3:25:32 AM
Author: yssie

Date: 4/18/2010 5:12:21 PM

Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 4/18/2010 1:59:19 AM

Author: yssie




saw this list on PS somewhere (don''t remember who to credit though

)



Ultrasonic OK Ultrasonic NO

diamond lapis

ruby** turquoise

sapphire malachite

amethyst onyx

citrine pearl

garnet opal

spinel emerald

tourmaline amber

gold coral

platinum aquamarine

iolite peridot

jadeite topaz

zircon tanzanite




**heavily included rubies or rubies glued into jewelry may NOT be ultrasonicated.

I respectfully disagree with this list because i have some gems that have fractures and cracks in the ''okay for US list'' that I would never put in a US cleaner.

Ah, I don''t claim to know much about anything when it comes to coloured stones!


What changes would you recommend, TL? That would be good info to have

As I stated, I would never put a diamond, ruby or sapphire, even though they are durable, with fractures, feathers or cracks in them, in a US cleaner. That actually goes for any stone, harder ones (7 and above on the Moh''s scale), and even though people may have had a good experience with them, I personally would not risk it to clean my gems and jewelry. There are much safer ways to clean jewelry, and you don''t have to buy a US cleaner to do it. I''m really sorry, but I am very much against them. I''ve heard and seen too many horror stories. You even need to be careful with steam cleaning.

 

[LorenaIngegerd]

Many of the over-the-counter silver jewelry cleaners contain harmful carcinogens that have been known to cause cancer, so you might want to avoid those for your silver-cleaning needs.

 

[MaggyS]

Can I use US cleaners for Onyx Jewelry? Onyx has a hardness measured by Moh’s hardness scale of 7.0, so everything seems to be ok? Even if onyx is not in the ''okay for US list'' provided by yssie?