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Can you use an Ultrasonic Cleaner to often?

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thelittleguy

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I''''ve been getting a little addicted to the squeeky clean shine my ultrasonic cleaner gives my fiancees e-ring. I have to wonder, how often is to often when using an Ultrasonic cleaner? Can you use it daily, weekly? Anybody know?
 

AChiOAlumna

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I use mine almost daily and haven''t seen any negative impacts...
 

FireGoddess

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Unless your ring has pave work (in which case I''d only do ultrasonic sporadically) I think you''re fine to do it as often as you wish.
 

thelittleguy

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Thanks for the advice...I just couldnt believe how much more beautiful the stone was after an ultrasonic bath rather than a simple toothbrush scrubing...
 

Jelly

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I''m glad you''re enjoying your ultrasonic cleaner! What brand/model are you using?
 

thelittleguy

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I have the Sharper Image model...I don''t really know how it compares to any of the others except for the fact that every time I pop the ring in there, it comes out like the day it arrived in the mail from GOG :)
 

AChiOAlumna

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Although I use a different cleaning system, I''ve heard nothing but great things about the Sharper Image cleaner!!! Sounds like you found a winner!
 

FireGoddess

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I have the Sharper Image Ultrasonic as well, and nothing, I mean NOTHING (including the spray cleaner WF sells) gets my rings as sparkly as the ultrasonic does. The spray cleaner/toothbrush thing works well for interim cleanings or while I''m travelling, but nothing compares to putting my stuff in that SI ultrasonic!!! I love it. All my friends beg me to clean their jewelry when they come over, and I''ve already given it as a gift to 3 different people!
 

Jelly

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Dirty rings are just a darn shame! Three different co-workers remarked how they need to clean their rings after seeing mine. I have an old connoisseur sonic cleaner that I''ve had for years. It seems to work well, but I''ve been also scoping out those Sharper Image models!
 

thelittleguy

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I was hesitant on spending the money on an ultrasonic after reading many different places that Windex and a toothbrush work just as well...this simply isn''t the case. At least with the solitaire setting that my fiancee has, the tooth brush was never able to completely clean the pavilion of the diamond like the SI Ultrasonic. In my opinion, spending the extra money on an ultrasonic is easily worth the icy sparkle restored to the ring.
 

Lynn B

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Is this the one you guys have? And do you just use regular water and ammonia? No special liquid necessary?!

THANKS!
Lynn

si414_pip.jpg
 

thelittleguy

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Yep, thats the one...and I simply use regular ammonia and water...a big bottle of ammonia is under 2 bucks...How can you beat that!
 

Lynn B

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LG,
THANK YOU! I am veeeeeeeeeeeeeery tempted.
Does anyone have any experience with the reconditioned/"like new" ones on eBay - offered at $35-$40?

Thanks,
Lynn
 

butterfly 17

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I just went on the SI website, they have two different ones. ONe looks like a newer model and cost a little more than the one pictured above.
Has any one had any experience with the newer one? I am so tempted to buy one. I clean my ring pretty frequently, but I do notice that there are areas that I can''t reach and when I loupe my diamond, I can see specks of dust there.
The only thing is that my ring has pave, so I am afraid to use it and have a baby diamond fall out!
 

butterfly 17

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okay,
here is the link-

http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/productdetails.jhtml?sku=SI814BLU#tabs

The newer one has two trays, instead of one, plus it comes with a jewelery cleaner concentrate, a silver cleaner solution and a polishing cloth.

It is $20 more than the other one, but if you were to buy the jewelery and silver cleaner kit, that would be $20 by itself.
Also, the trays are interchangeable, so you can store the tray with the silver cleaning solution away and just take it out whenever you need it!
2.gif


I am so tempted to buy this!
 

thelittleguy

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I think the Ebay reconditioned units would be a good value as they still have the manufacturers 1 year warranty...if it doesn’t work, take it back to the nearest Sharper Image and get a brand new one...I don't think you can loose...


As far as the bigger unit, if you are only plannning on cleaning rings, buying the larger unit dosent make a lot of sense to me...It seems like you would just end up filling up more of the tank needlessly...Just my opinion
 

butterfly 17

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I did just check out ebay and I wasn''t aware that you could exchange a refurbished one for a brand new one at the SI store.
I noticed on the other thread you posted that you said your first one had a problem, so you exchanged it at the SI store. They didn''t question you about it? Did they ask for a receipt?
With my luck, I will bid on the one unit that doesn''t work and when I try to exchange it, they won''t let me!!!
2.gif


OH, the only reason why I like the newer model is because I do have a lot of silver jewelry that tarnishes extremely fast, so the second tray would come in handy as right now I don''t have one and I am constantly pouring my silver cleaner into a seperate container and then soaking my silver jewelry into it. It would just be more convenient for me to have a seperate tray, I guess. plus, I don''t have to worry about spilling it because I can just leave the solution in the tray until I use it again.


i wish I could find the newer model on ebay!
2.gif
 

Mara

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Lynn, turned me onto this thread and I am sooo tempted to get an ultrasonic!

When we were at WF I was comparing Al''s earring to a set that Brian showed us to see size differences and I noticed that Al''s earring was really dull and had hardly any sparkle compared to the new earring. I thought that was bizarre because she cleans her stuff daily and also they were both ideal cut aka ACA or ES stones. Even she was puzzled. So Brian looked at it and said it was dirty and sent them off to be cleaned in the ultrasonic. Came back 99.99% as sparkly as the new, never worn ones...interesting!! So after that we were thinking well maybe we should get ultrasonics if daily regular cleanings aren''t doing it...The difference between the clean diamond and the dirty one was literally HUGE in terms of sparkle.

So now I think Im going to get one of these reconditioned SI ones, esp at that price. I love SI stuff in general, and this looks small enough to suit me and also I like that it does not use an expensive jewelry cleaner but rather just ammonia and water...I don''t want anything high-maintenance to deal with and don''t want to have to buy special cleaners!!

Awesome thread! hehee.
 

FireGoddess

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I have the one with the blue tank, posted above. I got mine reconditioned/refurbished off SI on ebay and it works like a dream. Sometimes they are returns that have NEVER been used, but they can't resell them as new. I saw this when returning something at Fry's today....I returned the box unopened and the guy had to open it and take everything out to make sure it was there. Uhhh...it was still sealed, so yeah, everything was there. They then had to sell it at a reduced price. Stupid. Anyway, this happens with these ultrasonics as well. I only paid something like $45 for mine from SI on ebay, and it works like a dream. I bought new ones for friends though, as gifts.

I don't buy any cleaner. This works like a CHARM...to the tank, add:
1 drop of dishwashing detergent
5-7 sprays of windex
fill to the "fill line" with hot water
Turn that baby on!

Sparkles GALORE. I can't rave enough about it. Seriously.

BTW Butterfly...an ultrasonic is not going to clean your silver tarnish...you need to polish that off...
 

ame

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Interesting. I might have to try this.
 

thelittleguy

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Mara,
I know what you mean...Everytime I pull my fiancee''s ring out of the ultrasonic, I am amazed at what a difference it makes...I''ve taken it on as my personal responsability to make sure its gleaming to it''s full potential at all times...:)
 

butterfly 17

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BTW Butterfly...an ultrasonic is not going to clean your silver tarnish...you need to polish that off...

Whenever I polish my silver, I can never get the tarnish off completely. I find that it really needs to soak in silver solution to really come off completely. Especially all the nooks and crannies. Maybe I am just anal!!

For example, I have some Elsa Peretti pieces that I wear occasionally and I notice that when I try to polish the earrings and backs, the tarnish still remains because you can''t get the cloth into the crevices.

As far as using the ultrasonic for cleaning silver tarnish, my intent was to purchase the ultrasonic for cleaning my gold and platinum jewelry and just using the second tray to soak my silver stuff.

Anyway, it doesn''t matter, I just bought one off ebay!!!
 

AndyRosse

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I bought one off eBay, for that price, it is definitely worth a shot!
 

Mara

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I''m buying mine tonite off eBAY. We had our rings polished in TX and I want to keep mine looking this beautiful sparkly, you can sure see a differerence after a good clean and polish!
 

ame

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HOw many pieces do you put in at once. Do they bounce around all over?
 

FireGoddess

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They don''t bounce anywhere when they''re in the ultrasonic. I''ve put in 3 rings, a necklace with pendant, and a pair of earrings in there all at the same time.
 

ame

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This is *ame* we''re talkin about...she who doesn''t store rings in the same place ;-)
 

FireGoddess

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I do solemnly swear on.........uh..........my wedding set (if that doesn''t convince you, nothing will), that at no given time in the ultrasonic did any two pieces actually touch each other. Even for a fraction of a millisecond. This is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.
 

Mara

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Ok the deed is done, I bought and paid for mine so hopefully it will ship tomorrow. I can''t wait.
 

ame

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HAHA Thanks FG. I believe you.

I might buy on ebay as well. I gotta see what the difference is with this versus that WF Spray.
 
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