Find your diamond
Find your jewelry
shape
carat
color
clarity

My dirty little secret...;)

Arkteia

Arkteia

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Nov 3, 2009
Messages
7,589
I started washing my jewelry in a dishwasher.

I know it sounds horrible, what with the advises not to put stuff in the ultrasonic cleanser, but I have a portable ultrasonic machine, and it does not work well. I do not to invest $ 1000 into a regular one (mostly, for the lack of space).

So I bought small dishwasher containers and started using them for diamonds, corundum and spinel. Only the stones that I wear and don't plan to ever sell. If you put the setting on "light", it should work. Some of my rings have strong undergallery, so I can not reach there with an US brush.

So far, nothing has been lost. I would say the quality of cleaning depends on the setting (the ones that are closed still are the hardest), but... how bad is the idea in general? If my champagne glasses (quartz) or china tolerate the dishwasher without breaking, why not my rings? As long as they don't disappear, but I have large rings and a very sturdy container lock.

Does anyone else use it?

P.S. It seems that if I put them in a ziplock mesh, they get cleaner.
 
IMG_5842.PNG I use the dishwasher now and then. I wouldn't put pave in it but it does get my Ering extra clean. I use a mesh container.
 
The thought of doing this makes my stomach flip!
 
I just don't think it is worth the risk. Soaking your rings in some Dawn or Windex should do the same thing without the risk of loss or damage. I have an ultrasonic that I bought from Amazon that was not expensive and works just fine to clean my rings as well.
 
No Way!
 
:eek2::eek2::eek2::eek2:

People put their babies in the dishwasher?

Screen Shot 2017-10-20 at 2.21.36 PM.png

Luce said:
IMG_5842.PNG I use the dishwasher now and then. I wouldn't put pave in it but it does get my Ering extra clean. I use a mesh container.
Click to expand...
 
I could never do this! I have visions of my diamonds going down the drain.
 
I threw one diamond melee down the sink on accident and one of my studs landed next to the drain with the ultrasonic, so be careful with that one too!
 
Dawn, Windex, yes=)2
Cascade, no:eek2:
 
MissGotRocks said:
I just don't think it is worth the risk. Soaking your rings in some Dawn or Windex should do the same thing without the risk of loss or damage. I have an ultrasonic that I bought from Amazon that was not expensive and works just fine to clean my rings as well.
Click to expand...
Do you have a link?
 
Large diamonds that cannot get lost and go down drains fine, sapphires and spinels IMHO bad idea.
 
Besides the fact that I think there are far better ways to clean jewelry, it grosses me out thinking of food particles washing in the water all over my jewelry. So I'd never do it.

Most often, I soak diamond jewelry that I wear often in a jar of jewelry cleaner or a bowl with Dawn or Windex, maybe 3 times a week. Then I scrub the diamonds with a baby toothbrush. I have about a $50 small ultrasonic that I use every few months.
 
Luce said:
IMG_5842.PNG I use the dishwasher now and then. I wouldn't put pave in it but it does get my Ering extra clean. I use a mesh container.
Click to expand...

That's a cool idea!! I still have some that my baby never used! :) ...but I'll just stick to my ultrasonic.
 
I generally clean my jewelry every day as I wear it every day. By doing that there is never any major dirt and funk buildup to worry about getting off. Clean as you go and you shouldn't have an issue that requires heavy duty cleaning.
 
Basically you're adding heat and steam to the cleaning process. Great for disinfecting but you're not setting up a sterile field with your rings. Basically I think it's overkill.
 
The issue is about huge stones with thick undergallery through which the regular brush's bristles don't get... The diamonds are usually not a problem, and I don't do it to bezeled stones.
 
MissGotRocks said:
I generally clean my jewelry every day as I wear it every day. By doing that there is never any major dirt and funk buildup to worry about getting off. Clean as you go and you shouldn't have an issue that requires heavy duty cleaning.
Click to expand...
I just have to wash my hands very often. I guess it is the soap residue. But I shall try daily cleaning.
 
Oh, no, I would never do this! Visions of the container breaking, jewelry scattered everywhere, stones ruined, flung against dishes, dirty water all over them - no way! :errrr:

I think it's possible to clean jewelry too much, except for perhaps diamonds in sturdy metal settings. I occasionally clean my pieces using warm water and dish soap, and rinse well with warm water. For some pieces with metalwork I use a soft baby toothbrush.
 
Sounds so wrong and harsh on so many levels. Why don't you just stick your electric toothbrush in a glass full of jewelry cleaner, drop your jewelry in it and have a go at it for a while.
 
lambskin said:
Sounds so wrong and harsh on so many levels. Why don't you just stick your electric toothbrush in a glass full of jewelry cleaner, drop your jewelry in it and have a go at it for a while.
Click to expand...

All good ideas but I use too much soap on my hands during the day and taking the rings off is a recipe for disaster ;-) I think it is the soapy residue that is the problem.

I think I shall buy what people here bought for the cleaner and also look for that thread with the recommendations for the detergent.

However - it is not harsh. Think of it, if my champagne flutes tolerate the cycle, and they are, essentially, quartz, surely harder stones should be OK? (I don't wait for them to dry, and I never mix them with dishes, lol. We do not have many dishes to start with as everyone is either working or coming late from practice).
 
Soapy residue can be scrubbed out manually with brushes and a cleaner will help de-wax the soap scum. My aunt used the dishwasher to clean her good china and sterling silver and silver plate. Eventually the gold design wore off the china and the silver plate wore off too. The sterling had micro scratches. We replaced a dishwasher this year and the installer said that Cascade was the harshest detergent. My mom swore by the stuff so we used until we heard otherwise. We have water from the city which is treated but hard water can also be rough. I also do not know how hot your dishwasher goes. I worry that the bag may be dislodged and land on the heat ring at the bottom of the dishwasher. I also worry about loose melee getting away down the drain. But if it works for you....
 
GET 3 FREE HCA RESULTS JOIN THE FORUM. ASK FOR HELP
Jewelry Blog
PriceScope-Concierge-Ad
Find prime cuts.
Top