ULTRASONIC, IONIC, STEAM CLEANERS?

[gemsandmore]

I just finished reading the previous Salton post and am a little confused.

What''s the best form of cleaning; ULTRASONIC, IONIC OR STEAM?

I''ve checked into the Salton, but unfortunatedly am not blessed with a very big bathroom with storage. It''s as big as a coffee maker. I''ve seen ultrasonic half the size, but am wondering if they take forever to heat up and how well they work.

I only have a prong set e ring, partial prong set wedding band and prong set earrings. It sure would be nice to keep them sparkling.

 

[denverappraiser]

Kelly,

Welcome to pricescope.

Unfortunately, there isn’t really a straight answer to which is best. They all have their merits and demerits. Dishsoap, a soft toothbrush and a little elbow grease actually works pretty well for most items. All 3 of the methods you describe will take up some shelf or counter space that’s likely to be inconvenient if you have a tiny room. They also all require an unoccupied electric outlet, which sometimes is a problem.

Neil Beaty
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[windowshopper]

i heard the lye in soap can be a problem?>

 

[codex57]

I was told window cleaner that has a little ammonium and a soft toothbrush works well too. Is that correct?

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

what is lye soap?

 

[denverappraiser]

Lye won''t hurt diamonds, gold or platinum but it can be a problem for more sensitive things like pearls and opals. It''s also pretty tough on your skin if there is any residue when you put the piece on so I don''t usually recommend it. Dawn dishwashing detergent works pretty well. Windex is fine.

Neil Beaty
Independent Appraisals in Denver

 

[yeewl]

Hello,

I have an Elma portable ultra-sonic cleaner without heater (only comes with timer). What I do is just add hot water to the machine together with the cleaning liquid. Place all the jewelry in a basket and it turns out great! The diamonds are so sparkling, just like those jewelry shops that offer free cleaning for you.

The person who sold me the machine was very helpful. At first, I was very tempted to buy the one with heater but he told me it''s not worth the $$. Instead, taught me this neat trick of just adding hot water.

Ps.. the one that comes with heater are much more expensive and may tend to get spoil more often.