Cleaning Vintage Jewelry

Once in a while inspiration comes from an unexpected source, I got a note a couple of days ago from Faerie Wysperer about the vintage jewelry I have been posting. Her question was how to clean some of the older or vintage pieces that we all have on hand? I replied to her and the following is her response:

Wow- I had no idea. Good thing I asked- heaven forbid I ruined something! I would like to recommend that you post this on your blog on to take care of your Vintage Heirlooms. I'm sure people wonder the same thing, I did before your instructions. You rock!
Thank you :O)
~A~

On Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 8:24 PM, Debbie Lewis wrote:

Hi, I wanted to email you about the vintage jewelry cleaning. I mostly clean mine with liquid dishwashing soap and a very soft brush. Make sure that you check the stones first to be assured that the prongs are tight. Even with checking, I still clean mine over a clear glass bowl in case anything comes loose. You do NOT want to let them soak. The back of the old rhinestones have what they call foil on the backside to make them more reflective of light. And some of that is very delicate. I dry with a soft cloth. Metal brass pieces can be cleaned with ammonia and water. Silver can be cleaned by soaking the piece in this manner: use a glass or stainless steel bowl line with a layer or tin foil in the bottom. Add about one tablespoon of baking soda, pour boiling water into the bowl. Dip your jewelry into the water solution. It should bubble slightly, if not add more baking soda. Soak for a moment and then rinse the jewelry in cold water. Dry with a soft cloth and polish with a silver cloth. For anything cooper, vinegar and salt. Pearls and opals need to be handled carefully I usually just try to clean those with a soft cloth. If you have anything particular let me know and I can tell you if I have had any experience with that. Thanks for stopping by. And I loved visiting your blog. Deb