How to Clean Earrings

Have you ever considered how much dirt, skin, oil and bacteria might be lurking on your favorite pair of earrings? Daily wear exposes your jewelry to grime and tarnish.

While we might wear them into the shower or polish them up with a cloth from time to time, most of us overlook extra steps that can keep our favorite pieces looking clean and new.

Earrings you wear frequently should be cleaned about once a month, according to the American Gem Society.

Cleaning earrings isn't a complicated chore, but given the string of misconceptions about how to properly care for jewelry, it's important to learn how to maintain your pieces correctly — and safely.

"Keeping your jewelry and piercings clean is essential for both your style and health," says Natalie Holst, founder of handmade jewelry retailer Holst+Lee. "If you regularly clean your earrings with a gentle, non-abrasive cleaner to remove dirt and oils, that will preserve their shine."

For piercings, Natalie recommends gently washing the area with soap and water or a saline solution to prevent irritation or infection.

"This simple routine keeps your jewelry looking stunning and your ears feeling great," she says.

Three Methods for Cleaning Earrings

Soap and Water

This method for cleaning earrings is as it sounds. A mixture of gentle dish soap and water can clean all types of earrings. Unlike other cleaners, this is the safest choice for costume jewelry and other inexpensive plated jewelry. You can use it to remove body oils from your gold and silver jewelry, too.

1. In a small dish, soak your earrings in bubbly soap and warm water. This will help loosen oils and grime.
2. Use an old toothbrush to gently brush at the earring surface. For day-to-day cleaning, this couldn't be easier.
3. Rinse the soap thoroughly. Use clean water to rinse away soap.

Baking Soda, Salt and Aluminum Foil

This is our go-to solution for cleaning silver jewelry. It treats tarnish in seconds, but use caution if your jewelry has natural stones. The chemical reaction that transfers the tarnish to the aluminum foil can affect the color of gemstones.

1. Line a ceramic or glass bowl with aluminum foil. Don't use a metal bowl.
2. Boil water. Keep in mind that you'll need enough to cover the jewelry
3. For every cup of water, add a tablespoon of baking soda and a tablespoon of table salt to the bowl lined with foil. Stir it all up in there to mix the ingredients.
4. Add the earrings to the bowl.
5. Pour a cup of water on top, making sure that the jewelry is covered.
6. Depending on the level of tarnish, leave it for 30 seconds to 5 minutes. The discolored silver will transform into like-new, sparkly silver before your eyes.

Jewelry Cleaner

Store-bought jewelry cleaner is safe and effective. But, you have to remember to use it regularly on your jewelry to eliminate oils and build-up.

Cleaning Earring Backs and Posts

You might focus on the front of the earring, but the backs and posts need to be cleaned well, too. As you soak, scrub or polish to remove oils and dirt, remember to target the whole earring for an complete cleaning.

How to Clean Different Types of Earrings

Cleaning Gold Earrings

Gold earrings are durable, but they'll lose their luster over time. Soap and water make a great and simple solution for regular cleaning. Hydrogen peroxide is a great solution, too. Using a polishing cloth after they're washed will help them shine.

Cleaning Silver Earrings

Silver earrings tarnish over time, especially if they aren't stored in a tarnish-proof bag between wears. Soap and water are great for day-to-day cleanings, but we always deep clean the tarnish a few times a year using the baking soda, salt and aluminum foil method listed above. A tarnish-cleaning cloth is great for surfaces, but the chemical reaction is better for cleaning tarnish out of crevices.

Cleaning Pearl Earrings

Gentle solutions are safest for pearl earrings. A damp, soapy cloth is all you'll need to remove dirt and oils from the earring. Never submerge the pearls in water or use hydrogen peroxide as it can damage the pearl or loosen the earring setting.

Cleaning Earrings With Gemstones

Each gemstone has unique properties, but if you clean cautiously, you'll be able to protect any kind of stone. Use dish soap and water and gently clean around settings and prongs with a soft toothbrush. Rinse and dry the earrings and use a polishing cloth to help the earrings look their best.

What are some common mistakes people make when cleaning earrings?

Cleaning earrings isn't hard, but it requires some thoughtfulness and finesse.

• Accidentally using harsh chemicals. Even white vinegar is considered to be too harsh for some materials and gemstones!
• Forgetting to rinse the cleaner off completely, which can cause skin irritations.
• Failing to dry them properly, which promotes tarnish and dulling.
• Scrubbing too hard, or using rough cleaning materials, like paper towels, instead of soft cloths.
• Forgetting to clean the earring backs and posts.

Do you need to clean earrings differently if you have sensitive ears?

Yes — always choose hypoallergenic cleaning methods. A mild soap or simple saline solution works for earrings. Be sure to rinse any cleaner thoroughly so lingering soap doesn't irritate sensitive skin.

How can you maintain your earring shine?

Your earrings will always look clean and shiny if you commit to regular cleaning. The best tips include:

• Clean them regularly and wipe them down with a cloth to remove oils after wearing them — and we mean, every time.
• Put them on last so you avoid covering them with perfumes, lotions or hairspray. All of those dull their sparkle.
• Store them safely in a jewelry box or tarnish-proof pouch between wears.