The Tool Box

A baby tooth brush

Wooden tooth pick

Tweezers

One cup distilled water with teaspoon very mild dishwashing detergent

Soft Cotton Cloth

Get to Work!

Step 1

Use the tooth pick to carefully loosen and remove all foreign articles from the piece you are cleaning or use the tooth brush to lightly brush dirt, grime or dust from rhinestone jewelry. Be careful with foil backed stones as it is very easy to brush the foil off the rhinestones. Do not use the toothbrush around glued-in stones as the water may cause the glue to dissolve and the stones to fall out.  If there is minor rust on the metal, carefully remove it with a pencil eraser. You may have to loosen the surface rust with a needle before removing it.

Step 2

Dampen the tip of the cotton bud and carefully clean each piece, using the other end of the bud to remove excess liquid. You may have to use the tweezer to remove any cotton caught by the sharp edges of the piece. Do not soak your jewelry in the solution or use any solution that may contain ammonia, vinegar, or any other acids or alcohols.

Step 3

Immediately after cleaning, pat dry with soft cotton cloth. Use a blow dryer on the coolest setting to remove any remaining dampness.  

Step 4

Take a nap!