![]() When cleaning gemstone jewelry, you’re not only addressing the stone, you’re also cleaning the metal it’s set in. Read more information on cleaning pearls. If your pearls are strung with a silk strand they can remain wet up to a week and need to be completely dry before wearing. We recommend using our Connoisseurs Delicate Jewelry Cleaner, Jewelry Cleansing Foam, or Dazzle Drops® Advanced for your pearl jewelry. You’re better off sticking with a non-abrasive jewelry cleanser specifically formulated for the metals, gem and semi-precious stones of your favorite baubles.įor more information on cleaning your 14K, 18K, and 24K gold, gold plated and gold filled jewelry and platinum jewelry, see our Connoisseurs guide to cleaning jewelry at home. Opals and pearls, two of the most porous precious gemstones, will permanently lose their color and sheen if they come in contact with toothpaste. Finally, gums, favoring agents, and non-sugar sweeteners are common to toothpaste formulas, which might cause chemical reactions with your jewelry. ![]() Hydrogen peroxide, a chemical lightener is another common toothpaste ingredient, which can be reactive with metals and semi-precious stones. Other common toothpaste ingredients include fluoride (including sodium fluoride and stannous fluoride) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) which can be corrosive to metal. However, SLS has little cleaning power and is used in toothpaste for its foaming properties. Some toothpaste formulas also contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), which makes it a detergent. The abrasives in toothpastes, which according to the American Dental Association, are designed not to dissolve in water, can scratch the surface of gemstones and metals like gold and silver. According to Science, Toothpaste Can Harm JewelryĮxperts rate many toothpastes between a scale of 2.5 and 4 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. It’s best used to determine durability, meaning how a gem or mineral can withstand abrasions. The scale ranges from 1 (least hard, talc) to 10 (most hard, diamond). The Mohs Scale of Hardness provides a measure of a particular gem or mineral’s resistance to being scratched. Mohs Scale of Hardness was developed in 1812 by Friedrich Mohs, a German mineralogist. Abrasives can damage jewelry because of their chemical composition, measured by the Mohs Scale of Hardness. ![]() Toothpaste is an abrasive that contains calcium carbonate and modified silica, agents used to break up food debris found in your mouth. The abrasives in toothpaste can scratch the surface of gemstones, cause chemical reactions with metals, and damage the integrity of your jewelry.” Toothpaste Is Too Abrasive to Safely Clean Jewelryĭentists and jewelers alike agree it’s always best to use products for which they are designed. “Never use toothpaste to clean your jewelry. It’s better to use a jewelry cleanser specifically formulated for safety and efficacy. It is not recommended that you use toothpaste to clean your jewelry as you may end up permanently ruining its luster and overall integrity. But can toothpaste be used to safely clean jewelry?ĭespite what you may have heard, this is a complete hoax. In addition to cleaning your teeth, toothpaste has been lauded as a DIY remedy for everything from making your nails grow to getting rid of acne. We explain why using toothpaste as a homemade jewelry cleaner can do more harm than good.
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