How to Clean a Tarnished Bracelet Without Damaging It?

It’s always necessary to know how to clean a tarnished bracelet. Due to oxidation and other factors such as humidity, sweat, dust, or even air, metal bracelets are the most likely to tarnish. Especially vulnerable are jewelry pieces made from metal alloys, including costume jewelry or silver bracelets.

Of course, leather or stone bracelets are also affected. For these pieces of jewelry, the main cause is usually dirt. To deal with it, you just need to arm yourself with a damp cleaning cloth and rub gently.

Through this blog, we will mainly focus on practical tips on how to clean metal bracelets.

To restore the shine to your jewelry, our editorial team has concocted eight different methods for cleaning your tarnished bracelets, without damaging them!

Baking soda: the most recognized technique for cleaning a tarnished bracelet

The miracle remedy of baking soda is well known for its whitening power. It’s the best ally for cleaning various surfaces. It works very well, even with jewelry that tarnishes. Whether your jewelry is silver-plated, fake gold, silver, or others, here are the steps to follow to clean them.

• Step n°01: Take a bowl or a cup, and pour 150 ml of warm water.

• Step n°02: Add a teaspoon of baking soda, and mix well.

• Step n°03: Soak your bracelet inside. You can add a pinch of salt if you want. For a better result, I suggest waiting half a day before rinsing it.

• Step n°04: Take a cloth and wipe well.

Toothpaste: the most easily found ingredient

Toothpaste is effective for cleaning a tarnished bracelet. However, to avoid damaging your jewelry, it should only be cleaned occasionally.

This method is both simple and quick. It will only take a few minutes. For example, you can take advantage of your shower to clean your bracelet at the same time.

• Step n°01: Start by taking an old soft-bristled brush.

• Step n°02: Put a little toothpaste on the brush and add a pinch of salt.

• Step n°03: Gently brush the bracelet for 3 minutes.

• Step n°04: Rinse with warm water and don’t forget to dry well. Note that, for example, a silver jewel does not tolerate moisture for too long.

White vinegar: a great asset for making jewelry shine

White vinegar helps to dislodge dirt. It’s also an excellent way to remove oxidation stains. To use it on a tarnished bracelet, here are the steps to follow.

• Step n°01: First take a small container, then add a tablespoon of white vinegar.

• Step n°02: Mix it with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of baking soda, if you have any.

• Step n°03: Take a cotton ball and soak it in the mixture. To avoid damaging the bracelet, gently stroke it, mainly targeting the black layer of the tarnished bracelet.

• Step n°04: Wait until you see a change. Use warm water to wash it, then dry with a small chamois cloth.

If you want a good result, you can also soak the bracelet in a small amount of vinegar for at least 2 hours. Don’t forget to wash it with clear water afterward.

Coca-cola: a magical drink for cleaning a tarnished bracelet

Have you ever heard about using Coca-cola to clean jewelry? This drink is very handy for cleaning metal jewelry. If you want to save time, this method is ideal.

• Step n°01: Soak the bracelet in a glass of Coca-cola for about ten minutes. If the bracelet is too tarnished, you can soak it overnight.

• Step n°02: Wash the bracelet well with warm water.
• Step n°03: Quickly take a cloth to dry it.

Once finished, the bracelet will shine anew, just like the first day!

Aluminum: a less known but very effective technique for cleaning silver

Know that aluminum foil offers excellent results for cleaning jewelry, especially those made of silver. Indeed, the chemical reaction created by aluminum helps remove the tarnished layer from a silver bracelet.

How to do it?

Follow the guide!

• Step n°01: Wrap the jewelry inside the paper and add coarse salt.

• Step n°02: Turn on the heat and boil water in a pot.

• Step n°03: Place the wrapped paper in the boiling water for about ten minutes.

Admire the result! You will be impressed.

Lemon: an indispensable kitchen ingredient

Lemon is a miracle solution for making metal jewelry shine. The acidity of the lemon indeed helps to remove black traces on jewelry. Silver, gold-plated, or copper will surely regain their sparkle!

Take a lemon, yellow or green, and follow these steps:

• Step n°01: Slice the lemon in half.

• Step n°02: Gently rub one of the halves on the tarnished bracelet for a few minutes.

• Step n°03: Quickly rinse with warm water and dry the bracelet with a cloth to see the result.

Ash: an excellent ally for cleaning a tarnished bracelet

Ash is an effective ally for removing black stains on fantasy metal jewelry. You can use ash from cigarettes or the fireplace.

• Step n°01: First take a cotton ball.

• Step n°02: Pour a spoonful of lemon juice on the cotton, then mix it with the ash.

• Step n°03: To restore shine to your tarnished bracelet, rub for about ten minutes, then proceed to rinse.

Onion: the miracle solution for a sparkling bracelet

If you have onion in your kitchen, you can also use it to clean a tarnished bracelet.

• Step n°01: Cut it in half then rub the half on your jewelry, whether they are earrings, necklaces, or bracelets.

• Step n°02: Do it for a few minutes, then wash with warm water as soon as you’ve seen the result.

• Step n°03: Finally, dry the bracelet with a lint-free cloth.

If you’re having maintenance issues with your leather bracelet, we’ve got you covered: discover how to maintain your leather bracelet!