Polishing vs. cleaning: what’s the difference?

Have you noticed that your jewelry is not as shiny as it used to? Maybe your rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets are not glowy enough? With time, jewelry suffers natural wear-and-tear, especially if we wear them everyday. Our favorite pieces might lose their radiance and glimmer, and they might seem a bit dull.

To recover the irresistible allure of all your jewelry pieces and avoid this dull appearance, there are two main options to “bring them back to life”: polishing or cleaning. Although both methods are meant to help maintain your treasures shiny, there are some important differences between them. Let’s discover them!



Cleaning… or polishing?

On the one hand, we have traditional jewelry cleaning. This process is based on removing any dirt or grease (like skin oils or body lotions) from your jewelry pieces. As we usually wear jewels on a daily basis, they get stained easily, making them lose their bling. Good thing is that cleaning must only be done from time to time. Every 6 months you should clean your jewelry at home to ensure its right maintenance. You can check out our guide on silver cleaning in one of our last posts at The Mag.

There are also professional cleaning systems, like ultrasonic cleaning. This method is highly recommended for cleaning diamonds, as they are very delicate and have a natural tendency to attract grease (they will need more frequent cleaning). But, what is this cleaning method about?



With vibration as the main tool, ultrasonic cleaning shakes the piece until every foreign material is out, avoiding scratch or damage. Also, this cleaning method is the best and safest for your delicate gold jewelry pieces. Add this cleaning too to your list, as it is powerful yet delicate at the same time.

On the other hand, we have polishing, a much more thorough and expensive technique to clean your jewelry. The best thing? Your jewelry will seem brand new! This method uses a polishing wheel to remove any dirt without scratching your piece, recovering the original and magnificent shine of jewels. Even if the method seems easy, you should trust the hands of an expert to ensure the correct treatment of the jewel. After this type of cleaning, your jewel will look like new.



This way of cleaning jewelry is very functional, but you need to be careful: as it will remove a tiny part of the surface of the piece, therefore it is recommended to do it less than twice a year, to be sure the jewel will not get damaged. Try to find a trustworthy and professional place to take your jewelry for polishing, as it is a meticulous method that must be done with care and expertise.

We hope we have solved or helped with any of your doubts on this topic. Remember all these tips, but always keep in mind it is best to take care of your jewelry every day (and night), your jewels will thank you!