Celebrities are no strangers to bold fashion choices, and the pieces they wear often kick off trends that spread worldwide. But what about their jewellery care hacks?
Below, jewellery expert Blake Asaad, founder of GOODSTONE, a leading provider of exquisitely crafted diamond jewellery, grades these celebrity hacks and explains why they do (or don’t!) work.
Kim Kardashian’s Warm Jewels
Star Kim Kardashian admitted on X/Twitter that she uses a blow dryer to warm up all her jewellery before she puts it on. Claiming that putting on cold jewellery gives her ‘the chills,’ this was later backed up by her hairstylist Christopher Appleton.
But is warming up your jewels a good idea? “Depending on the materials, and so long as you don’t do it for too long, it’s fine,” says Blake. “Jewellery will heat quickly under a blow dryer, so you won’t need to hit them with more than 10-20 seconds of heat before they’re warm enough to wear.
“Sturdy metals like gold and platinum will work best for this, while copper and gemstones like opals and pearls could become tarnished over time. If you’re worried, warm your jewellery with your hands instead. It takes a little longer, but it’s safer and will make wearing it more comfortable.”
Why Kylie Jenner Swears By White Vinegar
Kylie Jenner took to YouTube to share her experience trying out an old cleaning hack on a silver skull ring. Following the hack, she submerged her ring in white vinegar, added baking soda, and let it sit in the mixture for an hour.
“Unfortunately, this one isn’t a good idea,” says Blake. “White vinegar is acidic, which can damage porous stones or metal-plated pieces. Baking soda is abrasive and can scratch soft stones and metals like silver. Best to give this one a miss and stick to professionally approved, specially formulated cleaners.”
Insta Guru Lee Tilghman Mixes Dish Soap And Hydrogen Peroxide
Known as @leefromamerica on Instagram, social media influencer Lee Tilghman combined dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, and warm water to make her cleaning solution. She claims it had her gold jewellery ‘excreting dirt,’ posting a picture of the pieces soaking in the solution.
“Solid gold jewellery like Lee’s can be cleaned with hydrogen peroxide,” says Blake. “So can platinum, diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. However, softer and more porous metals and jewels like silver and pearls might be damaged by this solution.”
Great British Bake Off Star Nancy Birtwhistle Uses Boiling Water And Foil
Nancy, who won the fifth season of The Great British Bake Off back in 2014, shared her top tip for cleaning silver and precious metals. Using ‘1 tbsp Bicarbonate of Soda, Boiling Water and Aluminium Foil,’ Nancy used the foil to protect a bowl and then added boiling water and bicarbonate of soda to make her mixture.
“Bicarbonate of soda is just another name for baking soda, which, as we covered above, is too abrasive for most metals,” says Blake. “Boiling water is also a no-go as it can warp softer metals and has the potential to melt glues and adhesives that keep gemstones in their settings.”
Blake Asaad, founder of GOODSTONE, commented: “It’s best to be very careful when trying out celebrity ‘hacks’ for cleaning jewellery. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, and many people recommend inappropriate methods without knowing they could actually be damaging to metals and precious stones.
“Specialist jewellery cleaners often don’t cost much more than the so-called ‘hacks’ published online, and they’re much safer for your pieces. I would recommend sticking to something specially formulated for the metal and stones you have, or if you do want to try a hack, make sure to research it first. If you’re in any doubt, you can talk to your jeweller. They’ll be able to inspect your piece and recommend ways to clean it that are specifically tailored to that piece.”
