Jewellery store workers have commented on an Australian woman’s video, warning not to use her baking soda “hack” to clean rings, earrings, and necklaces.
The original video was posted by TikTok user @emmarararara, where she described how she would clean her sterling silver jewellery using baking soda.
In the video, she revealed how she made her diamond rings go from “dull to shining”, using a bowl, baking soda, tin foil, and hot water.
“You can use this on earrings, rings, necklaces — anything with real diamonds or fake diamonds,” the user explained.
The way it worked was she put a piece of tin foil in a bowl and put her rings on top of it. Then she sprinkled the rings with baking soda and poured the boiling water on top.
“Wait for the bubbles to slow down or eventually come to a stop and take your jewellery out of the hot water and rinse it under some cold water to get rid of the baking soda,” she added.
Since posting the video in April, it has received over 63,400 likes and over 400 comments.
However, workers from jewellery store Pandora have commented on the video revealing that the best way to clean jewellery is actually to use dishwashing liquid and a toothbrush.
“I work at Pandora and the best way is to soak it in warm soapy water and scrub gently with a toothbrush! Use our polishing cloth, it’s how we do it!” user @Chloe_Chandler wrote.
Another Pandora worker shared the same sentiment: “I work in Pandora and you just soak them in washing up liquid and lukewarm water scrub with soft toothbrush and then you need to use polishing cloth.”
Another worker said: “As a current employee there, the amount of people bringing in jewellery they tried to clean on their own is insane. We offer free cleaning, use it.”
A fourth person warned not to use this baking soda “hack” on any other metal besides silver.
Another said of the baking soda hack: “I destroyed a Pandora ring doing that wouldn’t recommend on all types of there rings it removed all the black accents.”
Mark Mann, former global director of jewellery manufacturing arts at the Gemological Institute of America backs up the dishwashing liquid tip.
He previously told Brides: “The best way to clean diamond rings is to make a solution with warm water (almost hot) and dishwashing soap. Soak your ring for about 20 to 40 minutes, gently brush the stone with a very soft toothbrush, and then rinse under warm running water.”
