# Cleaning sterling silver jewelry with gemstones

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-sterling-silver-jewelry-with-gemstones/497820>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 27, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-sterling-silver-jewelry-with-gemstones/497820 "2009-05-27T18:14:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\
**Post date:** [May 27, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-sterling-silver-jewelry-with-gemstones/497820/1 "2009-05-27T18:14:22Z")

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I could find information on how best to clean one or the other, but not both. I have a gorgeous SS bracelet with multiple semi-precious stones that is badly tarnished and I would like to clean it up. (It looks just like [this](http://www.smartbargains.com/go.sb?pagename=prod&fcloc=product&deptid=6&catid=1363&prodid=6020495704&aid=74&program=13244).) If you don’t want to bother with the link, the stones are amethyst, peridot, blue topaz, citrine, and garnet. Can I use the at-home baking soda method? Would the commercial ring cleaning liquid I got with my wedding set work?

Thanks in advance.

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-sterling-silver-jewelry-with-gemstones/497820/2 "2009-05-28T16:29:50Z")

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Gemstones are relatively impervious–they’re valued partly because they’ll look good for a long time, after all. If you clean the tarnished metal parts with a non-abrasive metal cleaner like Noxon or Tarn-X, you won’t damage the stones.

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**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleaning-sterling-silver-jewelry-with-gemstones/497820/3 "2009-05-28T18:08:08Z")

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> [@Q.E.D](#):
>
> Gemstones are relatively impervious…

Opal is a notable exception to this general rule.