Cloudy rings and dingy chains don’t need an expensive bottle with a fancy label to look decent again. This homemade jewelry cleaner tackles built-up grime with pantry-style cleaning staples and a soft brush, so your pieces come out bright instead of looking like they’ve been living at the bottom of a junk drawer. It’s quick, practical, and far cheaper than replacing a favorite piece because it looked too far gone to bother with.
A small bottle of commercial jewelry cleaner often costs several dollars for just a few ounces, while this batch makes 2 quarts from basic household ingredients you may already keep on hand.
Making it yourself also lets you control the scent and skip unnecessary dyes or added fragrance that don’t do a thing for a ring except dress up the bottle.
You’ll need 5 materials for this cleaner: borax, water, washing soda, liquid ammonia, and finely shaved castile soap. The method uses an enameled pot for heating and dissolving the mixture, plus a brush and a container large enough to hold the finished cleaner and your jewelry while it soaks.
- 🧰 Materials You'll Need
- 🔧 Tools/Equipment
- 🛠️ How to Make Fabulous Jewelry Cleaner
- 🛠️ How to Use It
- 🎨 Customization Ideas
- 🛡️ Safety and Jewelry Care
- 📦 Storage
- 💸 Cost Breakdown
- 🛍️ Need Help Finding Everything?
- ❓ Frequently Asked Questions about Fabulous Jewelry Cleaner
- 📌 Love this Fabulous Jewelry Cleaner? Pin it!
- 🖨️ Print-Friendly How-To: Fabulous Jewelry Cleaner
Materials You’ll Need
- 2 tablespoons borax
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon washing soda
- 2 1/2 ounces liquid ammonia
- 1 tablespoon finely shaved castile soap
- Enough additional water to make 2 quarts total
Tools/Equipment
- Enameled pot
- Stirring spoon
- Measuring spoons
- Liquid measuring cup
- Storage container for 2 quarts cleaner
- Soft brush for cleaning jewelry
How to Make Fabulous Jewelry Cleaner
- Combine the borax, washing soda, finely shaved castile soap, and 2 cups of water in an enameled pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and cook just until all the ingredients dissolve.
- Let the mixture cool partially.
- Stir in the liquid ammonia.
- Add enough additional water to make 2 quarts of cleaner.
- Transfer the finished cleaner to a storage container.
How to Use It
- Place the jewelry in the cleaner mixture.
- Brush the jewelry well to loosen and remove built-up grime.
- Rinse the piece in very hot water.
- Dry it carefully before wearing or storing.
If you also want a cleaner formulated specifically for gold pieces, take a look at this Gold Jewelry Cleaner. If you need a homemade soap base for other household mixes, this Liquid Castile Soap recipe may help.
Customization Ideas
- For small batches: Cut the formula in half if you only clean jewelry occasionally and don’t want to store the full 2 quarts.
- For frequent use: Keep the cleaner in a clearly labeled jar or bottle and pour out only what you need for each cleaning session.
- For delicate brushing: Use a very soft brush on detailed settings and chain links so you can reach grime without scratching metal finishes.
Safety and Jewelry Care
Use this cleaner with care around delicate stones and older pieces. The Gemological Institute of America notes that ammonia can be too strong for some delicate gems or vintage jewelry, and it specifically warns that porous or sensitive materials such as pearls, opals, turquoise, amber, and coral need gentler handling, so skip this cleaner for those pieces and stick with the care method that matches the stone instead: GIA’s jewelry care guidance.
- Work in a well-ventilated area when handling and mixing ammonia.
- Do not use this cleaner on pearls, opals, turquoise, coral, amber, or other delicate or porous stones.
- Avoid using it on vintage jewelry unless you know the materials and settings can handle this type of cleaner.
- Keep the cleaner away from children and pets.
- Never mix ammonia-based cleaners with bleach.
- Rinse pieces carefully after brushing and dry them thoroughly.
Storage
Store the cleaner in a tightly closed, clearly labeled container. Keep it in a cool place away from heat, and keep it separate from other cleaning products so nobody grabs it blindly on autopilot (that’s when projects turn into stories).
Cost Breakdown
This cleaner is inexpensive per batch because the formula uses small amounts of borax, washing soda, castile soap, and ammonia diluted with water. Based on current big-box pricing for common household cleaning supplies, the estimated consumable cost for one 2-quart batch is about $0.85, depending on the brand you buy and what you already have on hand.
🛍️ Need Help Finding Everything?
- Borax at Walmart
- Washing soda at Walmart
- Homemade Liquid Castile Soap
- Clear ammonia at Walmart
- Soft jewelry cleaning brush on Amazon
Frequently Asked Questions about Fabulous Jewelry Cleaner
No. This cleaner is best reserved for sturdy jewelry that can handle brushing and a stronger cleaning solution. Skip it for pearls, opals, turquoise, coral, amber, and older or delicate pieces unless you know exactly how the jewelry was made and what stones it contains.
The method specifically calls for an enameled pot, so stick with that direction. It handles the heating step without making you guess about metal reactivity, which is one less variable to fuss with.
Yes. The formula directs you to boil the borax, washing soda, castile soap, and water until everything dissolves. That step matters because it fully blends the cleaner before you add the ammonia later.
Add the liquid ammonia after the mixture cools partially. Don’t pour it into the pot while the cleaner is still at a full boil.
The original formula specifically uses finely shaved castile soap, so that’s the best choice if you want to follow this cleaner exactly. If you prefer a different homemade cleaner, you’re better off using a recipe designed for that soap instead of freelancing here.
This batch makes 2 quarts after you add enough extra water at the end. Use a container large enough to hold the full amount.
Do both. Place the jewelry in the mixture first, then brush it well, rinse it in very hot water, and dry it carefully.
Store it in a tightly closed, clearly labeled container and keep it away from children, pets, and other cleaners. Don’t stash it in an unmarked jar unless you enjoy bad decisions.
You can use it on sturdy jewelry items, but tarnished silver sometimes responds better to a cleaner made specifically for silver. If silver is your main project, a dedicated silver cleaner usually makes more sense than asking one formula to do everything.
📌 Love this Fabulous Jewelry Cleaner? Pin it!
Did you try this jewelry cleaner? Tell us what piece you cleaned first or what grime gave you the most trouble.
🖨️ Print-Friendly How-To: Fabulous Jewelry Cleaner
Fabulous Jewelry Cleaner
Equipment
Materials
- 2 tablespoons borax
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon washing soda
- 2 ½ ounces liquid ammonia
- 1 tablespoon finely shaved castile soap
- Enough additional water to make 2 quarts total
Instructions
- Combine the borax, washing soda, finely shaved castile soap, and 2 cups of water in an enameled pot.
- Boil until all the ingredients are dissolved.
- Let the mixture cool partially.
- Stir in the liquid ammonia.
- Add enough additional water to make 2 quarts.
- Place jewelry in the mixture.
- Brush well.
- Rinse in very hot water.
- Dry carefully.
- Estimated cost reflects consumable materials only, not reusable tools.
- Use in a well-ventilated area.
- Do not mix ammonia with bleach.
- Do not use on pearls, opals, turquoise, coral, amber, or delicate vintage jewelry.
- Store in a tightly closed, clearly labeled container away from children and pets.
