Those who love their jewellery will want their pieces to always look like new and will use a variety of cleaning methods, including an ultrasonic cleaner. This is a powerful cleaning device capable of restoring the beauty of our jewellery using high frequency sound waves.
The waves travel through water or a cleaning solution, and as a result of the heat and pressure that is generated, they can remove any adhering contaminants since they can go through cracks, holes and other hard-to-reach hidden areas in a jewel, leaving it sparkling. Therefore, it is the preferred option when it comes to tarnished jewellery.
However, while they work well to remove any accumulated dirt, there are cases in which an ultrasonic cleaner is not the best option. Remember that all jewellery is not the same and there will be pieces that are stronger and more durable than others. So it is important to know which those jewels are that we can clean with it and which ones not, because placing the wrong jewel can damage it. So we invite you to discover which they are.
Which jewels you should not put in the ultrasonic jewellery cleaner
The jewels that should not be cleaned with ultrasonic jewellery cleaners if you want to prevent damage are:
1. Organic gems
These are porous materials that are mostly obtained from living beings and organisms, so they can be damaged by the heat of an ultrasonic cleaner and the chemicals found in most cleaning solutions. In this category we have pearls, coral, ivory, shell cameos, jet and amber.
Pearls include chocolate pearls, freshwater pearls, dyed / black pearls, and mother-of- pearl, which are much softer than the vast majority of gemstones used to make jewellery. In addition, it is possible that their outer layer may partially dissolve or erode in the process, especially mother-of-pearl pearls.
To avoid the risk of losing jewellery that has these gems, it is best not to put them in the ultrasonic cleaner.
2. Emeralds
Emeralds are too brittle and can be damaged by the heat or vibrations of the cleaner. Emeralds in particular are gemstones with many inclusions and are often oiled.
This means that to fill open inclusions and improve their appearance they are lubricated with oil. But if you use an ultrasonic cleaner to clean them, you will be removing the oily layer and leaving an ugly and fractured emerald.
Likewise, any precious stone with large inclusions and / or feathers should not be put in ultrasonic cleaners since the high energy sound waves could hit the stones and generate cracks.
3. Tanzanite
Tanzanite is a beautiful blue-violet gemstone that is always heat treated to enhance colour, so cleaning it by using the ultrasonic cleaner can actually bleach that beautiful shade. Also, it is one of the softest gemstones out there, which means it can crack or fracture in the ultrasonic cleaner. So the best thing is cleaning them by hand.
4. Onyx and lapis lazuli
These two stones are also very fragile and under the heat and pressure of an ultrasonic cleaner they will end up breaking. It is also the fact that they are gems that are often dyed to enhance their colors, so after cleaning with this device they would also be opaque.
The same will happen to other stones such as jade, turquoise, malachite, amber, marcasite, coral and agates. On the other hand, there are also many gems that are susceptible to changes in heat and temperature and that regardless of whether they are treated or untreated, they should not be cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner either. Some of these gems include sunstone, moonstone, fluorite, iolite, kunzite, topaz, and zircon, among others.
5. Opals
Opals are brittle gemstones and will fracture easily if subjected to the high pressure and temperature of the cleaner. There is no type of opal that can withstand ultrasonic cleaning, so they should be gently cleaned by hand.
6. Coloured diamonds
Although diamonds are the hardest gemstones on the face of the earth, there are some diamonds that cannot be put in an ultrasonic cleaner. We are referring to coloured diamonds, which are enhanced with heat to bring out their colour and tone since their beautiful colors could dim and fade.
Similarly, many diamonds have fractures that have been filled to improve their quality. The problem is that the filler could dissolve and come out making your diamond look bad and even cracking in the process.
Likewise, we must avoid placing any defective, synthetic or treated stone that may have cracks or fillings because it will inevitably suffer the same consequences.
7. Costume jewellery
Never put costume jewellery in an ultrasonic cleaner. In most cases fake, synthetic or imitation gemstones are used that will undoubtedly end up breaking in the heat. Also, since many pieces of costume jewellery are glued together, the glue will certainly dissolve, wear out, and most likely, ruin your products.
8. Watches
You may think that your stainless steel watch needs ultrasonic cleaning, but you really shouldn’t. Some watches, such as diver’s watches and Rolex watches, may be water resistant, but they are not water resistant and would be damaged by such powerful cleaners.
Lastly, do not put anything with loose parts in the ultrasonic cleaner. As you may notice, in general, most gemstones are not suitable for being placed in the ultrasonic cleaner, so you shouldn’t risk cleaning them with it unless you are sure they are strong enough and untreated; a rule that also applies to most synthetic or fake gemstones.
Metals that should not be cleaned with the ultrasonic cleaner
On this list, there are only two metals and the first one is tungsten. While it is one of the hardest minerals, it is not safe in the ultrasonic cleaner because it can be damaged. The other is silver alloy, or sterling silver, specifically, we are talking about tarnished sterling silver.
What jewels can you put in the ultrasonic cleaner?
You already have a list of the things that should not be put in the ultrasonic cleaner, now let’s see what you can clean in the ultrasonic cleaner.
1. Gold, silver, and jewellery made from other precious metals, such as platinum.
2. Diamonds (without inclusion)
Most of the best quality colourless diamonds can be cleaned with ultrasonic cleaners as long as they are free of inclusions or feathers. As mentioned above, these are weak spots that put the jewel at risk of cracking or wearing out. Therefore, unless the diamond has the best degree of clarity, you may want to look for alternatives first.
Having said this, you shouldn’t clean coloured diamonds with these powerful cleaners.
3. Non-organic gemstones
Some of the non-organic gemstones that can be cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner include hard gemstones such as rubies, sapphires, garnets, and amethysts.
4. Cubic zirconia
It has no inclusions or fillings, and you can clean it with ultrasound.
ALFA