An ultrasonic jewelry cleaner is a fast and affordable way to keep your jewelry clean. The cleaning cycle is only three minutes long. And the cleaning solution is just plain water. Some people put a little ammonia in with the water but this is not necessary.
An ultrasonic jewelry cleaner uses ultrasound to clean your jewelry. The electronic device below the metal tank converts electricity into ultrasonic energy. The ultrasonic energy causes bubbles to rise from the bottom of the tank. These tiny bubbles implode from the pressure and create shock waves. These waves of energy get into those small details of your jewelry and loosen the dirt and built up soap residue.
Gemstones with inclusions, internal cracking or that are of a more fragile material should not be cleaned in an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. Some examples of gemstones that should not be cleaned with ultrasound are; amber, crystals, tanzanite, turquoise, opal, pearl and mother of pearl.
After
the cleaning cycle be sure to remove your jewelry immediately. If you
used a cleaning solution other than water, you should rinse your jewelry
then towel dry. I also get the blow dryer out and blow dry my jewelry
to try and get all the water out of any tight crevasses. You don't want
to get water spots on your jewelry. Then I lay my pieces flat to air dry
completely before storing them in plastic bags or jewelry trays.
Ultrasonic jewelry cleaners only clean dirt and oils from your pieces not tarnish. If your jewelry is tarnished you're still going to have to polish it with a polishing cloth or invest in an ionic jewelry cleaner.