What is an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner and how does it work?

An ultrasonic jewelry cleaner is a small machine that works by producing high-frequency sound waves. What this does is produce bubbles and ultrasonic vibrations in the water which efficiently eliminates dirt and grime sticking to your jewelry. Unless you want to clean second hand jewelry, you have to use an ultrasonic cleaner.

When you clean with a brush, there are restrictions on where the brush can get to. Some jewelry items may have small holes and cavities which complicate it for a brush or other cleaning solution to get to.

When you put these items into the cleaning solution and start the ultrasonic process, the bubbles produced by the disturbance in the water work eliminate the dirt and pollution on the jewelry items. Because an ultrasonic cleaner functions through waves and movement, the dirt in all the difficult-to-get places will be easily reached and eliminated.

The whole process usually takes just a few minutes and your jewelry gets out of the solvent clean and shining. So not only are you saving time but you get an efficient and complete cleaning result.

How to use an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner?

Utilizing an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner is simple and time-saving. It is just necessary for you to follow a few steps, which are the same for most cleaners available.

Most ultrasonic jewelry cleaners function with a cleaning solution that is employed to fill the tank of the machine, as per the producer’s instructions. Still, some models on the market function with tap water. This, of course, is dependent on the model so examine the instructions of your special model cautiously before to use.

1. Once the tank is filled, put the jewelry items into the cleaning solvent and switch the machine on. If you are putting in numerous items, just be cautious that the pieces do not damage each other.
2. Make sure that the water is hot to get the most efficient clean. Many people overlook this step, using cold water instead, but this does not give as efficacious a clean as when using hot water.
3. Some ultrasonic jewelry cleaner models are equipped with a fitted heater feature which maintains the water at the right temperature for the best cleaning. However, do NOT employ boiling water as this can impair your jewelry.
4. As the cycle begins, you will see ultrasonic vibrations moving through the liquid, stimulating disturbed bubbles. The heat and pressure this produces begin to get rid of the dirt build-up. You will be able to regulate the heat and intensity of the cleaner as needed.
5. After the cleaning cycle is complete, it is best to let your jewelry items stay for several minutes in the water for the dirt to segregate from the items.
6. Finally, get your items out, give them a rinse in clean water to get rid of the cleaning solution, and then use a soft brush to get rid of any sticking dirt particles from the jewelry items. It is not a time-taking process, as the dirt is already loosened. Just make sure that you brush the hard areas such as the claws and crevices of your items.
7. Give the items one final rinse. You can do this by hand or in the ultrasonic cleaner. Just utilize clean water and once finished, dry the items employing a soft cloth.

Three factors to take into account for efficient cleaning

To get the most efficacious clean from your ultrasonic jewelry cleaner, there are three leading factors that you must think about.

Time

Selecting how long your cleaning cycle should continue differs, depending on how contaminated the item is. Based on a general guideline, a trial cycle usually takes from 2 to 10 minutes. Anything less and you will not get the full advantages of the machine’s cleaning abilities. In some cases, you may require more than one cycle to completely clean the items.

Temperature

Whereas all ultrasonic jewelry cleaners function with tap water, utilizing heated water is necessary for an improved cleaning process. In most cases, a temperature of 140 F is great, although some cleaning solvents may need a bit higher temperature to function efficiently.

Mass of load

By mass, the shape and density of the load are in mind. If you place a large dense mass of jewelry to be cleaned, you will not get a complete clean. A general principle is that the weight of the load should wonderfully be less than the weight of half the volume of water. If it is possible, think of splitting the load into two smaller loads rather than one large load.

What type of ultrasonic jewelry cleaner solution should be used?

It was mentioned above that it is necessary to use a cleaning solution for your ultrasonic cleaner, depending on the model. When selecting your cleaner, you have two ways to do it:

Make your own cleaner

This is an easy and unsophisticated process. Just pour one tablespoon of ammonia and some dishwashing liquid (as needed) into the tank of your ultrasonic cleaner.  Fill it with hot water and you’re prepared for the cycle. Just make sure that you correctly blend all ingredients together.

Purchase a ready-made cleaning solution

You can purchase a cleaning solution on the market that has been particularly produced to get rid of contamination and dirt from jewelry. These often don’t involve tough chemicals that will badly influence your jewelry. You can also find some solvents for special goals, such as eliminating silver tarnish.

What not to put in an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner?

Not all jewelry should be cleaned by employing an ultrasonic cleaner. Wondering what not to place in ultrasonic jewelry cleaners to prevent damage? Ultrasound may stain and crack softer gemstones, such as opals, emeralds, and turquoise.

Also, gemstones whose color has been improved through heat treatment should not be adopted in an ultrasonic cleaner, as the ultrasound waves can dull the brightness of their colors.

Conclusion

Ultrasonic jewelry cleaners are great materials because of their ability to clean jewelry in an efficient way. Through the chemicals in the solution you choose and the ultrasonic waves the cleaner creates, it’s able to get rid of oil, dirt, tarnish, and even mold.