How to Clean Sapphires

Cleaning a Sapphire Routinely

Use a soft, dry jewelry cleaning cloth to polish sapphire. Giving the gemstones an initial polish before using soap and water will remove some of the less stubborn smudges and tarnishes, making the entire cleaning process more effective and efficient.

Fill a small bowl with warm water and dish detergent. You'll want to make sure that the water temperature ranges from warm to hot and that there is enough water in the bowl so that the sapphires can be completely submerged. Keep in mind that most types of dish soups or cleaning detergents will suffice. However, make sure the soap you're using possesses a degreasing agent.

Place the sapphire in the warm, soapy water and let soak for a few seconds. This initial soak will help remove and/or loosen some of the remaining residue on the gemstone. This will also significantly reduce the risk of scratching the sapphire during the scrubbing process.

Scrub the rock gently with a damp cloth. After the sapphire has soaked, gently scrub it with a cloth or a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean the more resilient smudges and dirt. Most residue should come off relatively easy after the initial soak. You'll want to soak sapphires with more persistent residue or smudges for a longer period of time.

Rinse the stone and dry it with a soft cloth. After you've removed the sapphire from the bowl, run it under hot water to wash away any of the dirt or excess soap that may have left. Dry the sapphire completely with a dry jewelry or polishing cloth to prevent water stains, which are more prevalent when cleaning with hard water.

Cleaning More Stubborn Sapphire

Soak the sapphires in a bowl of hot water. Combine hot - not warm - water and soap in a small bowl and place sapphires in the bowl to soak anywhere from 10-20 minutes. Soaking the gemstones will help loosen the more persistent dirt or smudges that have built up. The main difference in the two cleaning styles is the amount of time you let the sapphire soak. The dirtier the sapphire, the longer you'll want to let it soak, which is ultimately aimed at reducing the amount of scrubbing you'll have to do.

Gently scrub the sapphire to remove remaining smudges and residue. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush, make-up brush or jewelry rag to scrub the sapphire. Rinse the sapphire under warm tap water to clear away dirt and then gently scrub away any remaining residue.

Make sure sapphire is dried thoroughly before storage. Use a dry jewelry cloth to thoroughly dry the sapphire before storing as to eliminate the possibility of leaving water marks. Store sapphires in a dry place to ensure cleanliness is retained.