How to clean earring butterflies

MrsPorridge

Hi,  Can someone help on how I can clean all the skanky horrid bits that have clogged up the butterflies of my earrings?  I have tried soaking in soapy water and brushing with a toothbrush - is there an easier way?  Many thanks.

DiamondLil

Buy one of the proprietary jewellery cleaners such as this one: 

https://www.goddardsshop.co.uk/goddards-jewellery-cleaner.html

All high street jewellers will stock this or equivalent. It comes with a tiny brush included.

Or home made: a drop of ammonia, liquid soap and warm water. Swish around and leave for 30 minutes or so.

Or, if all else fails, my aunt used to drop them into a (very small) glass of gin.

Northern_Wanderer

If metal, boil them in a pan of water for 5 minutes, let them cool and use a Tepe interdental brush to push out the gunk. Just soak them a while if non-metal and use the brush. Doing this reguarly is easier than leaving them a long time.

-taff

bicarb and hot water

jennystarpepper

Mr Pepper puts mine in a splash of gin overnight.

coffeehound

Have they got any gemstones in, @MrsPorridge?  

(Where does this using gin come from ?? )

jennystarpepper

coffeehound said:

Have they got any gemstones in, @MrsPorridge?  

(Where does this using gin come from ?? )

It's alcohol, good for cleaning things he said. (My earing's have stones in and they come out sparkling).  I was complaining about my ear itching and he probably found a dribble in an empty bottle.

I do not drink it after cleaning! 

MrsPorridge

Yes, I have some gemstones in them.  The jewellery part of the earrings are clean - I have special cleaner for them.  Its the gunky bits on the butterflies!  

I just tried the bicarb and hot water as I had some bicarb in the cupboard and its worked a treat.

Thanks all for the suggestions.

doingitanyway

Love the interdental stick idea...

Northern_Wanderer

doingitanyway said:

Love the interdental stick idea...

I have my uses......lol. It's a good second use for them.