Whether you wear a cross necklace for religious purposes or because you believe it is a fashionable piece of jewelry, it is crucial to keep it clean.

If you don’t care for your cross necklace properly, it will lose its shine and may also become permanently dirty. If the cross necklace contains any gems, they will also lose their sparkle over time.

Fortunately, keeping your cross necklace clean isn’t that hard and complex. By following any one of the following simple steps, you can easily keep your necklace clean for years to come.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a miracle ingredient. From cleanings burnt dishes to getting rid of the smell from gym shoes, it can be used for various non-culinary purposes and that includes keeping your jewelry sparkly clean.

The method is also pretty straightforward. All you need is some baking soda, boiling water, a heat-proof bowl, and aluminum foil.

• Line the bowl with a large piece of aluminum foil, covering all edges.
• Place the cross necklace on the aluminum foil.
• Sprinkle an adequate amount of baking soda on the necklace. One tablespoon for a cup of water should be enough.
• Add enough boiling water to submerge the necklace underwater. You can also mix the baking soda with the water before pouring it on the necklace.
• Leave it for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the necklace from the baking soda water and rinse it under cold water.
• Gently rub the necklace with a soft cloth until completely dry. You don’t want to leave it to dry by itself.

 The mixture of baking soda and boiling water causes a chemical reaction that removes the tarnish from the jewelry and brings out its original shine. If you watch the jewelry for those three minutes, you can actually see the discolored jewelry turning back to its original state.

Vinegar and Baking Soda

If your jewelry has caught particularly stubborn tarnish, you may need something stronger than water and baking soda. Instead, you can opt for baking soda with vinegar.

This method requires more patience but can provide amazing results.
All you need for this method is vinegar, baking soda, and a bowl.

• Fill the bowl with half a cup of white vinegar. If white vinegar is not available, you can opt for other types of vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or wine vinegar.
• Add two tablespoons of baking soda and mix it thoroughly. The solution should start to bubble at this point. If it doesn’t, it means your baking soda has lost efficiency, and you may need to open a new packet for this method to work.
• Add your cross necklace to the bowl, making sure the whole piece of jewelry is submerged underwater.
• Leave it inside for a while. It may take up to an hour for the necklace to go back to its original state.
• Remove the necklace from the bowl and rinse it in with clean water. You may have to wash it with a gentle soap to get rid of the vinegar smell.
• Gently wipe it with a soft cloth.
• Vinegar and baking soda make a great solution to remove tarnish from silver. However, it is not something you can use if you’re running late for a party. So, if you plan on using this method, make sure to do it when you’re not in a hurry.

 Ketchup

If you’re in a pinch and don’t have baking soda lying around, you can use some ketchup as a quick temporary fix. You can find a small packet everywhere. So even if you’re not home, you can use this method to improve your jewelry look.

Although things can be a little messy, so make sure there is a working sink or water source nearby.

• Squeeze a small amount of ketchup onto your fingers and rub it onto the cross necklace. If you have an old toothbrush handy, you can use it to scrub the necklace. Or else, rubbing with your fingers should suffice.
• Add as much ketchup as required to cover the necklace.
• Let the necklace sit in the ketchup for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Thoroughly rinse it under running water before washing it off with a bar of soap.
• Gently rub it with a soft cloth or tissues until dry.
• This isn’t a permanent fix and wouldn’t provide as great results as the above two methods. However, if you don’t have other resources available, you can use this method until you have the time to try the other methods.

Tips to Store Your Jewelry

If you store your jewelry properly, the chance of it developing tarnish decreases. This will also reduce the frequency at which the jewelry needs to be cleaned.

Jewelry tends to tarnish faster when it is exposed to air and moisture. Therefore, it is important to store your cross necklace in an airtight container when you’re not wearing it.

A specialty jewelry bag or a plastic zipping bag can also be used to store it. Ideally, it would help if you stored your jewelry individually.

If you have a large jewelry box, get smaller plastic zipping bags to keep each piece of jewelry separate. It is best to keep the storage box in a cool dark place.