Ultrasonic jewelry cleaners have always thought to be the tools of professionals. A wonderful added element of customer service provided by our favorite jewelry stores.
And whilst a trip to the jeweler offers the excitement of popping to the hairdresser to tidy up those fraying edges, sometimes we just don’t have the time! And sometimes we realize how much this begins to cost over time.🤣
Well, now you are able to reinvigorate your best jewelry pieces from the comfort of your own home. Without even removing your slippers, you can gain a dazzling, top-quality clean for all your precious items and it need not cost you an arm or a leg either!
Fine jewelry, like a good pair of leather shoes, can last a lifetime when given the proper time, care, and attention they deserve.
So let’s take a deep dive into everything you need to know about the ultrasonic cleaner!🤶🏻
Table of Contents
Basics: What is an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner?
An ultrasonic jewelry cleaner does exactly what it says on the tin; it cleans our jewelry by emitting high-frequency ultrasound waves combined with either a specific jewelry cleaner, or simply hot water, to remove build-up from our precious pieces.
Ultrasonic cleaners can clean a vast variety of items as well as jewelry such as; surgical instruments, motherboards, engine parts, and much more.
📝However, whatever we choose to clean in these ultrasonic cleaners, they must pass specific requirements…we don’t want our jewelry to be damaged in a bid to get them sparkling clean!
Ultrasonic cleaners are used in the jewelry trade to give a professional clean. No need to take that trip to your local store, you can have the luxury of a top-notch clean from the comfort of your home.
Don't miss our in-depth review of the TOP PICK😻
- Magnasonic Jewelry Cleaner (MGUC500) Review: Is It Worth It?
How does an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner work?
As you submerge your jewelry into the ultrasonic cleaner, the high-frequency soundwaves create what is known as a microbubble.
Lots of these little microbubbles are created as the waves alternate between negative and positive pressure. They move through the recommended solution (depending on which materials you are cleaning) in a process called Cavitation.
Cavitation, in short, is the term described for the formation of these tiny bubbles (a cavity) in a liquid solution.
Amplified vibrations work in tandem with these microbubbles to remove any dirt or contamination that would otherwise be hard to reach. In this process, the bubbles implode over and over again producing vacuum-like energy in the form of pressure and heat.
This epic combination of pressure, heat, and the speed at which these bubbles move effectively knock loose any dirt, oil, or tarnish leaving our items spick and span.
In effect, we pop our jewelry into the ultrasonic cleaner and a magical concoction of ultrasound waves (creating microbubbles) and amplified vibrations work to shake loose any dirt build up in even the smallest of crevices.
Scroll to Product Reviews Directly👇🏻
Ultrasonic jewelry cleaner vs. Other jewelry cleaners
Ultrasonic jewelry cleaners are not the only type of jewelry cleaner available to us. Among other options, we might opt for a jewelry steam cleaner or other homemade jewelry cleaners.
Lucky for us, all options available here require very little in the way of time and effort but we might use different methods for different outcomes.
Ultrasonic jewelry cleaner vs. Steam cleaner
Steam cleaners alongside ultrasonic jewelry cleaners are perhaps the two most popular options for cleaning our jewelry at home in the modern age.
Both machines can save us a lot of time, money, and energy by the simple nature of allowing us to clean at home. Likewise, both benefit from a professional and in-depth clean of our jewelry.
But here are some major differences to consider:
- Steam cleaners use high-pressure steam to blast away dirt unlike the ultrasound waves used in ultrasonic cleaners.
- Steam cleaners are more eco-friendly because they don’t require any cleaning solutions to work effectively unlike ultrasonic cleaners.
- The in-built heaters used to produce the high-pressure steam means that the machine and jewelry can get very hot—this is not ideal for jewelry that has been dyed, heated, contains soft stones, or stones that have a lot of inclusions.
- Steam cleaners have great results but can be quite expensive! Ultrasonic cleaners are easier to find on the market and as a result, steam cleaners can cost anywhere between $100 and $1,000. In contrast, ultrasonic cleaners can be purchased from $40 to $100.
Ultrasonic jewelry cleaner vs. Homemade cleaners
Yes, we have certainly all heard of the DIY, soak and scrub methods of cleaning our jewelry but do they actually work? And what sort of ingredients are we talking about here?
Well, there are many people who advocate for the benefits and successful outcomes of making our own at-home cleaners. It is possible to brighten up our jewelry, polish up our favourtie items and bring new life to some pieces in need of some TLC.
Here are a few options for some homemade jewelry cleaners:
- Dish soap, warm water, and a soft toothbrush- A classic! Squirt a small amount of dish soap into a bowl of lukewarm water. Add your jewelry and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Brush with a SOFT-BRISTLED (very important) toothbrush to remove dirt and build-up before rinsing with warm water and drying with a microfiber cloth.
- Baking soda paste- Mix water and a small amount of baking soda together to make a paste. Use the soft-bristled toothbrush to rub a small amount along your jewelry before rinsing with warm water and drying with a microfiber cloth.
- Ammonia soak for diamond jewelry only - For diamond jewelry only, mix 1 part ammonia to 5 parts water. Soak for 15-20 minutes before lightly scrubbing with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Rinse with warm water and dry with a microfiber cloth.
- Aluminum foil soak for tarnished silver - Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and place your jewelry in the pan. Dust with 1tbsp of salt, 1tbsp of baking soda, 1 sploosh of mild dish soap and pour enough hot water into the tray to cover your jewelry. Flip jewelry after 10 minutes and leave to sit for another 10 minutes. Remover and rinse with warm water before drying with a soft cloth.
This method is incredibly gentle and can be used on all kinds of jewelry metals and gems.
It’s a great inexpensive and easy option for getting our jewelry nice and clean. 🔍The only downside is that these methods don’t quite have the capability and sophistication to offer a real deep clean.
The ultrasonic can remove dirt from even the smallest nooks and crannies where these DIY methods may leave them hiding!
What are the benefits of using ultrasonic jewelry cleaners?
There’s a lot of information to process here so, I want to give it to you straight...what exactly are the benefits of using an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner, I hear you ask?
Let me break it down…
- No harsh chemicals are needed- Ultrasonic cleaners only use water-soluble solutions to clean your jewelry. There are many harsh chemicals used for cleaning that can be incredibly damaging to our jewelry by weakening and eroding the metals…certainly not what we want. The use of water-soluble solutions is not only incredibly gentle and effective but is also more environmentally friendly.
- Cost-effective- Ultrasonic cleaners are certainly an investment. However, that one-off payment will generally only set you back between $40 and $100. In the long run, you will easily save money on this investment by not having to pay for a professional clean. You will receive consistent professional quality cleaning without the recurring costs!
- Save your valuable time- Think of the time that might be wasted from taking your jewelry to the store (for them to undoubtedly use this exact equipment), wait for them to clean your believed pieces before having to walk back home. The ultrasonic cleaner can be used from the comfort of your own home and offers a quality clean.
- Removes all hidden dirt- The powerful use of the cavitation process mentioned above means that the ultrasonic cleaner removes dirt in even the hardest-to-reach places. No hidden crease, nook, or cranny...nothing can hide from the ultrasonic cleaner! Where other methods may struggle to give such an in-depth clean, the ultra-sonic will remove the dirt that not even you can see.
Keep your jewelry safe: Critical things you should know
Attention! This is very important…
Not all jewelry is safe to use in an ultrasonic cleaner. We must take into account various aspects of our jewelry before deciding on the best possible cleaning methods. Whilst the ultrasonic cleaner is a standout piece of equipment, we don’t want to risk damaging our jewelry now, do we?
We should first consider the characteristics and properties of the metals and gemstones in each piece of jewelry before taking the plunge.✅
What types of metal are safe in the ultrasonic cleaner?
Luckily for us, most precious metals are compatible with ultrasonic cleaners.
If you have gold, platinum, palladium, silver, or rose gold then provided that they are not porous or damaged they are safe to clean with ultrasonic cleaners.
An exception to this would be tungsten. This process can affect the integrity of this metal and cause tiny fractures in its structure.💡
Whilst most metals will be perfectly safe, it’s always best to double-check with your jewelry professional upon buying for reassurance and expert guidance.
NOTE
Do not place costume jewelry in the ultrasonic cleaner! They generally contain gemstone simulants and are made with cheap materials that may warp or erode with the heat of the ultrasonic cleaner.
What Gemstones can be cleaned in the cleaner?
If you’ve read other articles in our blog then you will know by now that not all gemstones are made equal. In fact, their chemical structures are incredibly varied! With this in mind, there are certain stones that can and cannot be used in an ultrasonic cleaner.
Let’s take a look at the chart below for a quick reference…
| Gemstones That Can Be Cleaned in an Ultrasonic Cleaner | Gemstones That Cannot Be cleaned in an Ultrasonic Cleaner |
|---|---|
| Diamonds | Amber |
| Ruby | Topaz |
| Sapphire | Feldspar |
| Amethyst | Turquoise |
| Garnet | Opal |
| Cubic Zirconia | Onyx |
| Lapis Lazuli | |
| Malachite | |
| Mother of Pearl | |
| Some Colored Diamonds |
Cleaning Diamonds- Of course, the hardest gemstone can be cleaned safely in the ultrasonic cleaner. With that said, always check with your jewelry professional and consult your jewelry report to understand if your diamond has been treated or has a certain type of inclusion.
Certain treatments or inclusions will mean that these stones may be damaged by the use of an ultrasonic cleaner. Make sure to check first!
NOTE
The same is true for some colored diamonds that have undergone heat treatment to enhance the natural hue. The ultrasonic cleaner may affect their vivid color so it’s better to be safe than sorry and check with your jewelry professional first.
Organic Gems - These gems are obtained from living organisms. What this means is that they are often porous and porous materials do not do well in the ultrasonic cleaner. The stones include amber, jet, and coral.
Non-Organic Gemstones- Some non-organic gems are safe to clean in the ultrasonic cleaner due to their hard and durable nature. For example, sapphire, ruby, and amethyst.
But others are often softer and have been heat-treated and would suffer from the use of the ultrasonic machine. Stones such as emeralds, onyx, topaz, and turquoise should never be used in ultrasonic cleaners.
Reviews of the 6 best ultrasonic jewelry cleaners (2022)
Time to take a look at 6 of the best ultrasonic jewelry cleaners available in 2022.
Magnasonic Professional Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner (MGUC500)
The Magnasonic professional ultrasonicjewelry cleaner gets top marks for being a great all-rounder and customer-approved ultrasonic cleaner.
This ultrasonic cleaner can provide a professional and in-depth clean using only water with all of the work done by the ultrasonic waves…that’s right, no solution required.
The 42,000 Hz of ultrasonic energy waves create millions of tiny bubbles with seemingly little effort. It is this powerful energy that allows for a deep and gentle clean with only the need for water. Whilst the cleaner may seem timid and mild, the effects speak for themselves.
Its generous 20 oz stainless steel chamber allows enough space to fit an assortment of items to maximize its usage every time and its digital display comes with 5 preset cleaning cycles (90, 180, 280, 380, and 480) and auto shut off. Do you know what that means? Yep, you can set it up and let it do its thing without having to clock watch or worry about overuse.
This subtle and quiet cleaner offers tremendous sparkling results. With 4.5 stars on Amazon, it is customer recommended and is perfect for both at-home and business use for a top-quality clean.
PROS
- Ready to go
- Easy to use digital display
- Professional high-quality clean
- Auto shut off
- Excellent value for money
- Lifetime customer support
- Over 18,000 positive customer reviews!✅
- Capacity for multiple items
- Lifetime Customer Support
CONS
- Over-use can reduce the lifespan of cleaner
- Only runs on 120 volts
- Hard to empty a tank
Read the full review for this product🔍
- Magnasonic Jewelry Cleaner (MGUC500) Review: Is It Worth It?
LONOVE Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner
The LONOVE ultrasonic jewelry cleanerboasts a 360-degree all-around effective deep clean for your jewelry. With this cleaner, you could hope to renew your most precious jewelry back to the way they were on the day you bought them.
The 360-degree deep cleaning uses 42,000 Hz of ultrasound waves to penetrate even the smallest of spaces within our jewelry for a deep and thorough clean.
For best results, they recommend soaking your jewelry in warm water for 4-5 minutes beforehand, longer if the jewelry item has a particular long-term build-up.
With only one power button, the LONOVE boasts easy to use and simple for anyone to use. The cleaner will automatically shut off after 5 minutes after which you can take your items out or run them through again if necessary.
PROS
- Incredibly easy to use
- 360-degree all-round deep clean
- Larger 25-ounce container
- Built-in removable basket
- Auto shut off after 5 minutes
- Quiet when the machine is on
- Affordable
CONS
- Only one cycle - might have to run through multiple times
- May have to soak items first
- Poorly written directions manual
Compact Professional Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner (MUC02)
This compact professional ultrasonic jewelrycleaner is currently labeled as an Amazon’s Choice product with over 2,000 positive customer reviews.
This ultrasonic cleaner offers the same 42,000 Hz ultrasound energy for the powerful removal of dirt and build-up without damaging our precious jewelry pieces.
With a 20 ounce (6000ml) capacity, the removable basket offers plenty of space and easy cleaning of small objects. This device offers five handy time cycles (90s, 180s, 280s, 380s, and 480s) and automatically shuts off after each cycle. The LED display screen and simple two-button controls make this incredibly easy to use and read.
It brags of a noise reduction design to keep this little instrument seen but not heard, a neat little machine to spruce up your jewelry in no time.
PROS
- Affordable
- 5 preset cleaning cycles
- Compliance with certifications as: CE, ROHS, FCC, PSE, GS
- Auto-shutoff
- Noise-free mode
- Over 2,000 positive Amazon reviews
- 24-Month Warranty
CONS
- Does not fit other items such as glasses
LifeBasis Ultrasonic Cleaner
The LifeBasis ultrasonicis a neat little ultrasonic cleaner that offers 5 cleaning modes so that you can choose to lightly clean fragile items or a more intense clean for those stubborn pieces.
With an in-built exclusive cooling fan, it can extend its working hours without diminishing the cleaning effect. With its 42,000 Hz ultrasonic sound, it ensures sufficient cleaning.
A nice added feature is its transparent lid that allows you to watch the cleaning process for those who like to see it in action. This also means we can keep an eye on our items if we have any concerns about the process.
Another feature to note is the detachable power cable which makes it easily portable and safe when it’s time to give the cleaner a good clean!
With its built-in removable basket and watch holder, no-noise, and auto-shut-off functions, LifeBasis ultrasonic cleaner makes for a great competitor!
PROS
- Detachable power socket for portability
- No noise
- Auto shut off
- Transparent lid
- 5 cleaning modes
- Cooling fan for multiple uses without overheating the machine
CONS
- Fewer purchases and positive reviews
- Claims no-noise but some reviews dispute this
- More expensive than others
InvisiClean Professional Ultrasonic CLeaner
The InvisiClean professional ultrasonic cleanerboasts of a dual transducer that doubles the cleaning power!
With many reviewers claiming this machine to feel like ‘top-quality’ cleaning equipment, we can see quite quickly that perhaps the higher price of this machine is justified.
Other than the double cleaning power, the most impressive feature that distinguishes it from the rest is its higher capacity. With 800 milliliters, it outshines the other ultrasonic cleaners mentioned here.
Like the machine before, the InvisClean has a built-in fan for increased longevity and 5 timer settings available depending on the depth of clean required. To be sure, you have more space, greater cleaning power, a sleek look, and a transparent lid for optimum viewing pleasure!
PROS
- Double cleaning power
- 800 milliliters capacity
- Cooling fan for longevity
- 5-time settings
- Amazon’s Choice
- Lifetime Support and 1 Year Warranty
CONS
- 110 volts only
- More expensive
DEKOPRO Professional Ultrasonic Cleaner
The DEKOPRO professional ultrasonic cleaner offers a powerful 45,000 Hz of ultrasound energy compared to the 42,000 Hz of the other machines looked at here today. This makes this machine an excellent option for cleaning stubborn dirt and build-up without damaging our beloved items.
Unlike the other machines available, this ultrasonic cleaner has 4 different cleaning modes: 2-minute glasses mode, 3-minute jewelry mode, 5-minute watches mode, and a 10-minute custom mode.
Its fashionable design makes this easily portable should you ever need to take it with you on a trip where you’ll be needing all of your best pieces looking as good as new!
PROS
- 45,000 Hz
- Easy To Use - Single On/Off Button
- 4 cleaning modes - Simple 4 button display
- Portable
- Affordable
CONS
- Much smaller capacity of 300ml
Bonus #1: How to use an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner?
Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how to use an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner to help get you started!
- Fill the ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. Your cleaner will either need tap water or a cleaning solution, make sure to check the manual before you begin.
- Place the jewelry items into the tank once the tank is filled. Once you have done this, turn the machine on.
- Leave your jewelry in the machine as the ultrasonic vibrations and microbubbles do their job of breaking up and agitating any build-up. The heat and pressure will increase and this will gradually begin to remove the dirt. Depending on the machine you have chosen, you can adjust the heat if necessary.
- Once the cleaning cycle is complete, leave the items in the cleaner for several minutes. This will allow the dirt to separate from the jewelry.
- After several minutes, take your items out of the water and rinse them with clean water to remove any remaining clinging dirt particles and cleaning solution.
- Finally, give your items one final rinse with clean water (or the ultrasonic cleaner if you wish) and dry the items using a soft cloth.
Bonus #2: Advice on using an ultrasonic cleaner
Now, before you decide to use your cleaner for the first time, we have some final pieces of advice for effective cleaning.🚿
Here are three important factors to consider before you begin!
#1 Heat the cleaner up before use
For the best possible outcome, make sure to heat the cleaner up before you begin. So, step one in the process above should have you using hot water (not boiling water⚠️) rather than cold water. Some cleaners have a built-in heater but other cleaners will need you to add the hot water yourself.
Be sure to check the manual before you begin!
#2 Use a basket!
Rather than placing the jewelry directly into the tank, be sure to use a basket instead. You do not want to risk scratching your jewelry or the tank by having them sink straight to the bottom!
The basket will allow the sonic energy to move between the item for effective and rigorous cleaning. Make sure your items are nicely spaced apart from one another using a bracket or basket accessory if necessary.
#3 Do not put too many items in at once
Overloading the basket will reduce the effectiveness of the cleaning process and may cause scratching to both your jewelry and cleaner. It is better to add items in batches than to overload your machine!
How often should I use the Ultrasonic cleaner?
You are able to use the ultrasonic cleaner on a relatively frequent basis, especially with those featuring an in-built cooling fan in order to withstand multiple uses in a short space of time.
A good practice to follow is to clean your jewelry in the cleaner every few weeks. However, if you wear certain items daily and notice an increase in dirt and build-up, then you can clean them once a week if necessary.
Our advice to you is to always confirm the correct cleaning method with the jeweler beforehand.
Ultrasonic cleaning guide
That is a full guide to understanding everything you need to know about cleaning your jewelry with ultrasonic jewelry cleaners.
Whilst you can certainly make do with alternative at-home methods, ultrasonic cleaners make for an excellent one-time investment that rewards you over and over again.
They can restore even the most neglected of jewelry items to their former glory and can be done from the comfort of your own home.
Always remember to check with a jewelry advisor and check the machine instruction manual before use if you are unsure.📝 It’s better to be safe than sorry! But one thing is to be sure, the results will be dazzling and this will not likely be a purchase you’ll ever regret...😎
