A jewelry cleaning cloth is a soft fabric that may be treated with a special formula. Typically, cloths used to clean precious metals (such as silver and gold) are treated with formulas whereas cloths designed to clean diamonds and other gemstones are not treated.

Cloths used to polish precious metals are most effective when they are treated with polishing agents. These polishing agents consist of super-fine micro-abrasives, ingredients that bind the abrasive compounds, and ingredients that enhance the shine on jewelry. Treated polishing cloths are usually made of cotton flannel. Our Rich Glo Gold & Silver Polishing Cloths are very effective at cleaning precious metals.

Polishing cloths can also be made of other materials, such as suede. Our Brilliant Shine Ultra-Suede Polishing Cloths are another excellent option for cleaning gold and silver jewelry. These cloths are also treated with polishing agents. Unlike the flannel cloths, these cloths are lint free. Treated polishing cloths are safe to use on most jewelry.

Cloths used to clean diamonds and gems should be lint-free. Our Rich Glo Micro-Fiber Chamois Cloth is an excellent choice for polishing gemstones. This cloth is lint-free and non-abrasive and is the only type of cloth that is safe to use on all gemstones.

It is not recommended to launder treated polishing cloths, as this will remove the polishing agents and abrasives. This will cause the cloths to be less effective at polishing jewelry. However, it is perfectly fine to wash untreated micro-fiber cloths. Treated polishing cloths should be replaced when they lose their effectiveness. With normal usage, we recommend replacing every 6 months.