You clean hoop earrings with lukewarm water, a drop of mild soap and a soft toothbrush. Gently brush along the ring, the clasp and any stones. Rinse them briefly, pat them dry with a soft cloth and then let them air dry completely. For smooth silver hoops, you can finish with a silver polishing cloth.
You often wear hoops for days in a row. Without noticing, a layer of skin oils, sweat and hairspray builds up. That makes your hoop earrings look dull, and the post feels less fresh. In this blog you will read step by step how to clean them safely, and what to avoid.
Why should you clean hoop earrings regularly?
A hoop touches your skin all day, so dirt builds up faster than you think.
Dirt mostly hides in places you do not see
On the front you often see nothing. But turn the hoop over and there is often a grey edge around the hinge and in the clasp. That is exactly where your earlobe touches it every day. Regular cleaning therefore not only feels nicer, it also looks better cared for.
Dirt speeds up wear of the finish
Skin oils and traces of beauty products affect the gold or rhodium layer. The longer they stay on, the faster the shine fades. In the blog on why hoop earrings discolour you can read exactly how that process works.
Tube Hoops Multicoloured Zirconia - Mulberry
How do you clean hoop earrings step by step?
With things you already have at home, your hoops look fresh again in a few minutes.
Step 1: make a mild soapy solution
Fill a small bowl with lukewarm water and add a drop of mild hand soap or washing up liquid. Do not use hot water. Big temperature changes are not good for stones and the finish.
Step 2: brush gently
Leave your hoops in the solution for a minute. Then take a soft toothbrush, for example a children's toothbrush. Brush calmly along the ring and especially around the clasp. With a hinged clasp, hold the hinge open for a moment so the inside gets clean too. You can read which clasp your hoop has in the blog on the clasps of hoop earrings.
Step 3: rinse and dry well
Rinse the hoops briefly under the tap. Then pat them dry with a soft, lint free cloth. Leave them open on a towel for another half hour. That way the last bit of moisture leaves the clasp as well.
How do you clean hoops with stones?
Hoops with zirconia or coloured stones need a little more care than a smooth model.
Pay attention to the setting
Stones sit in small prongs or in a row. Soap easily stays behind around that setting. So brush with short, gentle strokes and rinse extra well. That keeps the sparkle clear.
No ultrasonic cleaner at home
An ultrasonic cleaner seems handy, but the vibrations can loosen small stones. They are also hard on a thin gold layer. A soapy solution and a soft brush are safer for hoops.
What should you not do when cleaning hoop earrings?
Some well known home remedies do more harm than good on hoops with a finish.
Toothpaste, baking soda and vinegar often come up as tips online. Yet they are too rough for gold plated or rhodium plated hoops. They wear the layer away or affect it. Silver dip is also too strong for a gold layer. Only use it on pure silver, and never on hoops with stones.
Do not polish a gold plated hoop with a silver polishing cloth either. Such a cloth contains a mildly abrasive agent. That works well on silver, but a gold layer gets thinner from it. The same goes for silver hoops with a rhodium plated finish: a dry, soft cloth is enough.
How often should you clean hoop earrings?
How often depends on how often you wear your hoops.
A quick wipe every day
Do you wear your hoops every day? Then give them a quick wipe with a dry cloth in the evening. It takes ten seconds and stops dirt from building up. A soapy clean every two weeks is then enough.
After a party or a holiday
Have you used a lot of hairspray, perfume or sunscreen? Then clean your hoops that same day. The sooner you remove it, the less it settles in.
The hoops by Sparkling Jewels are made of 925 sterling silver with a gold plated or rhodium plated finish. With every design, founder Sharon van het Hof looks at three things: quality, comfort and timeless design. For her, a piece of jewellery should feel pleasant on the skin and last a long time. Good care helps a lot with that. Want to look after your other jewellery too? Then read the complete guide on cleaning and caring for your jewellery.
Frequently asked questions about cleaning hoop earrings
I'm happy to answer a few frequently asked questions:
Can you clean hoops with alcohol?
Use a little alcohol on a cotton pad only for the post, and only briefly. On the rest of the hoop, alcohol affects the finish. A mild soapy solution is therefore the better choice.
How do you get dirt out of a hinged clasp?
Open the clasp and brush along the hinge with a soft toothbrush. Rinse briefly and let the hoop dry open. That way no moisture stays behind in the mechanism.
Can hoops go in the dishwasher or washing machine?
No, that is far too harsh. The heat and strong detergents damage the finish and the stones. Always clean hoops by hand.
Want to know more, or have questions? The experts at Sparkling Jewels are happy to help.
