You may have heard that you can clean fine jewelry with toothpaste, but the Jewelry Information Center warns that could be too abrasive for softer metals and gemstones. The best way is to soak jewelry (other than porous stones, like pearls and opals) for 10 minutes in warm water with a nondetergent soap, such as Woolite or Dr. Bronner’s.

Diamonds deserve special treatment: Before putting them in the soap soak, dip them briefly in rubbing alcohol or vodka to dissolve any greasy buildup.