Warm water, a drop of mild dish soap, and a soft cloth is all a 316L stainless steel piece needs.

Step-by-step

  1. Mix warm water with a drop of mild dish soap in a small bowl.
  2. Dip a soft cloth — or a soft-bristled toothbrush for hinges, clasps, and other crevices — and gently wipe the piece.
  3. Rinse thoroughly under clean water to remove any soap residue.
  4. Dry it completely with a soft cloth before putting it back in storage. Moisture left in a clasp or chain link is more likely to cause stiffness over time than the cleaning itself.

A monthly clean along these lines is enough for most pieces worn daily. Pieces worn less often, or kept in a sealed pouch between wears, generally need cleaning less frequently — clean based on how a piece actually looks and feels, not on a fixed schedule.

What to avoid

  • Abrasive cleaners, toothpaste, or baking-soda pastes. These are mildly abrasive by design, which wears a plated finish faster than it wears solid metal.
  • Polishing cloths made for solid gold or silver. They’re formulated to remove a microscopic surface layer — exactly what you don’t want to do to a PVD or plated finish.
  • Ultrasonic cleaners on pieces with pearls, opals, or glued settings. The vibration can loosen a setting or fracture a porous stone. A plain piece with no stones is generally fine in an ultrasonic cleaner, but the gentle hand-clean above works just as well.
  • Jewelry-cleaning dips, bleach, or chlorine baths. These are formulated for solid gold and silver and can be too harsh for a plated finish.

If a piece has stones, pearls, or other details

The steps above are for the metal itself. Pearls, shells, and porous or glued stones can need different handling — check your product page for anything specific to your piece before cleaning it the same way as a plain metal band or chain.

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