How to Buy Jewelry Polishing Cloths

BUY A SPECIFIC CLOTH FOR A SPECIFIC JOB

When buying a polishing cloth, the first thing to do is figure out what you want to clean. Many companies make “wonder” cloths that clean “everything”. The flip side is that they don’t do a good job on anything. A magic cloth just doesn’t exist. That being said, there are cloths for silver, gold, platinum, bronze, copper, stainless steel and other metals. Each one should be impregnated with special treatments and chemicals targeted at the chemical make up of those metals. For example, copper tarnishes as does silver, yet the chemical make up of silver tarnish is VASTLY different than copper. Yet, many cloth makers claim to clean and remove both types. This may be the case, but on fine copper pieces, or antique silver, the two different tarnish remover compounds may be quite different and harm or even ruin the luster and finish. Imagine that a some companies claim that their cloths work on silver, gold, copper and even wood finishes. If it sounds too good to be true, then it usually is.

Your best bet is to read closely. Buy a cloth that says it’s for silver and gold only, or better yet, even silver only. When buying a cloth, remember that there are chemicals in the cloth that could be harmful to you, your pets, or even the finish of your table if you set them down. With Blitz’s polishing cloths, and ALL of our products, you’ll always know that they are safe and Non-Toxic!

LOOK AT THE FEATURES, SIZE, AND QUALITY OF THE CLOTH

Not all cloths are created equally. Some are small, others are too big for certain jobs. For example, a tiny ring may be better suited with a small cloth as opposed to cleaning off a large set of silver ware! When buying a cloth, take a look at the dimensions. If the manufacturer doesn’t specify them, ask, or don’t buy the cloth. Ask your self, would I buy a ladder if it didn’t say how big it was? There is no magic number as to what to spend for what size cloth. You should look for the right size for you, and then make comparisons on the cost of each cloth. Another feature to look for is single or double ply. A double ply cloth is essentially two cloths sewn together, with an outer and inner cloth. Generally, the outer cloth buffs and the inner cloth cleans and is treated. This type of configuration, a two ply cloth, is a better buy in most cases, and will last a lot longer because the tarnish and residue is removed by both buffing and polishing. There are a lot of different cloths on the market, and it’s easy to spend the same amount of money for a single ply as you would for a two ply of the same exact size!

Not all manufacturers have the same set of specifications or quality control. Generally, what you need to look for, especially if you are buying in bulk, is that each cloth is perfectly square (or rectangular) and that the stitching is neat and there’s no thread hanging off. Another feature is often referred to as “Pinked and Sheared”. What this refers to is that the edges of cloth are specially cut to that the cloth wont catch on jewelry or unravel! The thickness of the cloth is another place to make a comparison. Just as comforters and bed sheets, tea shirts and sweat shirts are all made of cotton, they come if different thicknesses. Blitz, for example, uses cotton flannel that is plush and thick, so that it embraces the jewelry better. Some companies can save a buck or two by using thinner, less expensive cloth. Be warned also that the cloth thickness is correlated to the amount of tarnish remover, inhibitor and polish that it can hold. That means that a thinner cloth is going to have less polish in it and won’t last as long!