Haier Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner

Haier's Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner uses ordinary tap water and 42,000 energy waves per second to clean your jewelry and eyeglasses. This ultrasonic jewelry cleaner has a 20.3-ounce capacity stainless steel cleaning chamber and auto shut-off. The automatic 3-minute cleaning cycle makes it easy to use.

What is Ultrasonic? Ultrasonic is a generated sound that is of such high pitch humans cannot hear it. High pitched sounds are created by high frequencies. Frequencies above 16 kHz are considered to be ultrasonic. Typical ultrasonic frequencies used for cleaning purposes are between 20 kHz and 80 kHz. The ideal cleaning frequency is determined by what is going to be cleaned. Simply speaking, the higher the frequency the more capable it is to remove smaller particles.

How can sound clean? When an ultrasonic sound travels through liquid it generates a physical effect called "cavitations". The cavitation is the process of a sound wave stretching and compressing the liquid medium to transmit sound. When the amplitude the sound wave reaches a level that liquid can no longer hold the stretch in, it literally tears the water apart. As a result, millions of vacuumed "bubbles" are formed under the extreme negative pressure. These vacuumed "bubbles" continue to grow in size until their equilibrium is reached. When this is achieved they rapidly compress and create millions of tiny liquid jets.

These jets release a tremendous amount of energy stored within the bubbles. In fact, each "bubble" holds (roughly) a temperature of more then 5000 degrees Celsius and more then 10,000 PSI (pounds per square inch). The incredible pressure each "bubble" releases is responsible for the effective cleaning action an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner offers. Since cavitation occurs anywhere liquid can reach, ultrasonic jewelry cleaners are capable of entering into fine trends or cracks to clean.

Examination prior to cleaning is a good practice as ultrasonic cleaning is an aggressive method. For example, many class rings are coated with a dark pigment to reduce their shininess. Ultrasonic cleaning can remove this coating. It is not recommended to use an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner on gems that are soft or porous (opals, pearls, emeralds, coral etc). Cleaning agents can erode or infiltrate these gems. Ultrasonic cleaning is also discouraged for tanzanite, amber, or any gemstone that reveals a high degree of internal fractures.

Daily maintenance can also help keep your jewlery looking as good as the day it was purchased. Read on for some great tips from Kelly Gormly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

• Pearls are among the most delicate jewels and require special care. Wipe pearls off with a damp soft cloth after each wearing because sweat, body oil and cosmetic products can erode the pearls. Keep your pearls away from hard or sharp jewelry items that could scratch them. Pearls are best stored in a soft cloth pouch, or a separately lined segment of a jewelry box.
• Store fine jewelry carefully; don't just toss it in a jewelry box. The metals, gemstones and other materials can get scratched, especially if they are softer gemstones. The hardest stones -- such as diamonds, sapphires and rubies -- are the least vulnerable to scratching, but they still need to be handled with care. Wrap pieces individually in tissue paper or velvet, or arrange them carefully in a jewelry box so that they do not touch each other.
• When getting dressed, try to apply perfumes and hair sprays and let them dry before putting on jewelry, so that it doesn't develop a residue; this especially applies to pearls. Also, make sure all body lotion has absorbed into the skin before putting on jewelry.
• Do not wear jewelry particularly rings or bracelets while doing any household cleaning, gardening, or other dirty work. Even wedding rings, which people often do not take off, will be in better condition if they are removed before chores. Over time, the household soaps can cause stress and fatigue in the metals.
• Check jewelry pieces regularly for signs of wear and tear, like missing or loose stones, and obtain necessary repairs. If you have a pearl necklace that you wear frequently, have it re-strung annually with knots between each pearl, so that if the string breaks, the pearls won't be lost.