Does the Rice Trick Clean Jewelry? (And the Gentle Bath That Does)

The rice trick goes like this: warm water, a drop of dish soap and a handful of uncooked rice in a jar, shaken gently, then strained. But what is actually doing the cleaning?

In this guide I'll show you the method the experts describe, which pieces should stay out of any bath, and what we could and couldn't find about the rice.

What the experts agree on

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the American Gem Society (AGS) and the Jewelers of America describe the same method in nearly the same words. GIA: soak the piece in "a gentle degreasing solution, such as water with a few drops of mild dish soap." AGS: warm water with "just a drop or two of a mild dishwashing detergent," and a soak of about 20 minutes for water-safe pieces. For colored stones, GIA says: "Most colored gems can be cleaned with warm water, mild dish soap (no detergents) and a soft brush."

Notice what isn't on the list: nothing hot, nothing gritty, nothing that smells strong.

The gentle bath, in short

1. Fill a small bowl with warm water and a drop or two of mild dish soap.
2. Soak the piece for a few minutes, up to about 20.
3. Brush gently with a soft toothbrush. GIA says it "should be new and reserved exclusively for cleaning your jewelry." Work on the back of the stone.
4. Rinse in a second bowl of warm water.
5. Dry with a soft, lint-free cloth, then let it air-dry completely.

Warm, not hot. A jewelry insurer recommends "warm, not hot, water," because some gemstones don't take well to drastic changes in temperature, and GIA agrees that heat and sudden temperature changes "may also fracture some gems."

Never over an open drain. If you work over a sink, GIA says to close the drain. Its consumer blog goes further: if you can, don't clean jewelry in or near the sink at all. The same insurer suggests rinsing in a second container of lukewarm water instead.

Gentle hands for old settings. GIA warns that fragile settings and older estate jewelry "may not respond well to the scrubbing of a toothbrush." And skip the old bathroom toothbrush: the insurer points out that its toothpaste residue scratches.

What stays out of the bath

Most gold, platinum and sterling jewelry set with hard stones is fine in warm, soapy water. These pieces are not:

• Strung pearls. AGS warns that a wet string "may stretch or break." GIA allows warm, soapy water only for occasional cleaning, with the string completely dry before wearing.
• Coral. GIA says to "briefly rinse (do not soak it)."
• Opal doublets and triplets. These are glued layers, and GIA warns that "prolonged exposure to water may weaken the adhesive."
• Filled or dyed stones. GIA says fracture-filled, cavity-filled or dyed material "should only be cleaned with a damp cloth."
• Foil-backed rhinestones. A UK insurance broker's guide warns that "water behind the stone will ruin the foil."
• Anything with a loose stone. That one goes to a jeweler first.

The rice, checked

The video above uses a cup of warm water, one drop of dish soap and a quarter cup of uncooked rice in a jar, shaken gently for 60 to 90 seconds, then poured through a sieve, never down the sink. It keeps pearls, opals, turquoise, coral, amber, jade, lapis and malachite out, and says to stop if a stone moves. Those are thoughtful cautions.

What the sources support: the warm water and the drop of mild soap, which is the GIA and AGS method. Straining instead of using the sink is good advice too.

What's unproven: the rice. The video itself calls the trick "folklore," not a lab-tested method, and we found no gemological or conservation source that tests rice on jewelry. GIA and AGS rely on soaking and a soft brush, not on shaking a ring with hard grains.

Our view: the soap and water do the cleaning. The rice adds nothing we can show, and we'd worry about grains or broken bits lodging under prongs and in chain links. Apple gives a similar warning for phones: don't put a wet iPhone in a bag of rice, because "small particles of rice" could damage it. If you want to try the trick anyway, follow the video's own cautions, shake very gently, and check every setting afterwards.

How often? GIA suggests soaking diamond jewelry once or twice a week. AGS says every few months for most pieces, and about once a month for rings and earrings you wear often. In between, the Jewelers of America suggests wiping jewelry after you wear it with a clean, soft, slightly damp cloth.

Volume V, Clean It Right, walks you through the gentle bath step by step, shows you how to look at a piece before you clean it, and covers silver, gold, pearls, opals, costume pieces and the things that should never be cleaned at home.