I worked in a jewelry store for several years and the sonic cleaner was great. Happyladi was right, you shouldn't put pearls in a sonic cleaner, and not opals either. But it works great on just about everything else. Be sure and double check the instructions for other restrictions, but I remember using a sonic cleaner all the time for great results. One of my favortie things to do at the jewelry store was to clean people's jewelry. Everyone was so happy when they got their clean jewelry back. Wedding bands were the best - I'd buff them and then clean them in the sonic and could make a ten year old gold band look brand new. And I got to do it for free. :) A sonic cleaner shouldn't affect settings. If a setting is already quite loose, then maybe it would shake the stone out, but if the stone is actually that loose, better it come out in a cleaner where the stone can be found. I've never bought off HSN, and I'm suspicious of buying things I haven't seen. If I were you, I'd go to a professional jewelry store and see what they recommend or sell. If you end up getting a sonic cleaner, I think you'll be glad you did.

The fellow that sold me my new shower door told me to run from this type of cleaner - it eats away at the finish on your fixtures. He was a big advocate of soap/water to use on fixtures...said most of the stuff on the market today will eat away at the finish and when I asked about this scrubbing thing he said no way. He told me he used something - I forget the name but a common household cleaner on the tracking of his shower and it ate the chrome finish away. When he called the company to complain they actually replaced the track for him and he suggested they put on the bottom use only on tile, etc. and the rep told him if they did that no one would buy the product!

I've read prior posts on the Shark floor steam cleaners. People seem to like them a lot. I read that GWers say the carpet cleaners refresh but don't clean well. For the extra $80.00, is it worth it? thanks,

Is the 'silver' in your mixed pieces actually 925 Sterling or is it white gold? If it's a yurman-esque silver and gold plating, I'd spot test the tarnex on the inside or back of the plating before I'd dunk. The directions say to specifically avoid using on: stainless, chrome, pewter, brass, zinc, artificially oxidized silver ( ie black rhodium plating or liver of sulfer) and porous stones- including pearls, opals, amber, coral, etc. Faceted gemstones should be fine- I cleaned a silver and sapphire pendant last week with no ill results. But if the piece is actually mixed gold colors and not sterling, it won't hurt it but it probably also won't fix what your are trying to clean. Gold doesn't patina the same way that silver does, or from the same substances, so it may need a good soak in an ultrasonic, followed by a steam, and then possibly an actual re polishing to get rid of scratches. We never charge for cleaning, but some do, so ask first at your local jeweler. Always rinse throughly after cleaning; many of the metal reactions we see go away after a good cleaning and rinsing- it's actually residues and dirt trapped against your skin causing the reaction, especially if it's a nickel free metal. And it's very possible the fireplace is part of your newfound tarnishing! Is there more sulfer in your water in the new place? That's a terrible culprit. Plus any off gassing from new paint, refinished floors can contribute. We learned the hard way that re-oiling our walnut cases ( linseed oil) was a straight shot to a week of re polishing, haha!