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How to Clean Rust on Jade Stones

The term jade refers to the ornamental stones jadeite and nephrite, mined primarily in Russia, Canada, Burma and Guatemala. Jade comes in a variety of colors including white, pink, violet, blue, red, yellow and brown. The most popular color for jade, however, is green. Jade carvings and jewelry are particularly beloved in China, where they represent good fortune and are said to ward off evil. If you have some jade of your own, you'll want to keep it clean. Jade is very delicate and cannot withstand harsh chemical cleansers. If your jade has rust stains, you'll need to clean it very carefully.

Things You'll Need

Mild dish washing soap
Bowl
Ammonia
Soft, unused toothbrush
Soft dishtowels
Beeswax

Instructions

- 1
  Set the jade on a dry, soft towel. Never soak jade in water. Jade can absorb water and crack. Do not set the jade on paper. Paper contains sulfur, which could damage your jade.
- 2
  Mix eight parts water, one part dish soap and one part ammonia in your bowl. Use room temperature water, neither hot nor cold. Make sure that you use a very gentle dish soap, as harsh chemicals will damage the jade.
- 3
  Dip one soft towel in the mixture and wipe the rust off of the jade. Use light pressure and do not attempt to scrape the rust off. Jade is very easy to scratch.
- 4
  Dip the soft toothbrush in the mix and gently scrub the rust stains, if the towel does not work. Make sure you are using a soft toothbrush that is new. Scrub very gently or you will scratch your jade. You may need to scrub gently for a long time to see results.
- 5
  Rinse the jade under lukewarm water until it is free from soap. Do not soak the jade.
- 6
  Dab the jade dry with another soft towel. Place the jade on the towel and allow it to dry completely at room temperature. Dry the toothbrush.
- 7
  Rub the dry toothbrush on the surface of the beeswax until the wax warms slightly and comes off onto the bristles, if your cleaning efforts were successful. Gently rub the wax on the bristles onto the jade where you were scrubbing. Do not coat the jade in wax; only add enough to fill the pores of the stone.
- 8
  Take the jade to a professional jeweler and have it polished, if you were not able to remove the rust. Jade polishing is difficult and time-consuming, so this last option may be expensive.

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