Key Steps
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Check what materials your earrings are made of to decide what’s safe to use.
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Soak or rub-down the earrings using rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.
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Pay particular attention to any part that passes through your ear.
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Use saltwater on fresh piercings.
Earrings are beautiful, but they can cause infections if they’re not kept clean, especially if you’ve recently got pierced. After all, about 35% experience complications like infections from this procedure.[1] Luckily, there are some simple and easy steps to help keep your piercings clean. Once you’ve got the hang of how to disinfect earrings, it’s easy to build it into your routine.
One study found that without proper cleaning, earrings can carry Staphylococcus aureus, a germ that can cause respiratory and skin infections.[2]
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How to sterilise earrings without damaging them
Earrings can be made from so many different materials. So, there’s no one-size-fits-all advice for how to disinfect earrings and keep them clean. Many types of earrings can safely be wiped down with soapy water (just use a little washing-up liquid). But it’s always worth checking specific cleaning advice for whatever material your earring is made of.
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Check for precious stones!
If there are any precious stones in your earrings, you’ll want to check beforehand that your chosen cleaning method won’t do the stones any harm.
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Take extra care with pearls.
Be particularly careful with pearls, which are easily damaged. You can wipe them clean with a mild soap solution, using a soft cloth. We recommend reading our article on how to clean pearls to avoid damaging your jewellery.
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Always sterilise the post.
If your earrings are particularly difficult to clean, you can take them to a jeweller’s to be cleaned professionally. You’ll still want to sterilise the parts that actually go through your ears on a regular basis, though.
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Don't wash over an open plughole.
A final note on preserving your earrings: don’t try to wash or rinse them over an open plughole – that’s a sure-fire way to lose them.
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How to sterilise earrings
There are two main methods to sterilise earrings: the quick one and the thorough method. Use the latter if you’re short on time or there are delicate parts of your earrings you want to leave untouched. Meanwhile, use the thorough method if you haven’t cleaned your earrings properly in a while or you’ve just fallen face-first into mud!
Again, make sure you’re familiar with the materials your earrings are made of before you try to clean or sterilise them. Pearls can be damaged by rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or very hot water. So, if you’re sterilising pearl earrings, just rub-down the backs without touching the pearls themselves.
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Wash your hands.
First, wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap and water before you got to sterilise earrings, or you’ll just end up transferring more bacteria onto them.
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How to sterilise earrings (the quick method).
Put some rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on a clean cotton pad or a microfibre cloth. Wipe the earring down thoroughly, paying particular attention to the back or hook: any part that actually goes through your ear. Finally, rinse carefully and let the earrings dry on a cloth (just make sure they’re clearly visible and out of reach if you’ve got little hands or paws around).
Quick Tip: Check out our comprehensive guide to disinfection to discover more DIY cleaning hacks.
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How to sterilise earrings (the thorough method)
Put some rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide in the bottom of a glass. Submerge the earrings and leave them for ten minutes. Wipe them down with a cotton pad or microfibre cloth, then rinse. Alternatively, if your earrings can handle the heat but might be damaged by rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, you can boil up some water. . Pour it into a heat-resistant container and soak the earrings in the hot water for twenty minutes instead.
Quick Note: Studies have shown that hydrogen peroxide is effective at killing common household bacteria.[3] So, you can also use it to disinfect surfaces around your home. Plus, you can use hydrogen peroxide to remove blood stains from your clothes
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How to disinfect earrings without removing them from your ear
If you’ve just had your ears pierced, you’ll need to leave your earrings in until the piercing has healed., which means So, you’ll need to know how to clean earring backs while leaving them in place.
Using hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol on a fresh piercing might mean it takes longer to heal. Instead, learn how to sterilise earrings with salty water – it’s a lot kinder on your ears and still helps to get rid of any nasty bacteria and germs that are lurking. Here's how to sterilise earrings with salt:
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1
Wash your hands.
Always wash your hands thoroughly before you start.
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Dissolve a ¼ tsp of salt in water.
Dissolve a ¼ of a teaspoon of sea salt in a small amount of warm water (about an eggcup’s worth).
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Dip a clean cloth in the solution.
Use the cloth to clean both the earring and the earlobe around the piercing.
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How to sterilise specific types of earrings
While the steps we shared above are safe for most types of earrings, you can be even more careful by following these specific instructions:
How to disinfect and clean gold earrings
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Make a cleaning paste by mixing bicarbonate of soda with a few drops of water.
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Use a microfibre cloth to gently apply the bicarbonate of soda paste onto the gold earrings.
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Gently scrub the earrings, and then rinse them in water to remove the paste.
Use a clean cloth to dry the earrings.
How to clean and disinfect diamond earrings
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Mix a few drops of washing-up liquid with warm water.
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Place your diamond earrings in the solution, and then gently swill them to remove gunk or dirt build-up.
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If you see stubborn gunk, use a cotton swab to remove it.
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Rinse your diamond earrings in cold water to get rid of the soapy residue.
Use a microfibre cloth to dry your earrings.
How to sanitise pearl earrings
Remember that alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and hot water can damage pearls. So when cleaning and sanitising them, you should use mild washing-up liquid or unscented soap. Here are the steps:
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Mix a few drops of washing-up liquid with water.
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Dip a microfibre cloth in the cleaning solution, then use it to gently wipe each pearl.
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Take a clean cloth, dip it in water, and then use it to clean the soapy solution off each pearl.
Let your earrings air dry for about half an hour.
As you can see, knowing how to sterilise earrings is a lot less painful than the infection you may get if you don’t clean them regularly! And it’s not just earrings you need to think about. It’s important to know how to sterilise jewellery to avoid a build-up of potentially harmful bacteria on rings, necklaces, bracelets and more. Not sure where to start? Check out our guide on cleaning tarnished silver!
FAQs about sterilising earrings at home
Can I use rubbing alcohol to clean my earrings?
As we’ve mentioned, you can use rubbing alcohol to sanitise and clean your earrings. However, check if your jewellery has real stones or pearls. You shouldn’t use rubbing alcohol on them. Instead, clean your earrings using mild anti-bacterial soap and warm water.
Are alcohol wipes safe for piercings?
If you have open wounds, you shouldn’t use any alcohol-based cleanser on them. Doing so will slow down the healing process and may even damage your skin. However, if your piercings have long healed, using alcohol wipes wouldn’t do any harm.
Do you need to sterilise earrings?
You should sterilise your earrings at least once a week. Neglecting this maintenance procedure may lead to infections.
Can vinegar disinfect earrings?
Yes, you can disinfect your earrings by soaking them in vinegar.
Can you sanitise earrings with saline?
Yes, a saline solution is effective in sanitising jewellery, including earrings and bracelets.
Why do my earrings get so gunky?
Your body oil and dead skin cells naturally build up around your earrings. Eventually, they make up the gunk that you see on your earrings.
How do you sterilise earrings without alcohol?
If you don’t have alcohol, you can use white vinegar or salt water to sterilise your earrings.
References:
1. Simplot, T. C., & Hoffman, H. T. (1998). Comparison between cartilage and soft tissue ear piercing complications. American Journal of Otolaryngology, 19(5), 305–310. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0196-0709(98)90003-5
2. Katsuse, A. K., Takishima, M., Nagano, M., Kikuchi, K., Takahashi, H., Kaneko, A., & Kobayashi, I. (2019). Cross-contamination of bacteria-colonized pierced earring holes and fingers in nurses is a potential source of health care-associated infections. American Journal of Infection Control, 47(1), 78–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2018.06.006
3. 3. Medina-Córdoba, L. K., Valencia-Mosquera, L. L., Tarazona-Diaz, G. P., & Del Carmen Arias-Palacios, J. (2018). EVALUATION OF THE EFFICACY OF a HYDROGEN PEROXIDE DISINFECTANT. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences/International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 10(10), 104. https://doi.org/10.22159/ijpps.2018v10i10.24652
