The complete guide
Cleaning versus polishing: two different jobs, both worth doing
It's a common assumption that an ultrasonic cleaner is a complete solution for jewellery care, and mechanically it does most of the work: cavitation reaches into settings, chain links and engraved detail that a cloth alone can't touch. What it doesn't do is polish the metal surface itself, restoring the reflective shine that dulls over time from tarnish and everyday wear. The two are complementary rather than redundant, ultrasonic cleaning for the deep clean, a polishing cloth for the finish, and using only one leaves half the job done.