For day-to-day cleaning of jade articles, simple soap and water can be used, but when your jade piece needs a deeper cleaning, mix eight parts water, one part dish soap and one part ammonia in a bucket.
Moisten a soft cloth or soft brush with the mixture. If using a blush applicator for your soft brush, ensure it is new and unused. Used brushes could have pigments in the bristles that may be transferred to the jade.
Gently wash the surfaces of the piece. Use light pressure and ensure all cleaning utensils must be soft preferably made of plastic because it could damage the surface of the stone.
If the carving is sturdy and not fragile or delicate, the entire piece can be placed under running water and scrubbed carefully with a brush.
Once the surfaces have been cleaned, rinse the piece completely with clean water.
To dry, lay the piece on a soft towel in a warm (not hot) room.
The carving can also be dried carefully in a slightly warm oven (100 – 110 degrees Fahrenheit). Keep the piece on a soft dish with a towel on it for protection and do not over-dry. Jade pieces have water content that should not be removed or it could damage the piece.
Chinese jade pieces are coated with wax after being carved and polished. During the cleaning process, some of this wax may be removed and can leave the piece dry and looking dulled. If desired, a layer of wax can be re-applied to the surface.
Apply a thin layer of wax to the object, working in small sections. The goal is to fill in the pores with wax, not to make a wax layer on top of the carving.
Allow the wax to cool for several hours or overnight.
Use the clean soft cloth to buff the surface. While you are buffing, the wax will be pushed into the pores and excess wax will be removed from the surface.
If there are intricate carvings in your piece, buff those areas with a very soft clean Toothbrush.