Lately I've been really into watching YouTube restoration videos so I can drift off to sleep to a background of some ancient pair of rusty pliers be made usable once more... The only reason that is at all relevant is that it was these vids which first introduced me to the ultrasonic cleaner. Basically, they do what they say on the tin: ultrasonic cleaners are machines which use high-frequency sound waves to cause cavitation - i.e. create tiny bubbles in liquid, the implosive power of which cleans the surfaces of your object.
In other words, you put your stuff in it and it cleans it for you.
It's not a new technology by any means, but it's only fairly recently that small household versions have become widely available. As soon as I saw one of these little machines cleaning a bunch of greasy screws and cogs, I knew I wanted one of my own as the perfect solution to toothpicking grime out of doll miniatures!
After much deliberation over what style to get - white plastic, black plastic, or metal?? - I went for a 900ml model by DK SONIC as it was only £5 more than the 800ml version. I thought about getting some of the cleaning solution to go with it, but all the reviews said that a dash of washing up liquid would work just as well. It comes with a removeable basket and a lid, but the power cable is fairly short so you may need an extension lead.
To test it out I've put most of my jewellery through it, including all my earrings and some badly tarnished necklaces. In the machine I wasn't sure much was happening... but when I emptied it out the water was disgusting! After a few three minute cycles the necklaces didn't come out looking perfect, but the improvement was still very noticeable.
Today I cleaned my rings which are all now sparkling like new. I don't suppose it's a patch on a professional model - I obviously had to stick my fingers straight in the water to test the vibration, not exactly advisable with some powerful models - but it's more than serviceable for my purposes.
Overall I'm super pleased with the cleaner. It's small enough to carry around, sturdy enough to set down wherever it's needed, incredibly easy to use, and promises to make my life much easier when cleaning up doll shoes and accessories. :)