steps after soldering

[MichelleSc]

After soldering a jump ring, what else do you need to do to it?  Pickle it?  Steel brush?

[Polly]

There are 2 ways to remove firescale: mechanical (elbow grease and steel or brass brush) or chemical (pickle and a bit of time).

If you are doing a lot of soldering, then pickle is the way to go.  
After pickling it, then rinse with cool water (to remove the acid).  Also, you can scrub it with baking soda to neutralize the acid.  (I've never done this part, but I'm sure there is a good reason sometimes, to scrub with baking soda instead of just rinsing with water.)

[Metalman]

Okay - this is a great opportunity to clarify some details that are frequently confused. I will use bold so we can see where I am adding in, not because I am being loud or anything.
There are 2 ways to remove firescale:You use flux with your silver solder to prevent firescale, so you are not cleaning off firescale at this point.  mechanical (elbow grease and steel or brass brush) or chemical (pickle and a bit of time). When you solder, the flux [usually containing borax] melts and forms a glass-like skin on the metal. This is fairly tough, you can get it off with abrasives or other tools and elbow grease but there is a high risk of scratching or damaging your metal surface this way. This is why pickle was developed in the first place - chemical method for removing the glass-like residue from flux after soldering
If you are doing a lot of soldering, then pickle is the way to go.  
After pickling it, then rinse with cool water (to remove the acid).  Also, you can scrub it with baking soda to neutralize the acid.  (I've never done this part, but I'm sure there is a good reason sometimes, to scrub with baking soda instead of just rinsing with water.) I rinse in water as Polly says and actually at that point you are good to go. If you have a very intricate piece or are using metal clays [with their attendant porosity] then the baking soda helps neutralize any remaining acid. I use a separate bath - baking soda in water makes a great neutralizing solution.  You can 'scrub' with baking soda but the bath has the same effect. Many people 'scrub' 'cause its easier to stick a toothbrush in the baking soda and go then it is to keep a container with the solution in it around 6 of 11 or a 1/2 doz