Unlike silver, gold's surface will not tarnish over time. However, gold may still accumulate dirt and dust with normal use. To restore the shine of rings, bracelets, necklaces and other precious gold jewelry, you only need household appliances and a few materials. Just follow these steps!
Step
Method 1 of 4: Cleaning Jewelry with Dish Soap
Step 1. Pour a few drops of liquid dish soap into a bowl of warm (not hot) water
Mix slowly. While plain tap water can be used, for better results, you should use sodium-free carbonated water or club soda. Carbonation in this water can help loosen accumulated dust and dirt.
- Do not use hot or boiling water, especially if your jewelery contains fragile precious stones. Some precious stones, such as opal, can crack if subjected to rapid and drastic changes in temperature.
- This method can also be used to polish gold-plated jewelry.
Step 2. Soak the gold jewelery in the solution you have made
Let the jewelry sit in the solution for about 15 minutes. While submerged, the warm, soapy water will work through the cracks and crevices and loosen hard-to-reach dirt accumulations.
Step 3. Gently scrub the jewelry with a soft-bristled toothbrush
Scrub each piece of jewelry while paying special attention to nooks and crannies that might be hiding dirt. Use a very soft brush, the softer the better. Stiff bristles can scratch the surface of the jewelry. If your jewelry is gold plated jewelry (not all gold), very stiff feathers can even remove the gold layer completely!
Specialized jewelry cleaning brushes work best, but smaller, softer brushes (such as an eyebrow brush) can also be used
Step 4. Rinse each piece of jewelery in warm water
A good rinse will help remove any debris that has been loosened by the brushing process. Again, make sure the water isn't hot, especially if your jewelry contains fragile gemstones.
If you rinse your jewelry in the sink, attach or cover the drain so you don't accidentally lose your jewelry if it slips out of your hands. Or, rinse your jewelry in a filter paste or coffee filter
Step 5. Blot dry with a soft cloth
After that place the jewelry on a towel to dry completely by air before wearing it again. If your jewelry is still wet, wearing it can trap moisture adhering to the skin, causing minor skin irritation.
Method 2 of 4: Cleaning Jewelry with Ammonia
Step 1. Know when to clean with ammonia
Ammonia is a strong cleaner, but can be chemically slightly corrosive or abrade your gold metal. Avoid cleaning gold jewelry with ammonia too often to prevent wear and tear on your jewelry - ammonia is a good material once in a while to “deep cleaning”, but not often.
Ammonia can damage certain materials that are often used in jewelry. Do not use ammonia when cleaning gold jewelry that contains platinum or pearls
Step 2. Add one part ammonia to six parts water (ammonia ratio:
water = 1: 6) in a bowl. Stir gently to ensure the mixture is evenly mixed.
Step 3. Soak the jewelry in the mixture for no more than one minute
Don't let the jewelry soak for too long - being a strong solution, ammonia is slightly corrosive.
To quickly remove all the jewelry at once, use a kitchen strainer like the one you might use when cooking pasta. You can scoop out the jewelry using a strainer with a handle, or spill the bowl over the strainer over the sink. The sieve should be fine or small enough to prevent the jewelery from escaping
Step 4. Rinse the jewelry thoroughly under running water
Cover the drain hole in the sink to prevent jewelry from being washed away by waste water and lost. Or simply use the strainer you used to extract jewelry from the ammonia bath.
Step 5. Gently dry the jewelry using a soft cloth
Allow the jewelry to dry completely before putting it back on.
Method 3 of 4: Cleaning Jewelry That Has Gemstones
Step 1. Know which types of jewelry to keep dry
Jewelery with gemstone trim that is glued together (like most earrings) should not be submerged in water. Warm water can loosen the glue, which can cause the gemstones to come off, especially if you're also brushing them thoroughly. For this type of jewelry, use a special cleaning method that avoids immersion completely in water.
Step 2. Wipe the jewelry with a clean cloth that has been moistened with soapy water
Make a small amount of dish soap solution as in the first method. Dip a soft, fluffy towel in the solution, and rub it gently into your jewelry.
Step 3. "Rinse" the jewelry with a cloth dampened in plain water
Gently wipe a damp cloth over the jewelry, and absorb any remaining soap suds.
Step 4. Spread or hang jewelry upside down after cleaning
Let your jewelry dry this way. Letting your jewelry dry upside down allows any remaining water to drip out, ensuring that nothing will seep into the grooves or joints of the jewelry.
Method 4 of 4: Using Boiling Water
Step 1. Know when this method is appropriate for cleaning jewelry
Gold itself can be boiled without problems. However, boiling fine gemstones (such as opals, pearls, coral, and moonstones) can cause them to crack or break, especially if the jewelry was cold before boiling. Boiling is also a poor choice for jewelry with glued gemstones as it can loosen them. However, if you want to clean jewelry that is entirely gold and very dirty, or gold jewelry with "strong" gemstones such as diamonds, boiling may be an option.
Step 2. Bring the water to a boil
You don't need to boil a lot of water, just enough to cover the whole piece of jewelry. While you wait for the water to boil, arrange your gold jewelry in a sturdy bowl or other container that won't be damaged by boiling water. A pyrex or metal container or bowl is a good choice.
Arrange the jewelery in a container or bowl so that no jewelery overlaps or piles up, water should be able to reach every part of the jewelery
Step 3. Carefully pour water over the jewelry
Be careful not to spill or splash the water as pouring it too fast, boiling water can cause serious burns. When all the jewelry is completely submerged, you have added enough water.
Step 4. Wait for the water to cool
When you can comfortably submerge your hands in the water (which means the water is warm enough, and not too hot anymore) you can take the jewelry out. Continue the good boiling process by scrubbing each piece of jewelry with a soft brush, then wiping it dry with a soft towel. After that, let the jewelry dry completely by air.
Don't be afraid if the water looks dirty, that's great! When boiling water loosens dust, dirt, wax, etc. that has accumulated on your jewelry, the dirt dissolves or floats to the surface of the water. So the dirtier the soaking water, the more dirt you have removed from the jewelry
Tips
- Store your gold jewelry in a certain way to avoid scratches. Each piece of jewelery should be stored in its own separate cloth bag.
- You can remove stubborn grease from gold jewelry by dipping it in alcohol (unless there are gemstones glued to the jewelry).
- Keep in mind that you can always take your jewelry to a professional for professional cleaning.
Warning
- If you have a gold ring with diamonds or other types of gemstones, make sure that the gold frame is not damaged and there is no chance the stone will fall off.
- Do not bleach. Don't even let your jewelry come into contact with any type of chlorine as it can permanently fade or discolor it.
