Jewelry eventually gets dirty and loses its shine, so it’s important to know how to clean gold and these tips will solve this problem.
Gold jewelry has been synonymous with wealth and elegance for thousands of years. But despite being made of different materials, gold is always the one that attracts the most attention, being the desire for consumption by men and women. However, although gold is an eternal material, over time it loses its shine and its desired golden color. And then the question remains, how can I clean gold so that it doesn’t damage my jewelry?
Fortunately, there are several simple and cheap ways to do this. So, if your gold jewelry is dull and dull, the good news is that it’s very easy to fix. This way, your gold jewelry will look as beautiful and shiny as when you first purchased it.
So today, you will learn how to clean gold, with several homemade recipes and best of all, how to do this on each type of jewelry. After all, depending on the jewelry, it requires more care when cleaning.
Types of gold
Before learning how to clean gold, it is important to know this material better, even to help when cleaning your jewelry.
Although yellow gold is the most classic and well-known, there are also other colors for this material. Jewelry made in white and rose gold has won over the public looking for luxurious, but also modern and differentiated jewelry.
In the case of yellow gold, during the manufacturing process, the jewelry contains a little copper and also silver in its composition. As for rose gold, copper is the material that determines its more pink tone. And white gold, which can often be even more expensive than yellow, has in its composition, in addition to silver, nickel and palladium, an addition of rhodium. All this to make the piece as clear and bright as possible.
Therefore, it is important to know the composition of the jewelry before purchasing it. This is important to know what to use when cleaning your jewelry. After all, depending on the type of product used when cleaning the piece, it could end up affecting the color of your jewelry.
Loss of shine in jewelry
Unlike silver, gold does not oxidize over time. In other words, it doesn’t rust. And it is precisely for this reason that gold jewelry does not cause skin irritation.
The purpose of gold is to really shine and attract attention. However, despite being a durable material, gold also changes color. And its darkening can occur for several reasons. Such as contact with chemical substances that can darken the piece, such as sweat, sunlight, and even friction with the skin.
All of this can cause gold pieces to become dirty, lose their shine and darken. Therefore, to prevent this from happening to your jewelry and for it to always remain shiny, it is important to take certain care with the pieces. Starting with cleaning. So it is essential to know how to clean gold and what can and cannot be used in this process.
How to clean gold
Just as silver can be recovered easily, so can the other. There are several products that everyone has at home that can restore shine to your jewelry. Among the main ones, we can mention baking soda and coconut detergent. But besides them, other simple and inexpensive products can clean gold jewelry without damaging it.
How to clean white gold
Starting with white gold. So if your jewelry is dirty and dull, this simple recipe can quickly solve your problem. You will only need detergent and baking soda.
- First, let the jewelry soak in a container with 1 liter of warm water and detergent for 15 minutes;
- Then, make a paste-like paste, using two spoons of warm water and one spoon of baking soda;
- After removing the jewelry from the water, use a cloth to gently rub the jewelry using the baking soda paste;
- Be careful not to damage the parts.
- Finally, clean the jewelry by removing any traces of the paste. And that’s it, the pieces are shiny again.
How to clean rose gold
Rose gold is also very easy to clean, and can be done using just a neutral detergent and a toothbrush.
- To do this, simply place a quantity of warm water in a container that allows you to soak the pieces.
- Add some mild detergent and mix well.
- Then, place the rose gold jewelry in the solution and let it soak for 10 minutes.
- After this period, remove the pieces and, using a soft-bristled toothbrush, carefully clean the jewelry.
- Finally, rinse the pieces and dry well with a flannel. That’s it, clean and shiny jewelry like new.
How to clean gold earrings
Earrings are the items that get dirty most easily. Because they are more exposed to sunlight, sweat and dirt from their hair. But to clean earrings, which usually turn black over time, coconut detergent is the solution.
- Start by making a mixture of warm water and coconut detergent, which is the most neutral.
- Then, dampen a clean cloth in this mixture and rub the earrings gently to remove any dirt.
- Then, with another cloth dampened only with water, clean the earrings to remove any traces of detergent.
- Finally, let the earrings dry upside down, so that no moisture remains that could damage the piece.
How to clean gold chain
In the case of a gold chain, the cleaning process is a little different than that of other gold pieces. Here, the best option is to use toothpaste. This is because the active fluoride in the toothpaste helps to clean and restore the shine to the piece. However, the ideal is to use traditional white toothpaste, colored pastes can damage jewelry.
- Start by moistening the chain in water;
- Then, apply a small amount of toothpaste to the chain and rub gently. If you prefer, use a toothbrush or a cloth.
- Finally, rinse the chain to remove all toothpaste, dry well and it’s ready to use again.
How to clean a gold ring
A wedding ring is a piece of jewelry that is always in use, so it is common for it to lose its shine and darken over time. So, every now and then it’s good to give the piece an overview. A very good product for this purpose is white vinegar.
- Start by soaking a cotton pad in vinegar;
- Then, rub the ring gently with cotton completely;
- Then, just rinse the ring, dry it and wear it again. But now it shines like new.
This option is when the jewelry is just dull. In the case of a very dirty ring, the cleaning process should be different and use boiling water. For this method, ideally the piece should not have stones or other details.
- First, boil a reasonable amount of water to let the jewelry soak;
- Then, place the jewelry in a bowl and pour in the boiling water.
- Leave the jewelry until the water cools.
- And then, remove the ring and clean it well with a flannel to remove all dirt;
- Finally, let it dry naturally and it’s ready to use again.
How to clean gold with ammonia
Ammonia is a very efficient substance for cleaning any type of jewelry that is very dirty. However, this substance can be dangerous, so it is important to take certain precautions when handling it, such as wearing gloves, for example. Furthermore, this recipe is not recommended for pieces with pearls and platinum. But in pieces without this type of adornment, this recipe is very effective.
- Start by preparing an ammonia solution. Use one spoonful of the substance for six spoonfuls of water;
- Then, soak the jewelry in the mixture for 3 minutes;
- After this time, remove the jewelry and rinse well;
- Finally, dry the jewelry with a flannel.
How to Clean Gold Plated Jewelry
In the case of gold-plated jewelry, it is normal for it to darken more easily than gold jewelry. Therefore, it is important to take even more care with them, as they are more sensitive than gold ones. To clean plated pieces, the process is very similar to gold.
- In a container with water, add a few drops of coconut detergent and mix;
- Then, soak the plated jewelry for about 15 minutes;
- After this period, remove the jewelry and rub gently with a cloth;
- Then just rinse and let it dry.
Tips for preserving gold jewelry
Jewelry is a luxury item, gold jewelry even more so. So, in addition to being exuberant accessories, they are expensive, so no one wants their pieces to get damaged. That’s why it’s important to take good care of your jewelry, and that goes beyond keeping it clean. Check out some essential tips and care to ensure that your jewelry is always beautiful and well looked after.
- Avoid contact with abrasive products: This is essential to maintain any type of accessory. Substances such as fat, wax, paint, among others, end up taking away the shine of the pieces. Therefore, when coming into contact with these products, the ideal is to remove the jewelry or use a glove.
- Storing jewelry correctly: This is also essential to keep the jewelry in perfect condition. Therefore, the ideal is to store jewelry in a suitable place and protected by a flannel or soft fabric. This prevents scratches and parts from being lost. Also, have a jewelry box, and store each piece in individual bags. In the case of chains, this is even more important to prevent the pieces from tangling with each other.
- Polishing: Eventually, all jewelry needs to be polished to regain its shine. So, from time to time it is important to take the pieces for polishing.
- Check the claws: This is important care, even to prevent the stones from coming loose or the necklace clasps from breaking.
Anyway, what did you think of this article? In fact, take the opportunity to also check out how to clean silver.
Sources: Waufen Viva Decora Dr. Lava Tudo
Featured Image: Persian Medallion
Images: Waufen Damselfly Ratchet Livre Delas
