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How to Clean Gold Jewelry: A Guide with Household Products

How to Clean Gold Jewelry: A Guide with Household Products
The right jewelry and accessories can truly make or break an outfit. Many individuals have signature gold jewelry like wedding rings or other such commemorative items that tend to spend more time on your body than off. These pieces can become worn down over time especially if not cared for properly. Read further to discover the best ways to clean your gold jewelry from the comfort of your own home.

How to Test if Your Jewelry is Gold.

Pure gold jewelry is always 24 karats. Gold on its own is relatively soft and breakable, which is why many gold pieces are mixed with another alloy to increase its durability and usage. Gold-filled and plated pieces are a great alternative for shoppers who are looking for a cheaper alternative to 24k pieces. The difference between these comes from the much thicker outer layer in gold-filled jewelry. This type of craftsmanship allows for almost 100 times more gold on the outer shell of the product, increasing its resistance to wear and corrosion. If you want a piece that you can wear at all times, a gold-filled piece may be both the best and most cost-effective option for your lifestyle. One easy way to test if your gold jewelry is authentic is to rub it on your skin. Real gold should not leave any type of mark on the skin. Authentic gold should also be relatively resistant to scratches and tarnishing.

How often should you clean gold jewelry

If you wear your gold jewelry every day it may be relatively clean due to its exposure to water, hand soap, and buffing it may experience in daily life. These pieces however should be cleaned every few months however to ensure they stay as bright as the day you bought them. Similarly, gold jewelry that you do not wear often should be cleaned every year or so to ensure its preservation and avoid any unnecessary dust buildup.

How to Clean Gold Jewelry with Gemstones

If you’re cleaning a gold piece that contains gemstones be sure to check with your jeweler beforehand to avoid any unnecessary damage. Diamonds, rubies, and sapphires should all be safe when combined with soap and water but many other stones could experience worse wear due to their hardness and porosity differences. For these other materials, the best option you may have is to visit a jewelry repair and cleaning store.

At Home Cleaning Options

Water Baths

The first line of attack for tarnished gold jewelry is a simple water soak followed by a rubdown with a gentle cloth or towel. This can take off much of the piece’s grime without exposing it to any unnecessary damage.

Dish Soap Solutions

After this, the easiest and most gentle method to clean your gold-plated or filled jewelry is with the use of simple Dawn dish soap and a soft cloth or toothbrush. Mix a simple solution with water and a few drops of soap and rub it across the chain or body of your pieces. Use the toothbrush if necessary to get into smaller cracks and spaces. Rinse the pieces after with lukewarm water to get rid of excess residue and set them out to dry.

Ammonia

Ammonia is a stronger cleaning compound of Nitrogen and Hydrogen. This compound can be a great option for stronger cleaning needs due to its slightly stronger abrasion.
If you want to add a little extra strength to your soap and water rinse, add a few drops of ammonia to increase its cleaning ability. Ammonia can react badly with other cleaning products so make sure you research how it interacts before combining it in any new way outside of simple soap and water. Similarly, it can be more caustic than other cleaners so make sure to check with your jewelry before adding this ingredient to ensure its safety.

Boiling Water

Boiling water baths can be used to clean grime from gold jewelry if you do not have any other products readily available. Pour boiling water over your jewelry in a glass or metal bowl and let the mixture cool. The water may turn grey or brown due to the jewelry’s debris and should help get rid of much tarnish on the pieces. This process should only be used with pure gold products as it can strip the finishing off of gold-plated or gold-filled pieces.

Shop Authentic Gold Jewelry with Buyma

The right jewelry and accessories can make or break a modern wardrobe. As gold jewelry continues to increase in popularity, there’s never a better time than now to begin investing in your new signature pieces.

Buyma is a luxury reseller of authenticated and never-before-worn goods. Their multi-step verification process and a zero-tolerance policy for inauthentic goods make Buyma the perfect option for safe second-hand and vintage shopping.

Start building your collection today and shop Buyma’s wide range of women’s gold jewelry and accessories.

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