White gold is gradually gaining popularity because jewelry looks noble. The composition includes additives that allow the product to withstand mechanical stress. But when choosing a cleaning product, take into account the peculiarities of the interaction of the metal with the components in the solution or paste.
This is due to the fact that products of this type have a coating that is damaged if handled incorrectly.
To avoid the need for re-application, you should choose the appropriate method for cleaning white gold at home. Consider care products without abrasives or aggressive chemicals.
White gold: composition and plating. What makes white gold yellow and dull?
If yellow gold contains copper and silver and acquires a characteristic color, then the main additives of white gold are platinum group metals. Previously, silver and nickel were predominantly used. However, recently there has been a tendency to develop contact dermatitis when wearing white gold products with this composition.
Set of pendant and bracelet White gold
The reason is the nickel content. Since 2000, the European Union has limited the use of this metal and banned the use of nickel in the manufacture of white gold jewelry. Instead, palladium compounds are introduced.
Another feature of white gold is its improved appearance, nobility due to its silvery color and shine. The alloy itself is white, but its characteristics are further improved after rhodium plating. A special kind of material is used to coat metal. Rhodium is applied in a thin layer using the galvanic method.
Polishing and related problems
The biggest problem with polishing is that the process wears out your jewelry. Indeed, during the polishing process, only a small amount of metal is removed from the surface of the product, and one procedure will not greatly harm the product. However, after several treatments, this effect accumulates and the structure of your jewelry becomes weaker.
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Features of caring for white gold
When choosing a method of how and with what to restore the primary properties of products made from platinum group metals, the rules for handling them are taken into account:
- give up abrasives and brushes: gold jewelry from this group can withstand mechanical loads well thanks to additives, but rhodium coating does not (scratches appear);
- do not use ammonia and acids: aggressive chemicals destroy the protective coating, after which it will have to be restored by a jeweler - polished and coated with a new layer;
- Dental cleaning products are contraindicated: tooth powder is a known abrasive, the paste also contains fine-grained components or aggressive substances, which improves the quality of teeth cleaning, but harms the sensitive rhodium plating of jewelry, except that gel-like products can be considered, but they are used after studying the composition.
White gold – ring with stones
Method three - lipstick
We found this method on the Internet, where it was published as a life hack, and tested it. The soft chapstick that we rubbed on the wedding ring and then wiped with a soft cloth was as good as new!
Using this method, we were unable to hide the scratches on the ring, which simply inevitably appear with constant wear. But we were able to give it a very bright shine.
So, chapstick works, but does every woman have it in her makeup bag? Most often there is a colored lipstick, and we decided to try out how it would work.
You don't need to put in any special effort. Easily apply lipstick, wipe with a napkin and off you go.
Disadvantages of the method.
Any lipstick, whether hygienic or not, contains fats. Accordingly, a greasy film remains on the gold. If the ring does not fit tightly on your finger, then you risk losing it after such a procedure. It is better to use this method if the ring is very tight.
TOP 11 effective ways to clean white gold jewelry at home
There are many folk recipes for caring for jewelry and preserving their appearance. But it is important to learn to distinguish between substances/mixtures of mild and aggressive action. When choosing a method for purifying gold containing platinum group metals, determine the goal: eliminating weak or more complex contaminants, cleaning precious stones (other methods are chosen for this).
How to clean jewelry at home
There are a lot of household products that can be used to restore shine without the risk of damaging the fragile rhodium coating. It is recommended that you first try to improve the appearance of your jewelry using these methods. If that doesn’t work out, you can always take the jewelry to a jeweler for polishing and refinishing.
How to properly clean gemstone jewelry
Dirt deposits not only settle on the gold surface, but also become firmly lodged between the precious stones. Cleaning out such dirt is a difficult task and requires patience, as well as certain skills.
When working with precious metals, do not use sharp, hard objects. They easily scratch the setting of stones.
The following information will also be helpful:
- Do not rub the stones unless they are secured. Otherwise, there is a risk that the gem will simply fall off;
- Never clean stones with powder or abrasive paste. Regular gasoline can easily remove complex contaminants;
- If the stone has a hardness level below 5, it can only be cleaned using a soap solution.
Low hardness stones include turquoise, apatite, malachite, and moonstone.
Polishing a clean product to a shine
Gold is plated with rhodium, and therefore it is not recommended to polish it. However, if scratches or microdamages do appear. You need to wait until there are more of them, since frequent mechanical impact can contribute to the rapid thinning of the coating. To polish earrings and rings made of gold with the addition of platinum group metals, you must use a soft cloth. The products are first cleaned by wiping them with a cloth soaked in a solution containing soap.
It’s not difficult to clean white gold with diamonds yourself
Soap
You will need a few drops of liquid soap or shower gel. The selected product must be diluted in a container that has previously been filled with warm water. Products are immersed in the resulting solution and left for 5 minutes. Next, they are taken out one by one, after which they are cleaned with a dish sponge. The latter should be soft, and for the convenience of the cleansing process, you can cut off a small piece of sponge and use it. After cleaning white gold, you need to hold it under running water to remove any remaining dirt. Leave to dry on a napkin.
How to properly care for white gold jewelry to maintain beauty
Simple recommendations that will help maintain the attractiveness of jewelry:
- Do not expose jewelry to water or chlorine;
- rhodium-plated products cannot be worn constantly; the coating wears out quickly;
- jewelry is removed before doing homework;
- For storage, prepare a box in which there will be enough space for all the jewelry, it is important that they do not touch each other.
A few nuances worth paying attention to
To keep your favorite jewelry looking new longer and requiring less cleaning, you should follow a few simple rules:
- When washing, cleaning, or hand washing dishes, it is better to remove jewelry. Household chemicals are quite aggressive, so they can damage the coating and cause oxidation and salt deposits.
- When performing cosmetic or medical procedures, you should not wear rings or bracelets, because the substances used can also damage the jewelry.
- It is necessary to remove jewelry made from precious metals at night if you do not want particles of epithelium, secretions of sebaceous and sweat glands to get stuck between the links and clasps of your jewelry.
- It is best to store earrings, rings, bracelets in a place inaccessible to sunlight and humidity, separately from each other, with a cloth.
Category: question-answer
A diamond engagement ring has darkened. Why and how can you clean it?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
The reasons for discoloration of jewelry are different: improper use, changes in the composition of sweat, contact with cosmetics. A diamond is a hard stone; ammonia is used to care for such a product - a solution is prepared.
How to polish a white gold watch at home?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
It is recommended to use soft materials, preference is given to the dry cleaning method. The watch is quite large, and therefore polishing it yourself can take a lot of time. Preliminary cleaning of the product from contamination with soap diluted with water speeds up the process.
Is it possible to clean the chain with a toothbrush and powder?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
Abrasive and white gold are incompatible concepts. After such cleaning, the rhodium plating will most likely be damaged.
Cleaning a ring with a stone
How to clean a matte white gold ring?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
The best remedy: fine-grained salt (on the tip of a knife), soda, lime - mix the components and leave for 3-4 days so that the mass acquires the desired properties. Then used as directed.
Greenish stains appeared on white gold jewelry. What can I use to clean it?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
The color change is a consequence of the chemical reaction of the metals after thinning or damage to the rhodium coating. They are eliminated using the bread wrapping method - the product is wrapped in bread pulp.
Why does a gold ring lose its appearance? Why is regular polishing necessary: aesthetics and hygiene
If you constantly polish, this will eventually lead to thinning of the treated area and its deformation (the risk is especially high when polishing yourself). This means that it is important not only to find a suitable method for removing scratches, but also to eliminate the causes of their formation:
- mechanical damage due to impact;
- a natural change in shape at the slightest pressure is a manifestation of the low quality of the ring;
- improper use: jewelry is not removed before taking a bath, playing sports, cooking, etc., and microdamages are intensively formed.
The need for polishing is determined by the following factors:
- aesthetics: a scratched ring looks sloppy and loses its attractiveness;
- hygiene: scratches help create suitable conditions for the proliferation of pathogens - dirt accumulates in such areas.
Golden ring
