Unfortunately, for all lovers of gold jewelry, they tend to darken as they wear them. This is due to both the oxidation of alloys (additives to gold that ensure its hardness) and general contamination. Sweat, oily skin secretions, dirt, detergent residues, cosmetics - all this gradually accumulates on jewelry and deprives it of its former shine. We'll tell you how to clean gold jewelry at home in our article.
Note! If your gold jewelry contains diamonds, we recommend using the cleaning tips in the article “How to Safely Clean Diamonds in Gold at Home.”
Cleaning gold with ammonia
Ammonia can not only revive a person, but also gold jewelry. To do this, follow the steps below.
- Dissolve 5-7 drops of ammonia in a glass of water.
- Immerse the gold jewelry in the solution for 30 minutes.
- Remove the product and rinse it under running water.
- Wipe the jewelry dry, and then wipe with a special microfiber, felt or flannel cloth until it shines.
Note! Ammonia has a pungent odor.
When cleaning gold with it, do not forget to ventilate the room well!
Simple rules of care
Every owner of jewelry made of precious metals dreams that they always look beautiful and shiny. To do this, you need to follow simple rules for preserving gold:
- It is recommended to remove jewelry every time you have to clean the house or go to the bathhouse or sauna. It is recommended to do the same when visiting a fitness club or sports section. Over time, scratches will cause the metal to tarnish and change its appearance.
- Every day at the end of the day you should remove your jewelry and wipe it with a soft cloth.
- They store gold in boxes, protecting it from dust and sunlight, which have a detrimental effect on its beauty and shine.
- It should be taken into account that this metal does not like sudden changes in temperature.
These rules are quite simple, but most people do not adhere to them, which is why they have to clean their jewelry every few months. Special tools are quite expensive, and not everyone will agree to entrust the work to a professional. Therefore, you should know simple methods for cleaning precious metals at home.
Table vinegar
This method is suitable for cleaning gold jewelry made of yellow and red gold without any inserts.
Note! It is not recommended to clean white gold with vinegar.
- Make a vinegar solution. To do this, mix 1 part water with 1 part 9% table vinegar.
- Immerse the product in the solution for 5-10 minutes.
- Remove the jewelry and rinse it under the tap with warm water.
- Dry and wipe the product with a microfiber, felt or flannel cloth until it shines.
Category: question-answer
Is it possible to clean a diamond ring yourself?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
If for various reasons it is impossible to contact a specialist, and the jewelry has lost its attractiveness, choose one of the methods given above - for hard stones. The best methods: a solution of ammonia, soap or peroxide. Moreover, unlike other hard stones, diamond quickly deforms, which means it is not recommended to use a brush.
Which method is suitable for cleaning cubic zirconia earrings?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
The stone is moderately hard, and therefore requires more careful handling than other types. The best cleaning method is a mild soap solution. An alternative option: alcohol or glycerin, there is another method of mechanical action - an eraser. The last of them removes surface contaminants that have not yet penetrated the structure of the material.
When cleaning a gold ring in Coca-Cola, it changed color, what does this mean? How to return the color?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
Many people use proven materials and jewelry cleaning products. Among the suitable methods is the Coca-Cola drink. However, upon contact with the substance, the metal becomes colored, which is due to the presence of a large number of additives in its composition. They interact with the environment. You can remove brown marks from gold using different means: ammonia, soap. Thanks to such means, the original color of the jewelry is returned.
Gold jewelry
How to clean gold at home to make it shine with ruby?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
Prepare a solution using one of the main ingredients - alcohol. An alternative option is shampoo, but any other detergent or cosmetic product will do. Gold that has darkened is treated with alcohol or an alcohol-containing product. Ruby is cleaned using the least aggressive methods, and without abrasives.
A gift from my husband has become cloudy, how can I clean earrings with stones at home without damaging them?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
Changes in color and other properties of jewelry can be caused by improper handling (exposure to hot water, soap, chemicals, the formation of a layer of fat) or a natural consequence of changes in the body (with a decrease in immunity, other processes develop, biological substances are produced that react with components in composition of jewelry). This means that you should pay attention to the accompanying factors that could affect the condition of the jewelry when external characteristics change. Plaque can be removed in different ways, but it is important to understand whether these are surface or structural changes in the material. It is possible to return the original properties of gold only in the first case. To do this, use the means given above: soap solution, toothpaste, vinegar solution, etc. The choice is made taking into account the inlay.
Gold ring after cleaning
Toothpaste
Take toothpaste without any additives. Avoid using bleach paste as it contains abrasive particles that can scratch the metal. The optimal choice is colorless gel.
- Apply the paste to a cloth.
- Rub the product with a napkin using soft circular movements.
- Rinse the decoration from the paste under running water.
- Wipe the gold item dry and then wipe with a microfiber, felt or flannel cloth until it shines.
Soda and foil
Dissolve a couple of tablespoons of baking soda in hot water and place a sheet of regular kitchen foil on the bottom of the container. Place gold jewelry on the bottom and leave to soak overnight. After this, your favorite bracelets and chains need to dry on their own - lay them out on a towel or paper napkin.
Photo: popbela.com
Hydrogen peroxide
To clean, you will need 3% hydrogen peroxide, ammonia and liquid soap.
- Mix 250 ml of water, 30 ml of hydrogen peroxide, 1 teaspoon of ammonia and 1 teaspoon of liquid cream soap.
- Soak the jewelry in the mixture for 3-5 hours.
- Rinse the jewelry under the tap.
- Wipe the product dry, and then wipe with a microfiber, felt or flannel cloth until it shines.
Another version of the composition with hydrogen peroxide:
- Mix 250 ml of water with 2-3 teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide and 1.5 teaspoons of liquid soap.
- Place the gold jewelry in the resulting solution for 20-30 minutes.
- Rinse the product under running water.
- Dry the jewelry (or wipe it dry) and wipe with a microfiber, felt or flannel cloth until it shines.
Care and regular visits to a jeweler to check a piece with a precious stone
To avoid having to boil gold jewelry in the future, risking ruining it, or using other methods at home, you need to follow simple rules:
- before taking a shower or bath, remove all rings and earrings;
- You should not play sports without taking off your jewelry;
- body and hand cream is applied before putting on rings and other jewelry;
- do not visit the bathhouse without removing gold earrings and bracelets, especially if these are inlaid items;
- periodically carry out cleaning with improvised means so as not to damage the products;
- You should not polish jewelry yourself, as this may cause the stone to become loose;
- It is important to store gold items separately; for this purpose, use a box with inner lining;
- Every year they turn to a specialist to prevent the formation of defects: they check for chips, scratches, and the reliability of fastenings.
Cleaning gold with GOI paste
GOI paste is a special tool for polishing metals, developed by the State Optical Institute (abbreviated as GOI). There are several pastes with numbers from 1 to 4. Numbers 3 and 4 have rather large particles; they are not suitable for cleaning gold. Numbers 1 and 2 help polish the metal to a mirror effect. Simply apply the paste to a cloth and rub the gold jewelry with it. After treatment, the product should be rinsed under running water and wiped dry.
Note! GOI paste is only suitable for cleaning red and yellow gold without inserts! White gold and inlaid items cannot be cleaned with this paste.
Chalk
Chalk is good for cleaning gold, but it should be jewelry without stones or coatings that are easy to scratch. Mix chalk powder with grated laundry soap or ammonia to a thick, dense paste. To apply the mixture well to the surface, use an old toothbrush. Don't forget to wash your jewelry to avoid stains later.
Photo: freelancehack.ru
Cleaning gold with citric acid
Cleaning with citric acid is recommended for jewelry made of red or yellow gold.
- Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid in 200 ml of water. Make sure the crystals are completely dissolved!
- Dip gold earrings, rings or chain into the solution for 5-7 minutes.
- Rinse the jewelry under the tap.
- Dry the gold item or wipe it dry. After this, give it a final wipe with a microfiber, felt or flannel cloth for shine.
Note! White gold items cannot be cleaned with citric acid.
Causes of pollution
The sources of unsightly spots and darkening are:
- chemicals - soap, household chemicals, creams: this is especially true for rings;
- sweat and fat secretions are natural for humans, but cause harm to products made of precious metal;
- dust and dirt surround us in everyday life and inevitably end up on all objects.
Gold is a soft metal that is easily scratched and deformed. Therefore, to improve performance characteristics, other materials are added to the precious one. Although damage is still inevitable. At first, minor flaws are not visible to the naked eye, but gradually the network of scratches grows, and because of this, the jewelry becomes dull and loses its luster.
Cleaning gold with alcohol
Regular medical alcohol is applied to a cotton pad and the product is wiped. This way you can clean jewelry made of yellow, red or white gold with or without inserts. After treating with alcohol, the jewelry is washed with clean water, wiped dry and rubbed until shiny with a microfiber, felt or flannel cloth.
For complex jewelry, openwork or composite, such as chains, you can use a water-alcohol solution. Mix alcohol and water 1 to 1 and soak the decoration in it for a few minutes. Afterwards, be sure to rinse with water.
Preparing Jewelry for Cleaning
If your gold accessory is a delicate work of art and has filigree patterns, ornate designs and other decorations, then much more effort must be made to remove dirt.
Stage 1
Preliminary preparation requires softening of contaminants. To do this, place the gold jewelry in a warm soapy solution and let it sit for several hours. The duration of such soaking depends on the total volume and origin of contaminants.
Stage 2
If you are cleaning chain links or the engraving on a gold ring, mechanical action may be required. Using a small soft brush and soap solution, first clean stubborn stains, and then proceed to more serious methods of exposure.
How to clean Fairy gold
A well-known brand of dishwashing detergent perfectly breaks down grease. On many sites you can find advice to boil jewelry with the addition of this product. We do not recommend using such aggressive methods. Soaking is safer.
- Make a solution by mixing 200 ml of water, 1 teaspoon of Fairy, 1 teaspoon of ammonia and 40 ml of hydrogen peroxide. Mix well.
- Immerse the decoration in the solution for 10-20 minutes.
- Remove the jewelry and rinse under running water.
- Dry and wipe with a microfiber, felt or flannel cloth.
Fashionable matte products
This type of jewelry is becoming increasingly popular. But caring for them is more troublesome, because it is not recommended to use hard brushes or abrasive powders to clean such products. Therefore, professional options for cleaning gold at home are most often used. For example, using ultrasonic baths or special jewelry solutions. However, you can try other methods. These same methods work great for gold-plated jewelry.
Ammonia soaking
Peculiarity. Ammonia is safe for matte gold and can remove blackness from the surface.
What you will need:
- 10% ammonia - 50 ml;
- dry soft rags.
Sequencing
- Place the product in an ammonia solution.
- Leave for several hours.
- After rinse, dry with a cloth.
Salt-soda mixture with lime
Peculiarity. Baking soda and salt are gentle not only on gold items. They are safe, for example, for both silver and copper.
How to clean gold with Mystic powder
Biotrim Mystik is a cleaning powder from the Greenway network company. The manufacturer claims that the product works effectively on glass, crystal, teapots, coffee makers, porcelain and even helps remove stains from things. Applications include cleaning jewelry, including gold and stone jewelry.
- To clean, you will need to dilute 1 teaspoon of product in 1 glass of hot water.
- Place decorations in the solution. Explication time is from 5 to 15 minutes.
- Afterwards, rinse the jewelry with clean water, dry and wipe with a napkin until it shines.
Cleaning silver at home
Silver, like gold, develops a patina. Even if you minimize the contact of silver with aggressive substances, over time it still oxidizes under the influence of oxygen. A so-called oxide film forms on the jewelry, which changes the true color of the metal.
Copper is often added to the silver alloy. Due to contact with air, it can form silver sulfide - this is a dark coating on the product.
Silver is cleaned with soda. Here's how to do it:
- Place a tablespoon of baking soda and 2-3 pieces of aluminum foil in a glass - the size of one piece is approximately 5 × 5 cm.
- Place silver jewelry on the bottom.
- Pour boiling water over and leave for 5-10 minutes. Soda reacts with aluminum, resulting in the release of hydrogen, which removes dirt and oxidation.
- We rinse the products with cold water and wipe with a dry cloth.
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Cleaning white gold with sugar
White gold jewelry, including those with stones, can be cleaned with a weak sugar solution. For this:
- Mix 2-3 teaspoons of sugar with 250 ml of water until the crystals dissolve.
- Soak the decoration in the solution for 12-24 hours.
- Rinse it under running water.
- Wipe dry and polish with a microfiber, felt or velvet cloth.
Using the same recipe, you can clean jewelry made of yellow, red and combined gold.
It is recommended to clean jewelry once every 2-3 months. If you are not removing items (such as a wedding ring or earrings), more thorough cleaning may be required. We recommend contacting a jewelry workshop. There, rings, earrings or other jewelry are guaranteed to be restored to their original appearance by removing all dirt. Polishing is carried out to remove minor scratches. Also, the jeweler always checks the strength of the stones if the jewelry has inlay.
Prevention
To make rings, bracelets, earrings and chains sparkle and delight you with their appearance, you need to adhere to simple operating rules.
- Remove jewelry before dirty work, contact with household chemicals, sports and cosmetic procedures.
- If moisture gets on the gold, be sure to wipe it with a cloth.
- Clean your accessories at least once every 2 months.
- It is better to store jewelry away from sunlight in a wooden box with soft walls.
Sources
- https://adella.ru/home/cleaning/chistim-zoloto-v-domashnih-usloviyah.html
- https://zhazhdazolota.ru/dragotsennosti/uhod/kak-pochistit-zoloto-v-domashnih-usloviyah
- https://metalloy.ru/obrabotka/chistka/zolota
- https://tvjam.ru/livehaki/kak-pochistit-zoloto-v-domashnikh-usloviyakh/
- https://CentrBalans.ru/chistka/zolota.html
- https://vsvoemdome.ru/dom/hozyajstvo/kak-i-chem-pochistit-zoloto-v-domashnih-usloviyah
