From family heirlooms to stunning wedding bands, gold jewellery has a special place in our hearts. But these gold pieces look dull and worn with time, so cleaning the jewellery is a must.
You can either contact an expert, or you can do it yourself at home.
Experts will charge some amount for jewellery cleaning, but following a few simple cleaning steps at home can get the same shine in your gold. Wish to learn how?
When should you clean gold jewellery?
To keep the gold jewellery sparkling, you should clean them every few weeks. But regular cleaning may result in the damaging of gold jewellery.
So, it is recommended to go for a gentle cleaning in a few weeks and deep cleaning only if the gold jewellery is exposed to serious debris, chemicals, or dirt.
Suppose you are having a special occasion jewellery. In that case, it should be inspected after every wear for damage, smudges, and dirt because this type of jewellery needs cleaning only if they appear dirty.
Gagadeep Gambhir, owner of Cash Your Gold Brisbane, advised to always remember that gold can withstand only gentle frequent cleaning, which will keep it free from chemical build-up, fingerprints, oil, and dust. It will also help in extending the life of gold jewellery and will keep it looking new and shiny. Though let us tell you, cleaning the jewellery does not affects the payout rates when you sell gold jewellery.
How do you clean gold jewellery at home?
Cleaning gold jewellery at home is an easy process. There are many products which you can use to help you with the cleaning process. Here we are going to use some easily available products at home which are as mentioned below:
- Shallow bowl
- Warm water
- A soft cloth or lint-free cloth
- Few drops of mild/chemical-free dish soap
- Soft-bristled baby toothbrush/ Jewellery specific cleaning brush
Steps to follow for cleaning gold jewellery
The below instructions will work for most of the gold jewellery items.
Before beginning, ensure you are not cleaning your gold jewellery near an open sink. Always put a dish or mat over the nearby drainage before starting your cleaning regimen.
- Mix water and soap
Put some warm water in a shallow dish and add a few drops of dish soap. With the help of a soft toothbrush, you need to mix the soap and water until small bubbles are formed.
- Soak gold jewellery
Now you have to put your gold jewellery in the shallow dish and let it soak for 15 minutes.
- Brush the gold jewellery
Take out the jewellery from the bowl, piece by piece, and make sure to clean any tight chain, clasps, and links with the soft cleaning brush. Here you can also use an old toothbrush, but make sure it has soft bristles.
- Rinse with clean water
After brushing, it’s time to clean gold jewellery under cold running water. Make sure to remove dish soap properly.
- Dry the gold jewellery
After rinsing, you must put your jewellery on a soft or lint-free cloth. Now gently buff the jewellery with a soft cloth to dry excess water.
You can leave the jewellery piece for some time on the soft cloth to make it dry completely, and your gold piece is ready to wear again.
How can you clean gold jewellery with a gemstone?
If you have a precious gemstone in your jewellery, you should remember that some stones are perfectly safe to clean with the above method.
So, if your jewellery contains precious gemstones like rose quartz, aquamarine, amethyst, sapphire, ruby, and diamond, you can simply follow the above steps to clean the gold jewellery. But make sure to pay extra attention to the area under and behind the gemstone, as they are delicate and require extra cleaning. Also, you should avoid putting any pressure on the gemstone settings to avoid scratching.
If your gold jewellery has natural wood, bone, coral, opals, pearls, or emeralds, never soak them in water or chemical. Because opals, pearls, and emeralds are delicate, soaking them will cause permanent damage. Also, Wood, coral, and bone are very soft and absorb naturally, so soaking in water can result in permanent damage or discoloration.
So, avoiding soaking any treated gemstone, especially those with a non-permanent coating, is strongly recommended. Also, make sure not to expose pearl jewellery to water; it can be easily cleaned with a soft or lint-free cloth.
There are many fashion stones like crystals or cubic zirconia which can withstand a nice gentle cleaning. But make sure not to dip it in water or do scrubbing with abrasives. This kind of gold jewellery should be gently buffed with a soft cloth or lint-free cloth. If you feel these jewellery items require deeper cleaning, always take them to professionals.
How can you clean white gold- or gold-plated jewellery?
White gold jewellery or gold-plated items can be easily cleaned with mild soaking in dish soap and water, but these items should not be rubbed or scrubbed with anything because all colors of white gold and rose gold can be damaged easily.
Wrap Up
Cleaning your jewellery at home is an easy task because you do not require any special tools. Just little dish soap and warm water will work. But you should always check out the stones and material of your jewellery item and keep the above tips in mind. Make sure to follow the above dos and don’ts for jewellery with special gemstones and materials.
