Caring for jewelry. Cleaning Jewelry How to Clean Jewelry

27.11.202327.05.2017

Jewelry made of precious metals, especially if they are inlaid with various types of stones, not only pleases the eye, but also lifts the spirits of their owners. However, these metals can lose their shiny appearance over time.

In order for them to serve as long as possible, they require proper and careful maintenance, care, and periodic cleaning.

Silver and gold can be cleaned in two ways:

At home, with the help of available means available to everyone.
Using special chemical solutions that can be bought in jewelry stores and workshops.

Cleaning silver with improvised means at home

To clean silver at home, three products are most often used that are found in every home: baking soda, ammonia and hydrogen peroxide.

You can clean it in the following ways:

Cleaning with baking soda. In order to clean products with soda, you need to dilute it with water to a paste. Next, you need to thoroughly rub the product with this paste until it shines and wash it in clean water. However, you should be careful, as grains of soda can cause small scratches on the product.
Cleaning with ammonia. There are two ways here. First: you need to dilute the chalk with ammonia to a paste and rub the product with this substance until it shines, and then wash it. Second: immerse the product in a 10% solution of ammonia for 15-25 minutes (depending on the degree of contamination of the silver).
Cleaning with hydrogen peroxide. You need to thoroughly wipe the product with peroxide until it is completely clean. It is important to know that peroxide does not react with either gold or silver, however, it does react with many other metals. Therefore, you should not use this method without knowing exactly what metals are in the silver alloy (if the product is made of an alloy).

It is important to remember one more point: before any cleaning, the silver needs to be kept for some time in a concentrated solution of soap or other soapy detergent, and only then proceed directly to the procedure itself.

Cleaning gold with improvised means at home

Here's how you can clean gold:

Clean with soap or detergent solution. In a small saucepan, prepare a concentrated solution of liquid soap or detergent. At the bottom, placing a piece of soft cloth underneath, place the gold item. Boil it for a few minutes and wipe thoroughly.
Cleaning with powder and ammonia. In a glass of hot water, dilute a tablespoon of washing powder and ammonia. Leave the product in this solution for 1-2 hours.
Cleaning with saline solution. You need to prepare a concentrated saline solution (about 2-3 tablespoons of salt in half a glass of water) and leave the product in it overnight, and rinse thoroughly in the morning.
Cleaning with a sugar solution. This recipe differs from the previous recipe only in one component - instead of salt you need to use sugar.

Cleaning items with stones

However, cleaning simple metal products is not difficult at all. Difficulties arise when the product is inlaid with some kind of stone.

Depending on the hardness level of the stone, there are three types:

Gems(which have a hardness coefficient greater than 5). These include diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires and others. Such stones are quite resistant to scratches.
Semi-precious stones(having a hardness coefficient below five). These include turquoise, malachite, moonstone, opal and other minerals. They are quite sensitive and can be damaged after prolonged contact with water and other liquids.
Organic stones. These include corals, amber, and natural pearls. They do not tolerate alkaline and acidic environments, as well as contact with ammonia.

Each of these types of stones requires special care. And, accordingly, the jewelry in which they are contained, too. Let's look at it in more detail.

Cleaning items with precious stones

Methods for cleaning items with precious stones:

Such products can be thoroughly cleaned with alcohol. Soak a cotton swab in alcohol and gently wipe the product, including all hard-to-reach places. Then rinse off the alcohol by dipping the item in a water solution and dry the item with a dry cloth.
You can wash the product using a soft cloth soaked in a concentrated soap solution or a solution of washing powder.
Diamond-encrusted jewelry can be easily cleaned with a soft toothbrush dipped in soapy water.
Also, diamond jewelry can be cleaned in a weak solution of ammonia (six drops per glass of water), immersing the product in it for half an hour.
If a grease deposit has formed on the product, you can get rid of it using the same toothbrush dipped in gasoline.

Cleaning items with semi-precious stones

Such stones do not tolerate prolonged contact with water, acids and alkalis. Therefore, the most effective and at the same time gentle way to clean such stones is a soap solution. You need to thoroughly rinse the product in it, and then wipe it with a soft cloth.

Cleaning products with organic stones

For organic stones, you can use the following cleaning products and methods:

Rinse the product in an alcohol solution (50% solution).
Pearls require especially careful care. It should be cleaned with a soft brush dipped in soapy water. Then the decoration should be rinsed with water. More information about one of the varieties of pearls can be found here.
Amber is cleaned dry, by rubbing with a suede or flannel cloth.

Caring for Individual Stones

Rules for caring for some stones:

Diamond and sapphire. These stones should be cleaned with ammonia or soap solution, wiping with a soft cloth intended for optical glasses. It is worth protecting stones from sudden impacts or exposure to high temperatures.
Emerald, topaz, ruby. Only professional cleaning products are used for these stones. Cleaning at home can damage the stone.
Amethyst, garnet. These stones can also be cleaned in soapy water using a soft cloth or brush. Ultrasonic cleaning is also used. These stones don't like harsh ones. temperature changes.
Aquamarine, . These stones are cleaned by washing them in a solution of ammonia or washing powder. However, the solution should be slightly warmed up, but in no case hot. Avoid contact with acids on stones.
Opal, turquoise. These stones can be cleaned at home only with a dry suede cloth. Under no circumstances should these stones be washed or ultrasonic cleaned.

Rules for the care and storage of jewelry

Jewelry storage:

The jewelry should be stored in a box lined with soft fabric inside.
Products should not be in constant contact with each other while in the box. Therefore, it is worth choosing a box with multiple compartments or placing jewelry in soft fabric bags before putting it in the box.
Semi-precious stones can deteriorate from constant contact with direct sunlight. Therefore, for them the presence of a box is a prerequisite.
Also, some stones can deteriorate from heat or strong temperature changes. Therefore, the box should be placed away from heat sources.

Professional care:

About once a year, your jewelry should be professionally cleaned by a jeweler.
The cleaning process involves polishing with a special cleaner and placing the jewelry in an ultrasonic bath (only for those types of stones that are suitable for this).
The jeweler will also be able to prevent stones from falling out of the jewelry and secure the clasps.
You can consult with him about cleaning and caring for your jewelry and purchase stone cleaning products that he recommends.

What jewelry is afraid of:

Temperatures. When heated, the stones attract dust and grease, so after this they will not be able to shine as brightly in the sun as before.
Mechanical impact. Microcracks appear on stones and metal due to mechanical stress. They may be invisible to the naked eye, however, this causes the products to lose their original shine and become dull.
Cosmetics. Components that make up cosmetics can react with metals and have a detrimental effect on them. This may cause stains on the decoration. Apply various creams and lotions only after removing jewelry.

Other general care rules:

You should always remove jewelry at night and when doing housework. Playing sports, taking a shower.
It is also worth protecting products from getting perfume on them, as this can lead to stains on the metal.
Get a special cloth made of soft material (for example, microfiber) for your jewelry and wipe the jewelry with it daily after removal.
Pearls, as a very vulnerable organic stone, should be kept away from all other jewelry, wrapped in soft cloth. Also, if pearls are not worn for a long time, they may become tarnished. Therefore, it is recommended to wear it periodically.

Bottom line

Let's summarize:

To ensure that gold and silver jewelry with stones do not lose their appearance and delight the eyes of their owners for a long time, they need special care and periodic cleaning.
To clean gold and silver items, improvised means such as baking soda, ammonia, soap and other detergents, and hydrogen peroxide are most often used. Solutions and mixtures of these substances are used in different proportions and concentrations, depending on the material and complexity of the contamination. This cleaning is also suitable for jewelry.
Products with stones require more careful care.
All stones are divided into three types: hard precious stones, more fragile semi-precious stones and organic stones. Each type of stone requires special care.
For each stone, there are recommended cleaning methods and rules for handling it. They also need to be taken into account.
Jewelry should also be protected from exposure to chemicals, prolonged exposure to water, technical damage, heat and sudden temperature changes, and cosmetics.
Jewelry should be stored in a special box with a soft covering.
At night, jewelry should be removed and wiped with a soft cloth.
Approximately once a year, jewelry should be taken to a jewelry workshop for professional cleaning. You can also buy special cleaning products for jewelry there.

Products made of precious metals are sure to be found in almost every woman’s treasured jewelry box. Some people wear them all the time, others only “on the go”, but time is inexorable, and any jewelry can lose its original shine and beauty, fade and do not look very presentable, and therefore require basic attention.

Cleaning

Gold

Before answering the question of how to clean gold jewelry, it should be noted that in no case are products that contain abrasive particles suitable for this purpose - they can scratch the top layer. At the end of the procedure, the jewelry is polished with a soft toothbrush and dried thoroughly.

It is recommended to add a couple of drops of dishwashing detergent to a small amount of any oxygen bleach and pour boiling water over it. Gold items requiring cleaning are placed in the rapidly forming foam for 15-20 minutes.
Lemon juice, liquid for contact lenses, is a somewhat unusual but effective remedy.
A great way is to boil it in a solution of washing powder. Dirt is easily cleaned after just a few minutes.
If the contamination is very serious, then cleaning gold with peroxide at home can help. To do this, take a 5-minute “bath” in the following composition: add half a teaspoon of washing powder and an ampoule of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia solution to a small amount of water. After decoration, clean with a toothbrush.
How to restore shine to gold? To do this, place the jewelry overnight in a glass of warm sweet water (3 tablespoons of sugar).
You can moisten a cloth in a slightly sweet solution (0.5 teaspoon per glass of water) and rub the decoration with it.
The following methods are original and simple: cleaning with lipstick, onion juice, beer mixed with egg white. These substances are applied to a soft cloth, which is used to wipe the products. Further actions are similar to those described above.

A variety such as white gold is an alloy of three different metals: gold itself, nickel and copper, and the jewelry is coated with rhodium – from the platinum group. But it can wear off over time, so cleaning white gold requires extreme care.

It is permissible to use a solution that can be used to clean gold - ammonia with an equal amount of water. A little shampoo is added to it, and a white gold product is placed there for half an hour. Then it is washed in water and dried thoroughly with a soft cloth.
It is very easy to clean white gold jewelry in a soapy solution, and the soap should be mild. Things are immersed in this solution for half an hour.
At home, cleaning gold with ammonia is carried out as follows: the product is immersed in a 25% solution for a couple of hours, and then everything is as usual - rinse and dry with a cloth.

Silver

Silver products look very elegant and noble. One problem: the metal very quickly loses its “sales appearance” - it becomes dull and dark. Folk recipes offer various ways to clean silver from blackness and other contaminants. It should be borne in mind that before any of them, you should definitely dip the jewelry in soapy water, and after holding it in it for some time, rinse thoroughly.

If the silver jewelry is not very dirty, you can try to remove the dirt with a warm soapy solution, adding a few drops of ammonia to it. Silver items are placed in this mixture overnight. In the morning, clean them with an unnecessary toothbrush - preferably with soft bristles, so as not to scratch the surface of the jewelry. After this, the jewelry is washed in running water and dried with a soft cloth - preferably a piece of flannel or suede.
The chain can be cleaned using a well-known method - moistened soda. Holding the chain in the palm of your hand, rub it with soda for 15-20 minutes with a toothbrush until the soda darkens. Rinse and dry - as in the previous tip.
In the same way, silver is cleaned from contamination with toothpaste or powder.
Warm solutions of citric acid or table vinegar, prepared at an approximate rate of 50 ml per 350 ml, are also suitable for this purpose.
Low sterling silver can be cleaned well in lemon juice or lemon solution. You just need to hold the product in them and then polish it with a soft cloth.
How to clean silver and gold? For about 20 minutes, silver jewelry is placed in a solution of washing powder, brought to a boil, the same as in the case of gold jewelry.
You can remove dark spots from a large silver cross using an eraser.
Gilded silver requires careful cleaning to avoid damaging the gilding. The surface of such a product is wiped with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol or turpentine. Cleaning with vinegar is allowed, which is washed off after 5 minutes and the decoration is allowed to dry without wiping it.
Such a folk remedy as water from boiled eggs is considered interesting. Having not completely cooled the water, silver items are placed in it and then wiped dry.

Products with stones

Cleaning gold and silver is often complicated by the presence of stones on jewelry, around which dirt most often forms.

Rings, earrings, and pendants with diamonds need to be cleaned of fat at least once a month. Preventive “bathing” occurs in warm water and liquid soap.
How to clean gold from dirt if it is decorated with stones? We must remember that in this case the usual methods are completely unsuitable. This is especially true for stones that are glued to the product - any “water procedures” are contraindicated for them.
For minor stains, cleaning with alcohol or cologne using a cotton swab is suitable. This must be done extremely carefully and smoothly.
Gasoline can save heavily soiled jewelry. The procedure is carried out with a soft toothbrush.
It is best to clean silver items with stones using special compounds, the treatment of which also provides additional protection for the surface.
As a last resort, you can use a cleaning method that involves using ammonia, but the solution should be weak - literally 5-6 drops per glass of water.
The stone itself and the attachment points are wiped with a cotton swab (in no case with a sharp object!), moistened with cologne or glycerin, and then the decoration is polished with flannel or suede.
Quite hard stones such as ruby, sapphire, emerald or diamond can be cleaned with a mixture of ammonia and tooth powder. This method is also suitable for enamel.
Turquoise, amber, moonstone, malachite are cleaned in the same way, but a soap solution is also used.
Pearls in a silver frame require special attention. For example, it cannot be cleaned with ammonia to avoid discoloration of the pearls. Fatty deposits and yellowness can be removed in this way: after washing the jewelry in a soap solution, wrap it in a thin flap of linen, adding a little salt - about a teaspoon. The knot is rinsed in heated water until the salt is completely dissolved.

Cautions

As you know, it is easier to prevent illnesses than to treat them later. The same rule applies to the storage and handling of jewelry. So, darkening of silver can be avoided if:

when doing household chores related to the use of water, remove bracelets and rings;
if the jewelry does come into contact with wet skin, they should be wiped with a soft cloth;
when using hand creams or ointments, jewelry is also removed (especially if the ointment contains sulfur);
Iodine, mercury salts, and ordinary table salt have a bad effect on silver items, so contact with them should be avoided;
It is recommended to store jewelry in a dry place, preferably in a special box, and ideally, pack each piece of jewelry separately;
You should not listen to recommendations for cleaning silver with dishwashing detergents. The same “Fairy” contains a high content of alkalis, which cause the silver to darken. Hydrogen peroxide is also a prohibited substance.

The points that prevent contamination for gold are largely similar. In particular, this applies to household work, water treatments, sports, as well as the use of medicinal and cosmetic products that can cause an unexpected chemical reaction. Nail polish remover can also have a detrimental effect on the condition of gold jewelry.

Care

Jewelry with enamel or natural stones should be protected from mechanical and chemical influences - shocks and contacts with certain substances.
Caring for silver is, in principle, not difficult. A regular “soap bath” is enough for it, followed by rinsing, drying and light polishing with a suede or flannel cloth.
For the purpose of prevention, silver products can be “boiled” together with potatoes from time to time. To do this, while the water is boiling, silver is dipped into it along with a piece of foil. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes. After removing, rinse and dry the product.
If some of the jewelry is worn infrequently, it should be stored wrapped in foil, so that it does not oxidize or darken.
It is not recommended to store gold jewelry in a cardboard box: this material contains sulfur, which over time can “blacken” the metal.

Popular wisdom says: “All that glitters is not gold.” It is logical to conclude that products made from this noble metal are simply bound to shine. Rings, earrings, bracelets, chains - all this is mercilessly worn, gets wet, smeared with creams, and loses its shine. To restore your favorite jewelry to its former beauty at home, you need to clean it. There are effective methods that quickly remove almost any contaminant.

How to restore beauty to different types of gold

If you think that all gold is cleaned the same way, you are deeply mistaken. Methods are selected based on the individual characteristics of a particular piece of jewelry. There are no trifles here. The color (yellow or white), the nature of the coating (shiny or matte), the presence or absence of stones and, of course, the nature of the contamination are taken into account.

First, let's figure out what pitfalls may lie in wait when cleaning gold at home yourself.

Products with stones can only be cleaned using gentle methods, without acids or abrasives. It is better not to immerse them in liquid at all, but to spread them with a cleaning paste or wipe them with soapy water.
You should not clean jewelry made of different metals together (for example, gold and silver), as they may turn white.
Be careful with citric acid, vinegar, and dry soda. They can only be used on products in good condition. If there are scratches, damage or stones, these substances are dangerous to use.

There are times when it is difficult to figure out the correct cleaning methods yourself, then it is better to entrust this matter to professional jewelers.

Jewelry with “capricious” inserts - turquoise, pearls, amber, emerald, coral - can easily be ruined by improper processing. The stone may fade or change color in the wrong solution, or even simply fall out due to “leaking” fasteners. Jewelry with a relief pattern, mother-of-pearl or enamel inlay also requires a special approach. If you need to clean such items, go to your nearest jewelry store. There they will select the appropriate “treatment”: ultrasound, ointment, soaked wipes or special cosmetics.

What solution can be used to clean yellow jewelry: we use ammonia, vodka and Fairy

There are several ways to clean yellow gold earrings and chains. You can start with the simplest thing.

Dissolve 1 tsp in a glass of warm water. any dishwashing detergent, preferably Fairy.
Place a cloth in the pan and a decoration that has darkened on top.
Fill with the prepared solution.
Place the pan on the fire and boil for 5–10 minutes.
Rinse cleaned gold items with water and wipe dry.

This method is suitable for removing surface contaminants. More complex cases require a serious approach. It is better to clean gold items with diamonds, zirconium or cubic zirconia using ammonia.

Add dishwashing detergent or laundry detergent (1 tsp) and 25% ammonia (1 tsp) to a glass of boiling water.
Stir and leave the gold in the solution for 1–2 hours.
Rinse cleaned jewelry with water and wipe dry with a flannel cloth.

This mixture is good at cleaning old gold from blackness and impurities resulting from the oxidation of metal additives in the alloy.

How to clean rings or earrings with foil, boiling and baking soda

Chains or rings that have lost their shine can be restored to their former glory using baking soda and foil.

Dissolve baking soda in hot water (1–1.5 tablespoons of baking soda per 1 cup of water).
Place a sheet of foil on the bottom of the selected dish, place a chain, earrings or ring, and pour in a soda solution.
Leave the decorations on overnight. In the morning (after 8–12 hours of exposure), your favorite jewelry will be like new.

You can use dishwashing liquid in this recipe instead of foil.

Prepare a solution of 1 cup boiling water, 1 tbsp. l. soda and 0.5 tsp dishwashing detergent.
Place a rag on the bottom of the pan, and a piece of gold on top.
Fill with the prepared solution.
Place on low heat for 15-20 minutes or simply leave to cool slowly.
Remove the items, rinse and dry.

Why gold can turn black and how to quickly deal with it - video

Homemade express method: how to remove plaque from a bracelet or chain using chemicals

A quick method is suitable for cleaning jewelry without stones.

Dissolve 1 tsp in a glass of warm water. ammonia solution, 30 ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide and half a teaspoon of liquid soap.
Pour into the container of your choice (glass, ceramic, plastic), stir.
Leave gold items in the solution for 10–15 minutes.
Rinse cleaned jewelry with water and wipe with a dry flannel.

Do not overextend the time the gold is in the solution! Jewelry may become cracked or lose its shine completely.

Effective old recipes for cleaning gold at home

There are several methods that have been tested by more than one generation and, according to reviews, have proven themselves well.

Removing dirt and blackness: the “Belarusian” method

This recipe requires unusual ingredients: onions and potatoes. The substances they contain carefully remove dirt from any type of gold.

Grate the onion and potatoes on a fine grater, as for draniki (potato pancakes).
Stir to form a paste.
Drain the juice. Place the decoration in the remaining mixture and wait 2 hours.
Remove the product, rinse and dry.

Another variation of the old recipe is to use onions. Cut the onion and rub the decoration on the cut area. Onion juice quickly removes dark spots.

Do not use onion juice cleansing on jewelry with stones.

Super composition: restore shine to earrings or coins with sugar and salt

Cleaning with a sweet water solution helps prevent surface contamination (sweat, dust).

Dissolve sugar in water at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. sugar per 1 glass of warm water.
Lower the decorations and leave for 4 hours.
Rinse and wipe dry.

There is a similar method of cleaning using salt: 3 tbsp. l. dilute salt in half a glass of hot water, leave the products in the saline solution overnight, rinse and dry.

There is another extraordinary product for cleaning gold jewelry, coins, and cutlery - Coca-Cola. Pour it into a bowl, place the product, after 10–12 hours, remove it, rinse in clean water and dry.

The use of Coca-Cola is absolutely not suitable for gold jewelry with stones.

All the proposed methods are quite effective for cleaning gold items with surface contamination. To wash jewelry with dark stains, including iodine and paint stains, mechanical cleaning is needed.

Methods for cleaning heavy contaminants

If a ring or bracelet has turned black, only mechanical cleaning can bring it back to beautiful life, that is, we will not pour it in, but rub it. Soda or Pemolux cannot be used, as they leave scratches. That's why we use a special paste. You can buy it ready-made at a jewelry shop or prepare it yourself.

Take equal proportions of warm water, Vaseline, grated laundry soap and crushed chalk. Combine and grind to form a paste.
Apply it to the product with a soft brush using movements directed in one direction.
Wipe off any remaining paste with vodka or alcohol, rinse with warm water and wipe with a soft cloth.

This method can also clean off the white deposits that appear when cleaning gold and silver together and mask scratches.

Cleaning with GOI paste cannot be used for white gold items.

You can remove iodine stains with a home remedy of 1 glass of water and 1 tbsp. l. sodium hyposulfite (thiosulfate). It is sold at the pharmacy or in the photography department. Place the jewelry in the solution, after 15–20 minutes all stains will disappear.

To remove heavy stains, use GOI paste or sodium hyposulfite solution

again without touching the adhesive part.

Then determine whether the stone in your jewelry is hard or soft. The correct method of cleaning the product will depend on this.

Jewelry with hard stones - gallery

Diamond is a hard stone Topaz is a hard stone that can easily withstand aggressive cleaning Products with sapphire can be cleaned without worrying about the condition of the stone Cubic zirconia - hard stones

An easy way to remove dirt from matte gold

The matte surface of a gold item requires a special approach, so you should consider visiting a jeweler. If for some reason this is not possible, try the following:

Prepare a thin paste from a coffee spoon of lime and water.
Add salt on the tip of a knife and 0.5 coffee spoon of soda, stir.
Leave the mixture for 3 days.
Place matte gold items in the infused paste and leave for 4 hours.
Rinse with clean water and dry with a soft cloth.

To clean products without stones, you can use ammonia.

Place the decoration in a 25% ammonia solution.
Leave for several hours.
Rinse with clean water and wipe with flannel.

Cleaning white gold with a mixture of ammonia and shampoo

White gold jewelry looks stylish and noble. To get this color, nickel is added to the alloy, and rhodium (a platinum group metal) is sprayed on top.

As with any plating, the thickness of the rhodium layer is very modest, so you cannot rub white gold with a brush with powder or paste. Or you can use this recipe:

mix ammonia (ammonia) and water in equal proportions, add a little shampoo;
leave white gold items in the solution for 30 minutes;
remove, rinse with clean water, dry with a soft cloth.

Attention! Prolonged exposure to ammonia can damage the top rhodium layer. Make sure that not a drop of this substance remains on the surface after treatment.

There is another simple option for cleaning white gold. Combine 1 egg white with 0.5 cups of warm beer, stir, moisten a cloth with the resulting liquid, wipe the decoration, rinse and dry.

How to wash a product made from “medical gold”

Oddly enough, “medical gold” has nothing to do with medicine, nor does it have anything to do with gold. It was originally used for earrings that were used to pierce ears (probably hence the name “medical”).

Nowadays, this alloy is widely used in jewelry. It looks like gold, and a little of this precious metal may be included in its composition, but such a product cannot be called gold. Jewelry made from “medical gold” is a frequent guest in TV stores. They are yellow, shiny, and cost tens of times less than their noble counterparts.

The following solution is suitable for cleaning such jewelry:

Dissolve 15 g of tooth powder and 30 g of 10% ammonia in 50 g of cold water.
Wet a soft cloth with the mixture and wipe the decoration.
Rinse with warm water and dry.

Grandma's recipes: tooth powder, bread and lipstick

In old notebooks of recipes for all occasions, you can come across the following options for cleaning gold:

rub the gold earrings with bread crumb;
clean the pendant with tooth powder, slightly diluted with water, or toothpaste without a whitening effect, using a soft toothbrush;
Apply lipstick to the gold bracelet, hold for 5–10 minutes, and wipe with a cloth.

Gold is a noble, beautiful and expensive metal. Products made from it require regular maintenance. Before cleaning gold, pay attention to the composition of the alloy, the presence of stones and the nature of the contamination. To keep your jewelry pleasing to the eye for a long time, keep it tidy and clean.

Gold jewelry may lose its attractiveness as a result of prolonged use. This occurs under the influence of various reasons, including: mechanical damage, plaque on products, etc. When deciding how best to clean gold at home, you can have the jewelry professionally cleaned, but in most cases it is enough to perform a number of simple manipulations on your own.

There are well-known methods that allow you to remove dirt from the surface of gold jewelry. Such tools are always at hand, and with minimal time and effort you can get good results. The most effective are:

exposing gold to a piece of material soft enough to remove dirt without damaging the surface of the jewelry, but this method is used to remove fresh deposits;
salt/soda/sugar solution;
toothpaste/powder;
a solution that includes ammonia, peroxide and detergent.

If the task is how to clean gold at home from blackness and other contaminants, it is suggested to choose one of the options, but in most cases you need to use accompanying means (toothpick, toothbrush, matches) so that you can get to the contaminated areas on the openwork surface of the jewelry .

Features of cleaning products with stones

Gold with stones must be cleaned more carefully, because the use of certain substances can worsen the external characteristics of a gold product. These include alcohol. If you use it regularly, stones such as turquoise, malachite, pearls, coral, and amber lose their shine over time.

Also, you cannot use solutions in which, under other circumstances, the entire product is immersed. This is due to the fact that excess humidity has a bad effect on the condition of diamonds. In addition, it is not recommended to use any abrasives that may scratch the surface of the stones.

The easiest and most gentle way to clean gold jewelry with stones is to regularly wipe it with a soft cloth.

If you need to decide how to clean gold yourself at home, it is also recommended to use a professional mechanical cleaning product. It is used in accordance with the rules, following the instructions. But most often, such specialized products are applied to a gold product using a brush. It is important that it has soft bristles, otherwise the jewelry may be damaged.

If you need to quickly clean gold at home, you need to know that regular cologne will do the job just fine. It is applied to a toothpick with a small amount of cotton wool on the end or a cotton swab, then gently wipe the stones. Cologne helps renew jewelry: it will remove dirt and restore shine. Therefore, when the problem of how to clean gold to make it shine is solved, this product is used. Regular liquid soap is also good for cleaning gold and diamond jewelry.

Note: Gasoline has similar properties to cologne, which makes it possible to use it in the absence of an alternative.

Features of caring for white gold products

Standard methods, although quite effective for most types of jewelry, are not all suitable for removing tarnish and dirt from rings/earrings made of a precious alloy called white gold. Its peculiarity lies in the presence of metals such as nickel and copper. This gold is coated with rhodium on top and requires more gentle care. Then how to clean white gold at home?

What can be used for such products:

soft rags;
soap/shampoo;
ammonia.

Solutions based on these components can be used to wipe gold jewelry, but it is prohibited to leave them overnight. When deciding how to clean gold at home, we must not forget that rings/earrings made of this alloy cannot be cleaned using tooth powder/paste or salt/saline solutions.

Effective recipes based on ammonia and soap:

When cleaning gold at home (rhodium-plated alloy), equal parts of ammonia and water are mixed. Next, add a couple of drops of shampoo to the prepared solution. Jewelry should be immersed in the mixture for half an hour, washed and dried.
Liquid soap is diluted with water (200 ml) in an amount that can be obtained with two pumps of the dispenser. The products are left in the solution for 20 minutes.

If you are solving the problem of how to quickly clean gold at home, you need to take into account the degree and type of contamination. In some cases, it is enough to use a rag; in others, the product is immersed for 20-30 minutes. into solution. But any of the methods discussed above can quickly remove plaque from gold.

Various gold cleaning methods

There are a large number of recipes to choose from that make it easy to care for gold jewelry without the risk of losing its attractiveness. But when deciding what is the best way to clean gold at home, you should always take into account the features of the product (type of metal, presence and type of stones).

Basic recipes:

The last of the recipes has a universal effect. Apply a small amount to a cotton pad, then carefully clean all surfaces of the gold product. The mixture is then removed with alcohol.

Important: Whatever cleaning method you choose, after it it is recommended to rinse the product under running water and wipe dry with a soft cloth.

Rules for cleaning gold

First of all, you need to select recipes in accordance with the characteristics of the item. It is quite possible to clean gold and diamonds (emerald, sapphire, topaz) at home, as well as jewelry with zirconium and cubic zirconia, using ammonia. These stones will not lose their attractiveness from contact with alcohol solutions. Such rings/earrings/pendants can be cleaned using a brush; other valuable stones of this type tolerate moderate mechanical impact well.

Earrings, pendants and rings with soft stones do not withstand the effects of vinegar essence, ammonia and abrasive detergents, as well as powders and pastes. This group includes pearls, turquoise, coral, malachite, and amber. It is not recommended to expose them to water for a long time.

Surface cleaning of gold does not give good results if the product has openwork elements or inserts. In this case, you should influence such areas with toothpicks with a piece of cotton wool at one end, or a cotton swab. You should not leave the active substance on the product for a long time, as the composition may dry out and then you will have to clean not only the plaque, but also the toothpaste.

Chains and earrings, bracelets and rings - jewelry brings a whole sea of pleasure. But the shine of all these “trinkets” can fade very quickly if you don’t make an effort. Learn how to clean gold at home and enjoy its beauty.

For cleaning gold rings and chains at home, you will certainly find these folk recipes useful!

Powder, ammonia and water

Cleaning with ammonia will take several hours, but your accessories will simply sparkle!

Ammonia – 1 tsp;
Water – 200 ml;
Powder – 1 tbsp. l.

Step 1. Pour boiled water into a deep plate.
Step 2: Add laundry detergent.
Step 3. Add ammonia.
Step 4. Mix well.
Step 5: Place the rings in water for about 2 hours.
Step 6: Rinse and dry with a soft cloth.

Dishwashing liquid

Another good method that will allow you to cope with even severe dirt.

Hydrogen peroxide and liquid soap

Water – 200 ml;
Peroxide – 40 g;
Liquid soap – 1 tsp;
Ammonia – 1 tsp.

Step 1. Warm up the water slightly.
Step 2: Add all ingredients.
Step 3. Pour the solution into a deep bowl.
Step 4: Immerse the gold for about 20 minutes.
Step 5: Rinse and dry them.

Salt

You can also clean gold jewelry with kitchen salt. It's very easy to do!

By the way, salt in this recipe can be replaced with sugar. The effect will be exactly the same.

Foil, soda and water

These simple ingredients, found in every kitchen, will make gold shine.

Borax solution

If your gold chain is very dirty, try cleaning it with this effective product.

Step 1. Soak a piece of silk fabric in the borax solution.
Step 2: Lightly polish the jewelry.
Step 3. Rinse them and rub them until shiny.

Chalk and ammonia

Vinegar

How to clean gold without harm and without scratches? Take table vinegar, soak a clean cloth in it, wipe the dirty areas, rinse and dry.

Lipstick

A very unusual method, but quite effective!

Step 1: Apply some light lipstick to the gold ring.
Step 2. Walk it over the entire surface.
Step 3: Polish the ring until it shines with a piece of velvet.

Onion juice

Step 1. Squeeze the juice from the onion.
Step 2. Dampen a napkin in it.
Step 3. Wipe the jewelry, rinse in clean water and dry with a soft cloth.

Special cleaning paste

How to properly clean jewelry with stones?

Classic cleaning methods are not suitable for gold items with stones. And such products cannot be placed in water. You will need gasoline, cologne or alcohol.

Step 1. Dip a cotton swab in any of these liquids.
Step 2: Use smooth movements to clean the stones. It is better to do this with a rag, as sharp objects can damage the frame.
Step 3. Wipe the jewelry with a clean cloth and dry.

How to clean gold with a matte surface?

Jewelry of this type is becoming more and more popular, but you need to take care of it very carefully. Powders and hard brushes are not suitable for these purposes. We advise you to stock up on lime and ammonia.

Ammonia

Lime – 1 tsp;
Soda - half a teaspoon;
Water – 1 tsp;
Salt is on the tip of the knife.

Step 1: Combine dry ingredients.
Step 2: Add warm water.
Step 3. Leave the mixture for 3-4 days.
Step 4: Place the gold in this solution for a few hours.
Step 5: Rinse and dry.

How to clean white gold?

White gold is composed of an alloy of three metals (nickel, gold and copper), coated with a layer of rhodium. The surface of such jewelry can be quickly wiped off, so their cleaning should be soft and gentle.

Tooth powder

Using powder, you can very easily and quickly clean white gold from blackness and impurities.

Ammonia, shampoo, water

Shampoo – 1 tsp;
Ammonia – 1 part;
Water – 1 part.

Step 1. Mix shampoo, water and ammonia.
Step 2: Drop your decorations into this solution.
Step 3. Wait half an hour.
Step 4. Wash and dry.

Water and mild soap

Attention! Do not use products containing chlorine or harsh chemicals to clean white gold.