How to Clean Gold Jewelry

Need to know when to use ammonia. Ammonia is a strong detergent, but chemically it can be corrosive. Avoid using ammonia to clean gold jewelry too often to prevent wear and tear – ammonia is a good candidate for the occasional (but not very often) “root cleaning” of jewelry.

• Ammonia can damage some materials commonly used to make jewelry. Ammonia should not be used to clean gold jewelry containing platinum or pearls.

Mix one part ammonia to six parts water. Stir gently so that the mixture is evenly mixed.

Soak the jewelry in the mixture for no more than 1 minute. Don’t soak in ammonia for too long – it’s a strong bleach and can corrode jewelry.

• To quickly remove all the trinkets from the solution, use a sieve like you would when cooking pasta. Either you can use a hand sieve to scoop out the jewelry, or you can pour the bowl of the jewelry soaking solution into a large sieve placed in the sink.

Rinse jewelry with water. Be sure to cover the drain hose to avoid losing your jewelry if it slips out of your hands. Alternatively, you can wash your jewelry using the sieve you use to remove the jewelry from the ammonia solution.

Gently dry the jewelry with a soft cloth. Place the jewelry on a cloth to allow it to dry before use.

It is important to know which types of jewelry should be kept dry. Stones (such as earrings ^[4] ) should be avoided in contact with water. Warm water can loosen the glue and gems can fall out, especially when you’re scrubbing with a brush. For these types of jewelry, use a separate cleaning method to avoid contact with water.

Use a cloth soaked in soapy water as in Method One to clean jewelry. Dip a soft cloth in the solution and gently rub it into your jewelry.

Dip another piece of cloth in clean water to “clean” the jewelry. Dampen the cloth gently to remove any remaining soap bubbles.

Hang jewelry upside down after cleaning. Let dry. By placing the jewelry upside down, standing water will flow out, so that they will not penetrate the internal structure of the jewelry.

Mix a small amount of toothpaste in the water. Squeeze about 3cm of toothpaste into a bowl (or into your hand!) and add a tablespoon or two of water to make a thin paste. Acting as a mild abrasive, toothpaste is great for removing dirt build-up on your favorite jewelry without scratching them.

• You can use this method to quickly clean jewelry you often wear or when you don’t have time to practice other methods (when you’re traveling, for example).

Use a toothbrush (soft bristled) to scrub. Use an old toothbrush with soft bristles and toothpaste to gently scrub away dirt. Toothpaste also has a polishing effect. If you see scratches on your jewelry, it’s most likely caused by a brush – the softer the brush, the better!

• In addition, you can also rub toothpaste directly on jewelry without adding water. However, doing so will make it difficult to remove the cream left in the small crevices.

Rinse with water. Just like you need to rinse your mouth after brushing your teeth, rinse your jewelry to remove excess dirt!

Need to know when to use boiling water. Gold itself has no problem being boiled. However, boiling precious stones (such as opals, pearls, corals, moonstones) can crack or damage them – especially if they are cold before boiling. Boiling is also not a good idea for jewelry with rhinestones, as it will cause them to loosen. However, if you want to clean jewelry made entirely of gold or jewelry with “hard stones” (like diamonds), boiling is a great way.

Boil water. You don’t need to boil a lot of water – just use enough water to submerge the face of the jewelry. While waiting for the water to boil, place the jewelry in a hard bowl or basin, choosing materials that won’t break when used with boiling water. Heat-resistant glass or metal bowls/plates are perfect choices.

• Arrange jewelry in plates or bowls so that they do not overlap – each piece must be submerged in water.

Pour water slowly over the jewelry. Be careful not to pour too quickly as the water can overflow or splash – boiling water can cause severe burns.