How to Clean Gold Jewelry
Gold jewelry can represent an array of fond memories and heirlooms to many. Gold is also a valuable asset and represents an investment over time due to its use as in inflation hedge and currency influence.
In cleaning your jewelry, our main concern is the safety of your gold over time and its overall long-term health. Cleaning your gold is an important part in its appearance and health. Storing jewelry in its case is also ideal and keeps your pieces cleaner.
The following guide details everything you need as well as the process involved in cleaning your gold jewelry safely and effectively.
What You Need
– two large glass or plastic bowls
– mild dish soap (3-4 drops)
– the softest bristled toothbrush you can find
– 2 clean cloths (1 microfiber and 1 cotton)
Instructions
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1
Cleaning Solution
Fill one of the bowls with warm water and add a few drops of mild dish soap and stir to mix. -
2
Method of Choice
If you have gemstones in your gold jewelry, you will need a few clean cotton cloths. Soak a cloth in the cleaning solution and use it to rub the gold and gems lightly to remove dirt and fingerprints. Clean carefully and be sure to get all of the crevices.
Pure gold jewelry can be put into the soap water for 15-20 seconds. -
3
Brush Up
For a more thorough cleaning, use a very soft bristled tooth brush and soak it in the cleaning solution. Use the brush to very slowly and carefully brush the gold. This technique can also be used with the gemstones. -
4
Clean Up
Fill your second bowl with clean warm water. Use this water to clean the soap from your gold jewelry. Pure gold jewelry should be placed into the water and left to soak for 15 seconds.
If you have gems in the gold piece, dip a new cotton cloth into the water and use it to wipe and clean all of the gold and gems. Water will get into the setting and can be an issue. This is why placing this type of jewelry in water is ill advised. -
5
Dry
You can either place the jewelry on a microfiber cloth and left to air dry. Gold with gemstones can be air dried while hanging face side down. This will prevent water from setting around the gems.