How to Clean Jewelry
Use a soap and water solution., Use a cleaning machine., Have your gold polished.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use a soap and water solution.
Gold jewelry is most easily cleaned using a simple solution of soap and water.
Fill a bowl with warm water and a few squirts of mild dishwashing liquid.
Place your gold jewelry in the bowl and let it soak for about 15 minutes, then use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently scrub away the grime.
Dry your jewelry with a soft cloth to restore its shine.
Avoid using strong detergent, a toothbrush with hard bristles, or a course towel when handling your gold.
Even a paper towel is too rough for gold jewelry.
Gold is a soft metal that is easily scratched and bent.
The higher your jewelry's karat, the more careful you must be not to damage it.
Don't let your jewelry soak for too long, since the cleaning agents in the soap might damage it over time. -
Step 2: Use a cleaning machine.
Ionic cleaners and steam cleaners may be used to clean gold jewelry that doesn't respond to the soapy water treatment.
Jewelry is inserted into a slot or box in the machine, and the machine works to clean it over the course of a few minutes.
Jewelry cleaning machines are available at drugstores and home goods stores.
If you'd rather not buy your own machine, you can take your jewelry to a jeweler and ask that it be treated with an ionic or steam cleaning. , Gold jewelry that is very old and tarnished doesn't respond to steam or ionic treatments.
Take it to a jeweler and have it professionally polished.
This process is done in stages with lightly abrasive papers that are rubbed over the surface of the jewelry.
The polished gold should look good as new.
Don't attempt to polish your own gold jewelry.
Jewelers work with special papers that are made specifically for polishing gold, and using a different type of paper could cause damage.
When jewelry is polished, the surface layer of gold is removed, and your gold will be worth a little less afterward. -
Step 3: Have your gold polished.
Detailed Guide
Gold jewelry is most easily cleaned using a simple solution of soap and water.
Fill a bowl with warm water and a few squirts of mild dishwashing liquid.
Place your gold jewelry in the bowl and let it soak for about 15 minutes, then use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently scrub away the grime.
Dry your jewelry with a soft cloth to restore its shine.
Avoid using strong detergent, a toothbrush with hard bristles, or a course towel when handling your gold.
Even a paper towel is too rough for gold jewelry.
Gold is a soft metal that is easily scratched and bent.
The higher your jewelry's karat, the more careful you must be not to damage it.
Don't let your jewelry soak for too long, since the cleaning agents in the soap might damage it over time.
Ionic cleaners and steam cleaners may be used to clean gold jewelry that doesn't respond to the soapy water treatment.
Jewelry is inserted into a slot or box in the machine, and the machine works to clean it over the course of a few minutes.
Jewelry cleaning machines are available at drugstores and home goods stores.
If you'd rather not buy your own machine, you can take your jewelry to a jeweler and ask that it be treated with an ionic or steam cleaning. , Gold jewelry that is very old and tarnished doesn't respond to steam or ionic treatments.
Take it to a jeweler and have it professionally polished.
This process is done in stages with lightly abrasive papers that are rubbed over the surface of the jewelry.
The polished gold should look good as new.
Don't attempt to polish your own gold jewelry.
Jewelers work with special papers that are made specifically for polishing gold, and using a different type of paper could cause damage.
When jewelry is polished, the surface layer of gold is removed, and your gold will be worth a little less afterward.
About the Author
Sarah Ellis
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
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