How To Clean Gold Jewelry
Cleaning gold jewelry can be difficult if you don't know what you are doing or how to clean the item properly. Here is a step-by-step set of instructions that will teach you how to clean gold jewelry safely.
Dish Soap & Warm Water
Fill a coffee cup with warm water and squirt in a few drops of dish soap. Mix the two together until the soap has completely dissolved inside the water and you see bubbles emerge. Place the jewelry inside the water mixture and let it sit overnight to allow the soap to break down the dirt and grime on the jewelry. In the morning, take the jewelry out and rinse it in water, and then pat it dry using a dishtowel. The jewelry should look polished and clean as the removal of the dirt will bring back the item's original gold glow.
Toothpaste & Toothbrush
Toothpaste is a cleaner that can remove contaminants from your teeth, but it can also clean jewelry. Apply a small line of toothpaste directly onto the jewelry and then take a soft toothbrush to gently rub it into the jewelry. Rub the brush in a circular motion with the toothbrush and make sure to avoid using excess force, as you could potentially damage the jewelry. Also, choose a toothbrush that does not have any hard bristles that could potentially scratch the jewelry and damage the gold. After you have scrubbed off all the dirt with the toothbrush, rinse the toothpaste off the jewelry with warm water to complete the job.
Boil the Jewelry in Hot Water
Boiling the jewelry in water can help to get rid of the built up, excess dirt and grime that has collected on it. Fill a small pot halfway up with water and set it to boil on the stove on high heat. Once the water is bubbling drop the jewelry into the water and let it boil for approximately five minutes, then shut off the stove and remove the pot from the heat. Let the water cool back down to room temperature before attempting to remove the jewelry and letting the items air dry. Using this method can remove much of the built-up dirt on jewelry items, but be careful that the jewelry doesn't have any gemstones or diamonds that could be damaged by subjecting them to high levels of heat.
If the steps outlined above do not clean your jewelry, then you will want to take it into a professional gold jewelry dealer, such as All Gold & Coin, to be cleaned. These professionals will have chemicals that can break down and remove tough stains or dirt that could not be taken off using the methods outlined above.