How to clean gold at home

Every home has gold jewelry in the form of a chain, ring, earrings, pendant, and so on. Perhaps some of them are passed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately, over time this metal can become dull in color. The reason for this is various impurities included in the product, which over time undergo an oxidation reaction. In addition, additional contamination, dirt, sweat, and grease also negatively affect the product.

In order to renew its appearance and give the product its original shine, it must be properly cleaned. This can be done at home. We will talk about how to properly clean gold at home, to do it most effectively and quickly in our publication.

You can effectively clean gold by choosing the right product. Before starting work, pay attention to the following nuances:

Some products have hard-to-reach places for cleaning; to achieve a better effect, additional use of a brush, such as a toothbrush, will be required. Which, with the help of bristles, can penetrate into all places and clean the metal;
Particular attention is paid to working with products containing stones;
During operation, the container must be selected to the required volume, i.e. the product immersed in it must be completely covered with the solution.

So, what product can you use to quickly clean gold? Let's consider the options.

How to clean with ammonia and regular washing powder

This simple recipe will help restore your product to its original appearance, without the additional use of special products.

Components included:

1 tsp ammonia alcohol;
250 ml. water;
1 tbsp. washing powder.

Bring the water to a boil, add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Place the products in the resulting composition for about three hours, depending on the contamination. Then be sure to rinse with clean water and wipe the product dry with a soft cloth.

Instead of washing powder, you can use dishwashing detergent, which also does the job just as effectively.

How to polish a chain after cleaning

Having cleaned the chain of dirt, you can proceed to polishing the jewelry to restore its original shine:

Dissolve 20 ml of ammonia in 1 glass of boiling water, add liquid soap or dishwashing detergent. Place the product in the solution for 60-90 minutes, then rinse.
After this, wipe the chain with silk or velvet for shine.

It is unacceptable to use abrasives to avoid scratches.

How to clean with liquid soap, hydrogen peroxide and ammonia solution

Components you will need:

1 tsp liquid soap;
40 ml. hydrogen peroxide;
250 ml. water;
1 tsp ammonia or ammonia solution.

All components must be combined, pour in the gold items and leave for about 20-25 minutes. After the procedure, gold products need to be dried with a napkin.

Why does gold need to be cleaned?

There are two main reasons here:

Loss of attractive appearance. After a certain time, any gold jewelry will definitely fade. Why is this happening? The fact is that this metal itself is quite soft. And in order for jewelry made from it to be hard and durable, admixtures of various other metals are additionally added to it. As a result of interaction with moisture and air, after some time these added impurities oxidize. And your favorite decoration loses its aesthetic appearance. Plaques, scratches and other not very pleasant misfortunes can also form on it. Which doesn't add any appeal either.
Harmful to health. Wearing jewelry that is not cleaned for a long time can cause damage to the human body. For example, dirt on earrings can cause inflammation in the earlobe area.

Of course, many people prefer to leave the cleaning to professionals. However, doing it yourself is cheaper and won’t take much time. Moreover, all the means for this exist and are available to everyone.

Clean with foil and baking soda

You can clean gold using foil. For these simple manipulations you will need the following components:

2 tbsp. l. soda;
250 ml. hot water;
Foil.

Combine the first two components. Place foil and gold on the bottom of the dish and fill with the prepared product, leave for 9-10 hours. Then rinse carefully and dry with a napkin.

Why does gold turn black and darken?

Gold can darken for many reasons, and we will look at the most common ones.

Cosmetical tools.
You may have noticed that some rings on your finger oxidize, and most often this is due to frequent use of cosmetic and pharmacological products. Conventional hand creams often have a high content of iodine compounds, which can cause the jewelry to become covered with gray spots. Unfortunately, in this case, you are unlikely to return the ring to its original appearance, because some sections of the metal have already collapsed.
Physiology.
As a result of natural life processes, sweat secretions often form on the human body, and this can lead to the precious metal gradually oxidizing, forming a film on its surface. Most often, the mentioned film consists of particles of dust, grease and sulfides. As a result, a chain, ring or other product becomes covered with a dark coating, but it will not be difficult for you to get rid of it using the appropriate means.
Immediately after purchase.
Some jewelry stores, before putting their items on sale, coat them with a special polishing paste. As a result, dark spots may appear on the finger if the paste has not been removed.
Meat products.
There is an opinion that gold often oxidizes on the body of a person who prefers to eat a lot of meat products. It is alleged that the sweat of avid meat eaters contains a considerable amount of nitrogen, and this, in turn, when in contact with a gold product, provokes the appearance of darkening on it.

Clean with soda

The methods described above, for the most part, take a lot of time. If you don’t have one, we offer you another equally effective option for cleaning gold, and the procedure itself will take you no more than 30-35 minutes. To work you will need the following components:

0.5 tsp. dishwashing detergents;
1.5 tbsp. l. soda;
250ml. hot water.

Mix all the components in one bowl, put a soft cloth on the bottom, and on it the jewelry that needs to be cleaned, fill everything with the resulting solution. Place everything on low heat, slightly heating, and boil for 20-25 minutes. When the solution has cooled, rinse the gold in water and dry.

Rules for wearing, care and storage of gold items

Almost all cleaning products and detergents contain alkalis and acids. Their contact with gold leads to oxidation of the metal and loss of its appearance.
Cosmetic products (nail polishes and nail removers, some creams, etc.) contain chemical elements that are harmful to gold rings, bracelets and pendants.
Remove all gold jewelry before training, visiting a bathhouse, sauna, or bath.
Do not store precious metals in cardboard or wooden boxes.

Clean with vinegar

How to clean gold so it shines ? To add shine and shine to gold, you can use regular vinegar. For work, we use 9% table vinegar, which we pour into a container and place the gold product in it, leaving it for 25-30 minutes. Then the gold needs to be cleaned with a soft-bristled toothbrush. After the procedure, the product must be rinsed under clean water and dried with a napkin.

Note! This cleaning option is not suitable for working with products containing stones.

How not to clean gold

Each type of gold has its own restrictions on the material for cleaning. The easiest way is to choose a product for processing yellow and red precious metals. They practically do not react with detergents and cleaning agents. White gold is not friendly only with vinegar. Matte alloys have more restrictions - vinegar, paste and alcohol.

To read: Review of silver coins with Nicholas 2: prices of all varieties today, where to buy or sell + is it worth investing in them

Mechanical cleaning

Cleaning gold jewelry at home is not an easy task. I would like to pay special attention to the question of how to clean gold from blackness. If the above remedies do not bring you results, try mechanical cleaning. This method is the most effective. We do not recommend using soda or other abrasive materials for work; they can cause damage to your jewelry in the form of scratches. In order to clean tarnished gold, it is better to use special pastes. The cost of these products is low, but they are made from special gentle ingredients that will not harm your product. For work, you can use a toothbrush with soft bristles or a napkin. Apply the product to the product and begin cleaning in one direction. After completing the procedure, the product must be wiped with an alcohol solution, which will remove the film formed after cleaning.

For mechanical cleaning, you can prepare the paste yourself. We offer one of these methods.

Combine equal proportions of petroleum jelly, laundry soap (grate), warm water, toothpaste, and crushed chalk. Apply the solution to the product using a toothbrush. Clean the product in one direction. After completing the manipulations, wipe the gold with an alcohol-containing solution and dry with a napkin.

As an experiment, you can try to remove darkened stains with an eraser.

How to clean gold with vinegar at home

Vinegar is available in almost every home. Using it, you can quickly and easily remove dark spots and dirt from a gold product, add gloss and shine.

Precautionary measures

Before you begin the cleaning procedure, you should thoroughly wash your hands to remove dirt and grease. Ideally, it is better to wear gloves.
The residence time of gold in the solution should be strictly observed.
At the end of the work, it is necessary to rinse the product thoroughly with running water to remove any remaining vinegar.

Cleaning Solution Recipes

Option 1. Pour regular washing powder (2 tablespoons) into water (100 ml) and put on fire. Place gold jewelry in the solution. Bring to a boil and pour in vinegar (2 tablespoons). Boil for 20 minutes. Take out the gold and let it dry well.

Option 2. Pour 9 percent vinegar into a cup and put jewelry in it. After 15-20 minutes, remove them and, if necessary, further treat them with a toothbrush. Rinse with cold water and dry.

Option 3. Pour 0.5 cup of apple cider vinegar into a small container and put gold in it. If there are a lot of decorations, add vinegar until the items are completely hidden under the liquid. In a separate container, mix another 0.5 cup of vinegar and ¼ cup of salt. Add flour (about ¼ cup), stirring the solution until a creamy mixture forms.

Remove the gold from the cup. Using a soft brush, scoop up a little of the resulting paste and gently work the products, then rinse them with cool water. If necessary, repeat the procedure.

Preparation of the solution

Any container is suitable for preparing a vinegar-based solution. The main criterion is that all products must be covered with liquid.
When adding powder, soda and other ingredients, make sure that they are well dissolved.

Preparing Jewelry for Cleaning

To obtain a more effective result, it is recommended to treat gold with a special solution before cleaning it. To do this, take 2 tablespoons of table salt per glass of water and mix thoroughly. You need to put the precious metal in the resulting salt solution and leave it there for 8-10 hours. After the required time, pull out the products and rinse with warm water.

To read: How many tons of gold are there in the world and where is the precious metal mined?

Cleaning process

The cleaning procedure itself requires compliance with a few simple rules:

the prepared solution must completely cover the contaminated surface,
It is necessary to strictly observe the soaking time,
For mechanical cleaning, it is recommended to use a soft toothbrush, cotton swabs or soft cloth.

Cleaning white gold

A special alloy of copper, nickel and gold forms a compound called white gold. The surface of this metal is coated with rhodium, therefore it is most susceptible to mechanical stress, and not all methods listed earlier are suitable for working with white gold. Metal cleaning can be done using a soft cloth.

You can clean metal using the method described above with ammonia. Just reduce the exposure time to 55-60 minutes. Do not leave gold items wet under any circumstances, as this may have a negative effect on the metal.

Attention!!! To clean white gold products, you cannot use various pastes used under mechanical influence.

To work with this metal you can use the following composition:

2 tbsp. l. beer;
1 egg yolk.

Mix everything well and lubricate the product with a napkin. Use gentle movements to clean the gold.

Methods for purifying gold

Anyone can clean gold at home - mix a household chemical of your choice with water:

liquid dishwashing detergent;
laundry soap (preferably laundry soap);
liquid soap or shampoo;
washing powder.

To properly clean a gold item, you need to take into account some nuances:

Jewelry comes in different shapes and has places where it is difficult to reach to clean (stone inserts, complex ring shapes, different curves).
The dishes in which you are going to wash the gold must be of the same size.

Foil

You can clean gold at home to make it shine and sparkle again using foil. First prepare a solution of water and soda, then line the bottom of the container with foil and place the decoration on top. Pour the resulting solution and do not remove it all night. In the morning, rinse thoroughly with water and dry with a towel or napkin.

Dishwashing liquid

Before cleaning gold, you need to look at what grade is indicated on it. Upon contact with reagents, a coating may form on the product with 375 sample. Chemical components react with the metal and form stains on the surface that will be difficult to get rid of. Therefore, there is no need to wet or wash with soap; it is better to wipe with a flannel or take a paste for cleaning jewelry, which is sold in gold stores.

If the standard of the jewelry item is higher, then you can clean it with detergent or soap: take 5 ml of liquid soap for 1 glass of liquid. Pour the solution over the decoration and leave for up to 20 minutes. You can put a cloth or napkin at the bottom of the container.

Products with inserted stones cannot be cleaned with soapy water! This may cause them to deteriorate in color or fall out of the insert.

Toothpaste

Cleaning gold jewelry with toothpaste can be effective, but it must be done carefully. For example, use tooth powder and a soft brush for cleaning, slightly wet it beforehand, or rub with a soft cloth. If the ring is without stones, then toothpaste will do, squeeze a little onto the brush and clean.

Use toothpaste without whitening effect for cleaning! The paste cleaning method is suitable if the decoration begins to turn black.

You can also prepare the following remedy: Take chalk and grind it, put grated laundry soap, toothpaste and Vaseline and mix everything with water. Take a little bit of product onto a cotton pad and clean the surface of the jewelry. Then wipe the surface with a cloth soaked in alcohol.

Ammonia

Cleaning white gold jewelry at home requires a special approach. Rhodium metal, one of the platinum group elements, is added to its alloy. Therefore, it is prohibited to clean it with a brush with powder or paste! You can clean it using another method:

Mix ammonia (ammonia) and water in equal proportions and add a little shampoo;
hold the item for 30 minutes;
then rinse thoroughly and wipe with soft flannel.

It is not advisable to leave the product in an ammonia solution for a long time. After processing, it requires thorough washing and removal of residual ammonia.

Soda

The soda contains carbonic acid, which dissolves dirt and plaque well. Therefore, if you don’t know how to clean gold at home, the answer is simple – soda. Any fizzy drink will do for this, even Coca-Cola. Place a ring or earrings in a bowl and pour the drink over it. After standing for a short time, remove and wipe with a soft cloth.

It’s useful to know what else to wash gold with to make it shine, use citric acid. Wet a cloth with water, add a little acid and rub the surface of the precious metal. It will shine like the first day of your purchase!

Mechanical cleaning

Jewelry requires constant care. To minimize the harm from the use of various abrasives, you need to clean gold mechanically at home. You need to buy a paste to clean jewelry, but you need to know that this method is also not suitable if the jewelry contains precious stones. Therefore, you need to do everything very carefully! Or use a cotton swab to clean hard-to-reach areas.

Hydrogen peroxide

A quick way to clean jewelry without stones at home:

Ammonia - 5 ml (1 teaspoon), H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) - 30 ml (2 tablespoons) and 2.5 ml of liquid soap mixed in 1 glass of water.
We put any product in a container and fill it with solution.
Leave for no more than 10 minutes.
Then rinse and dry with a towel.

You can’t keep jewelry in this solution for a long time! They may deteriorate and become cracked.

Table salt

It is also possible to clean gold with a saline solution. This type of cleaning helps remove sweat and other contaminants.

Dissolve 3 tablespoons of salt in half a glass of hot water.
Place the products and leave for 4 hours.
Then rinse and blot with a napkin.

Soda

Cleaning gold with soda is as follows:

Mix soda with water.
Then add 2-3 drops of fairy and boil together with gold for 10-15 minutes.
Remove the product, rinse thoroughly and wipe.

Cleaning gold jewelry with stones

The question of how to clean gold with stones deserves special attention . The most important assistant for you will be an alcohol-containing solution. They need to wipe the product, then rinse with clean water and dry with a napkin. Please note that this method is suitable if you decide to clean gold and diamonds. In addition, the product can be rubbed with ammonia and washed in soapy water. Diamonds can be cleaned with a brush; this will not cause any harm to them. For work, you can use cotton swabs.

Also, to clean gold with stones, in addition to an alcohol solution, you can use:

Cologne;
Petrol.

Using one of the listed products, apply to the product with a cloth or brush, rub it carefully, and dry.

Do not use sharp objects that can damage the surface!

Pay attention to the method of attaching the stones; if it is glue, then immersing the products in water is not recommended.

Add soda

Baking soda is perhaps a universal cleaning agent for any metal and more. After the procedure described below, the jewelry will be unrecognizable - it will become exactly the same as when purchased - smooth and shining.

Necessary:

vinegar 9%;
water;
baking soda.

The process itself:

Take the gold item you want to clean and wet it with water. Then dip it in baking soda and add a little vinegar (about 2-3 drops). Gently go over the top with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Again, if the jewelry is inlaid with stones, especially pearls, it is better not to resort to this method. Otherwise, there is a risk of damaging their surface.

Cleaning gold jewelry with a matte surface

Recently, matte gold has been gaining popularity. However, such metal requires the most gentle and delicate care. Do not use brushes, rough cloths, or abrasives; all this can destroy the surface. We suggest you clean metal in the following ways:

Place the product in an ammonia solution for about two hours. Then rinse in water and dry;
Make a mixture of 1 tsp. lime and water, add salt on the tip of a knife and 0.5 tsp. soda Let the solution sit for 3-4 days. Then we immerse the products in it for 4 hours. After the procedure, we wash and dry the gold.

We have listed many options for cleaning products, but in order for them to serve you longer, you need to carefully care for them and monitor their condition.

Features of cleaning different types of chains

The methods described above, especially with vinegar, peroxide and ammonia, can be used exclusively for gold chains. However, if they are decorated with a precious stone or rhinestones, then soaking in the solution can cause damage. Therefore, you should proceed with caution.

Chains with stones and rhinestones

When cleaning chains with stones, such as diamonds, keep in mind that:

It is unacceptable to use products containing ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia;
It is best to clean with soap and soda solution;
Use liquid soap and dishwashing detergent.
Before cleaning, you need to make sure that the inlay is securely fastened.

The table provides recommendations that will help you properly clean the stones in gold chains.

Stone	Permitted compositions	What not to use
Pearl	Sea salt and soap solution dissolved in water. To add shine, polish with olive oil.	Do not wipe with a dry cloth, as even the smallest particles can cause scratches. Pearls are afraid of vinegar, alcohol and abrasives.
Amber	Salt solution. Use wool for polishing.	The use of abrasives and aggressive chemicals is unacceptable. Hot water is destructive. Toothpaste is the cause of the greenish tint.
Turquoise	It is better to clean from dirt with a thin woolen cloth or dry suede.	A very capricious stone that is undesirable even to get wet.
Coral	Soap solution. Clean with a soft cloth.	Do not use brushes, abrasive compounds or soaking.
Malachite	Wash with delicate dishwashing detergent.	Soda, soap, and highly acidic products can ruin the stone.

White gold products

This is an alloy of gold coated with a layer of rhodium. If the coating is destroyed, the product turns yellow, in this case you should contact a professional, since independent attempts will aggravate the situation. The darkening of the product is due to the fact that the metal was affected by an acidic environment. For example, cosmetics or sweat. To clean you need:

Purchase a professional composition for white gold. It is strictly not recommended to use “folk” remedies like tooth powder.
Apply the product to the flannel and gently rub the product.
Remove any remaining composition with a napkin.
Wipe the chain with cotton wool soaked in ethyl alcohol.

If there is minor contamination, you can clean white gold gold items with a soft cloth and soapy water. To do this, dissolve soap in warm water, wipe the jewelry with the composition, then rinse and wipe dry.

When cleaning white gold items, do not use vinegar or compounds containing ammonia.

Chains with matte surface

It is acceptable to use ammonia (25%). The jewelry is placed in the solution for 2 hours, then rinsed and dried; no polishing is required. The use of powders, brushes, sponges is unacceptable - the matte surface will be damaged.

Second method: add 1 tsp to water. lime, mix until smooth - you should get a mass of sour cream consistency. Pour table salt into it (at the tip of a knife), ½ tsp. soda Let the composition brew for several days. Place the chain into the mixture and leave for several hours. Rinse and dry the decoration.

Do I need to take care of my gold chain?

Of course, because decoration is most exposed to external factors. Often it is worn not over clothing, but on the bare neck. After all, gold, unlike other metals, practically does not cause allergic reactions in most people. In modern realities, this is an important nuance when choosing jewelry.

In constant contact with the skin and fabrics of clothing, a gold chain accumulates dust, and dirt accumulates in the recesses of the links. The former shine is lost, the accessory becomes dull and less beautiful. Therefore, it is imperative to take care of chains, like any other jewelry.