How to clean gold jewelry correctly
In every home, a gold piece of jewelry is kept with care and appreciation, either as part of the family legacy or as the result of a gift from someone special that is very dear to us.
Many people decide to store them in a well-protected place so they do not get dirty, but others people prefer to use them and wear them proudly. This causes them to get dirty easily and, therefore, they must be cleaned from time to time so they do not get damaged.
However, there are many people who have no idea what to do when a gold piece of jewelry gets dirty. That is why, in this article, we are going to teach you how and with what to clean gold jewelry in case it gets dirty and loses some of its shine. This way, you can wear these pieces in the best possible way and keep them completely impeccable and shiny.
What should we consider before cleaning gold jewelry?
Gold is one of the most used materials in the field of jewelry. It is usually used to give a gold finish to other materials, to add details, or directly to make completely solid jewelry from this shiny material. In addition, it is often accompanied by other types of materials, such as precious stones, diamonds, silver, or other metals. At MIMÍKOKÓ we work exclusively with 18 and 9 karat gold to make all our jewelry, and you can find our entire collection in our category Jewelry. Likewise, if you are one of those who prefer a bit of color or an elegant combination, we also have a section of jewelry with diamonds so that you find the one you like the most.
It may seem simple to start cleaning gold just like that. However, you must take into account different issues, since there are different types of gold, each with its own characteristics. Thus, we warn you that not all the cleaning methods we are going to see work for cleaning all types of gold. Therefore, the varieties of this precious metal that exist are the following:
Yellow gold
It is the most common type of gold and, therefore, the most used in jewelry of the three types that exist. It has been used for thousands of years to make all kinds of jewelry and goldsmithing as a symbol of status and power of the upper classes, such as nobles and kings. For example, we have the gold mask of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, from the time of Ancient Egypt.
Yellow gold has the peculiarity of being very stable and resistant, so does not darken like other types of metals, such as silver or the white gold we will see next.
White gold
White gold is a type of gold that has started to be widely used in recent years to make all kinds of jewelry. You should know that this luxurious material is actually an alloy of different types of metals.
Thus, gold is fused with silver, palladium, or platinum and is generally given an outer layer of rhodium to make its finish shiny and bright. Unlike yellow gold, this fusion of materials does darkens over time and ends up becoming matte, so it is advisable to clean jewelry made from this material from time to time.
Rose gold
It is the most recent type of gold and, therefore, the least used. In reality, it does not appear naturally with this color, but it is an alloy, just like white gold.
In this case, is composed of a large proportion of pure gold, a moderate proportion of copper, which gives it that characteristic pink color, and a small amount of silver. This type of gold, like white gold, also darkens over time.
How to properly clean gold jewelry?
There are different methods we can use to clean our gold jewelry without causing any type of damage in our luxury materials. This way, we can restore their original appearance, clean, shiny, and bright so they look as good as the first day.
Clean gold with water and soap
In this case, it is necessary to choose a good neutral pH soap and mix it with water. You should soak your gold jewelry in this solution for about 10 minutes. Then, you should use a soft toothbrush to clean them with circular motions.
Once you consider it clean, you should rinse them with hot water and dry them with a clean cloth. Water and neutral soap are suitable for cleaning any type of gold, whether yellow, white, or rose.
Clean gold with vinegar and baking soda
Vinegar has a great cleaning power which is especially effective for cleaning any gold piece that has darkened over time and with use. Also, if its cleaning power is combined with that of baking soda, the results are spectacular.
For this, you should add two tablespoons of water for every three of baking soda and stir until you have a paste similar to toothpaste. Then you should completely cover the gold jewelry with this paste and leave it in a plastic container to cover it with white wine vinegar. You should let it rest for five minutes and then rinse it with lukewarm water. Use a cloth to dry it thoroughly when you are done.
Use toothpaste
Although it may seem strange, toothpaste can be used to clean white gold jewelry, such as rings, earrings, pendants, or bracelets, although does not work as well with yellow or rose gold.
To clean jewelry, in this case, you should put some toothpaste on a soft toothbrush and then rub the piece well everywhere. Once you are satisfied, you should rinse it with hot water, and then just dry it well with a clean, dry cloth.
Cleaning gold using baking soda and aluminum foil
Baking soda can increase its cleaning power if complemented with aluminum. To properly clean gold jewelry, you just have to cover a glass container with aluminum foil and place the pieces on top.
Then, you should cover them with baking soda and add boiling water and let them rest for about 5 minutes. Use a soft toothbrush over the entire surface of the jewelry. Finally, rinse the piece with warm water and dry it well with a clean, dry cloth.
Use onion juice to clean your gold jewelry
This cleaning trick is one of the best methods to clean a gold piece. You just have to use a juicer to squeeze several natural onions to extract enough juice to submerge the jewelry in it.
You just have to leave the gold pieces exposed to the action of this juice for two hours and then clean them with water and soap to remove the smell. Finally, you should dry them with a clean, dry cloth.
Although it may seem unbelievable, all these cleaning tricks work perfectly to clean the different types of gold that exist and leave them as shiny and bright as the first day.