How to Clean Gold Jewelry

Gold has always been the most popular material used in the world of jewelry. It can be of several types depending on the alloys used: yellow, white or rose gold. But no matter what type of gold jewelry you have they all need care. The ways of cleaning almost any gold jewelry is quite the same. Although gold is tarnish-resistant it can easily get dirty. To keep your precious rings, bracelets, necklaces and other golden jewelry clean just follow the steps below.

Steps

Make a mixture of mild detergent and water.
Use a small, soft brush to clean your gold jewelry. The small brush is able to clean some parts of jewelry that are hard to reach.
Polish the gold jewelry with a soft, lint-free cloth. This step is very important because the washing liquid that is left on jewelry can have a negative impact on it. Polishing is the best and surely the cheapest way to keep your gold jewelry radiant.
Store your gold jewelry in a way that avoids scratches. It is better to have a special storage for each piece of your jewelry. Each ring or bracelet should be stored in its own soft cloth pouch.

Tips

If you do not have a special jewelry cleaning brush, use an old eyebrow brush. Whatever you use, make sure it is soft enough not to scratch.
You can also use ammonia when cleaning gold. In this case all you need is a mix of ammonia and water in proportion of 1-to-6. This means that you need one part of ammonia and respectively six parts of water. In the liquid, soak your jewelry for up to 60 seconds. Do not use ammonia very often, as it can damage or tint your gold with excessive use.
Remember that you can always take your jewelry to a professional. Not only will he restore the lustrous look of the jewelry but will also check it for damage. Thus you will be sure that your jewelry is safe from damage as well as free of scratches. (This option is the best and safest option.)
If you have a golden ring with a diamond make sure that its prongs are not damaged and the stone is safe from falling out.

Warnings

Using various lotions and soaps cannot make gold shine, and what is worse, these potions can cut down the beautiful lustrous look of the jewelry.
Gold can be damaged by household chemicals, for example chlorine bleach.
Gold is a metal that is resistant to rusting, corrosion and tarnishing. However, gold is very malleable.
Take off your gold jewelry before bathing or swimming. This will keep your jewelry free from abrasion.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Clean Gold Jewelry. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.