How to Clean your Gold Jewellery at Home
Every woman takes pride in showing off her exquisite collection of gold jewelry. A woman waits eagerly for an occasion to show off her beautiful pieces of necklaces, earrings and other pieces of jewelry that she treasures. Each and every piece of jewelry carries special significance to a woman. Some pieces of jewelry carry sentimental value while there are a few pieces that are bought as long term investment. Whatever maybe the case, it’s a must that you keep your gold jewelry clean to enhance its appearance.
However, there are a few things that you need to know before cleaning your jewelry. If your piece is an heirloom piece or a stone-studded jewelry and has not been used for a while, then it’s advisable to take the help of a reputed and professional jeweler. When you leave your jewelry with a cleaner or jeweler, you need to let them know about the relevant history of the piece. For instance, if the gemstones have been reset in the past or have become loose, then the jeweler needs to know about the same.
If you have decided to forgo a professional service or use any gold cleaning product, you can clean the jewelry at home using ingredients that are commonly available at home.
How do you gently clean gold jewelry at home,
It’s a fact that gold does not lose its color or sheen when exposed to air or water. But regular use exposes them to dirt, dust and also to the cosmetics such as perfumes that you use. It causes the jewelry to lose its natural color. Here we give you tips to clean your precious pieces of gold jewelry.
· Mild soap solution- A few drops of mild dish detergent in warm water is surprisingly an effective way to clean gold jewelry. You can also replace the dish detergent with shampoo. Soak the jewelry in the soap solution for 20 minutes and then rinse in cold water.
Caution: Do not soak your gemstone studded jewelry for more than few minutes. The reason is the gemstone can come loose or water can be trapped under the setting. In such cases, you should first use a soft damp cloth dipped in soap solution to gently wipe your jewelry and then wipe it with a clean soft cloth dipped in plain water. This way you can rinse the soap solution from the stone-studded gold jewelry.
· Use soft bristle toothbrush - To remove stubborn dirt, dip the toothbrush in soap solution and scrub it gently and carefully in the areas where the jewelry needs precise cleaning. Rinse the jewelry and allow it to dry naturally. Never use a hard bristle brush as it can leave scratches on the jewelry.
· Baking soda- Make a solution with luke-warm water and baking soda. Allow your gold pieces to soak in it for five to seven minutes. Then rub it gently with soft cloth to get the sparkling look.
· Plain boiling water- This is the safest method of all. If your gold jewelry is not gemstone studded, then boil them in water for a couple minutes. You can see the grease and grime floating in the water. Remove the jewelry, leave them upside down. If there is any water nestling in the grooves and settings it can flow out. Before putting them in their boxes, pat them dry with muslin cloth.
You can also use alcohol or ammonia to clean the jewelry. However, they are unsafe to use on diamond-studded or gemstone studded jewelry.
However, don’t take this piece of article as the final word on cleaning your precious jewelry. If you are unsure about cleaning the jewelry, then it’s wise to get it done through a reputed jeweler.
Watch out this space for cleaning diamond and gemstone-studded jewelry.
