Gold jewelry looks attractive immediately after purchase and for some period after that while it is in use. But gradually the shine of metal and stones fades. The beauty of the product is preserved, only it brings less joy to the owner, and is not so attractive with brightness.
If you do not take care of the product in time, the precious stone, like the metal itself, will completely lose its original properties - it will darken. We need to find the optimal solution for how to clean gold at home with stones. To do this, use available methods: based on products, household chemicals.
It is also necessary to properly care for rings, earrings, and bracelets.
Why gold darkens and loses its shine. Techniques for cleaning gold jewelry
If the appearance of jewelry deteriorates, you should immediately pay attention to the likely factors contributing to its darkening. This will stop the development of negative processes in the structure and surface of materials.
Blackened gold chain with a cross
Reasons for darkening of gold jewelry:
- secretion of sebaceous and sweat glands: biological fluids may contain components that interact with metal;
- contact with substances that tap water contains;
- use of cosmetics, perfumes;
- applying special compounds to jewelry to improve properties during pre-sale preparation;
- low quality metal: the content of additives is too high, these components react with oxygen, and a patina is formed.
Reasons for contamination of jewelry
Several factors influence the formation of plaque, darkening, and loss of shine of gold jewelry:
- Organic compounds are released from the human body through sweat and form a plaque that collects dust particles and contaminants.
- Due to the influence of cosmetics, perfumes, household chemicals, and pharmaceutical products, a patina (patina) appears on gold. If the compounds contain iodine or mercury, the result is stains that only a specialist can remove.
- Chemical effects on precious metal include the influence of alkalis and metals contained in tap water.
- The dark mark on the leather left by new products is a consequence of coating the gold with a substance for pre-sale preparation. It can be easily removed with a napkin.
- Low-quality gold with an altered alloy is susceptible to oxidation. Only a jeweler can clean such products.
Nuances of purifying gold with precious stones
Existing methods for caring for precious metals are almost all highly specialized - they are used under certain conditions, they are selected taking into account the composition of the metal and the type of stone.
This means that special cleaning techniques are used for different products.
Purification of gold with precious stones
Cleaning jewelry with hard stones
In order to effectively and, most importantly, safely return an inlaid piece of jewelry to its original appearance, it is necessary to consider only permitted methods (taking into account the properties of the stones):
- topaz: withstands mechanical impact with a brush, does not lose properties when in contact with aggressive environments;
- diamond or diamond: quickly returns shine when using ammonia (10%), soap;
- pomegranate: it is best to use liquids based on cleaning agents;
- emerald: restores properties thanks to alcohol, aqueous solutions based on detergents;
- sapphire: a soft toothbrush, alcohol, gasoline or other cleaner is recommended for cleaning;
- chrysolite: the best option is a soft rag soaked in alcohol;
- cubic zirconia: use liquid soap, powder is not recommended;
- ruby: easily clean dirt using alcohol-based products and shampoo-based solutions.
Cleaning items with soft stones
Soap scum and fatty deposits can also be removed from soft stones, but it is recommended to use products with a low level of aggressive action:
- opal: clean with water, felt;
- coral: a damp cloth is enough;
- pearls: use water, potato starch, a very weak soap solution (in extreme cases);
- turquoise: cannot be wetted, turquoise can change its external characteristics, so use only special products - from a professional line;
- amber: felt is used, chemicals are prohibited.
The method of boiling gold to remove plaque
The boiling method for removing plaque from soft stones is not recommended.
Important! Cleaning gold jewelry with stones eliminates the use of abrasives and acids; most often this leads to clouding of stones and metal.
Chemical compositions
If you don’t have the time or desire to prepare the products yourself, ready-made professional compositions designed specifically for cleaning gold will come to the rescue:
- Adamas (items with pearls, amber and some precious stones cannot be cleaned);
- Aladdin (gold jewelry is cleaned in a matter of minutes, while the shine of the stones is restored);
- HG (with the help of a brush and tweezers included, blackness and all types of dirt are removed);
- Town Talk Brilliant Gold Polishing Cloth (polishing cloths fight stains and protect products from harmful factors for a week after use);
- Unicum (cannot be used on painted items).
Arsenal 20 ways to clean gold
To clean expensive products from fresh and dried dirt, please note that when using liquid products, you need to place foil at the bottom of the container. This will make your rings and earrings sparkle. Common cleaning methods to eliminate visible defects (plaque, dirt, fatty components):
- an aqueous solution with ammonia or ammonia: hydrogen peroxide (30 mg), ammonia (1 tsp), 250 ml of water, rings and earrings should be soaked in the solution until they are clear of plaque;
- hydrogen peroxide (40 mg), add ammonia (1 tsp) and water (1 glass), liquid soap (2 tsp);
- toothpaste, powder: both products provide a cleansing effect; it is enough to apply a little substance (without abrasives in the composition) on a rag to remove dirt;
- foil and soda: leave foil at the bottom of the container, pour in the prepared liquid (2 tablespoons of soda, 200 ml of hot water), leave the decorations overnight;
- "Fairy" and other dish detergents: add 1 tsp. of this product in water without other additives, place in a water bath, place decorations in the container and boil for several minutes:
- liquid soap with peroxide: take the components in a ratio of 1:2, add warm water, soak the gold for 20 minutes;
- salt solution: you will need 3 tbsp. l., as well as hot water (no more than 250 ml), when the salt has dissolved, the decorations are immersed in the solution;
- lens product: do not dilute it, use it in its pure form - soak the jewelry overnight, clean it with water without additives in the morning;
- sugar syrup: the sweet component is dissolved in water (it is better to immediately use lukewarm liquid) - 2-3 tbsp. l. and 200 ml, soak gold for several hours;
- vinegar 9-%: prepare a solution based on water and table vinegar - the recommended ratio is 1:1, the method is effective, but only if the decorations remain in the solution for at least 30 minutes;
- citric acid and citrus fruits: citric acid (1/4 tsp) is dissolved in hot water (125 ml), gold is left in the liquid for a short time (5 minutes), and the acid can be replaced with lemon juice;
- hygienic lipstick: applied to rags, rub gold jewelry with it until they begin to shine;
- onion juice - take 1 piece, you need to dilute it with water (2 tbsp), soak bracelets and earrings for at least 3 hours;
- baking soda solution: mix soda with water (the amount is determined at your discretion), then rub rings, gold bracelets, and then rinse;
- “Coca-Cola” and other fizzy drinks: products become shiny when using the drink without additives, leave decorations in the container, fill them with Cola, after 2 hours they can be cleaned, this method is suitable not only for gold, but also for silver, with the exception of products with stones;
- medical alcohol or vodka: there is no need to leave jewelry in an aggressive environment, moisten a woven cloth with alcohol and rub the product - this method is one of the fastest;
- alcohol-containing perfume: it may seem that it helps with contamination of gold, but this is not entirely true, because it is upon contact with such substances that the external parameters of jewelry deteriorate, which means that perfume can be used to clean gold, which contains a minimal amount of additives;
- beer and egg: you will need 1 chicken egg yolk, as well as no more than 50 ml of beer, the resulting mixture is used for mechanical cleaning;
- glass care liquid - a concentrated substance, it is not diluted, but is used according to the standard scheme - moisten a rag in the liquid, apply it to a gold ring or other items;
- pharmaceutical hyposulfite: you only need 2 tsp, the substance is dissolved in water (you can take 200-250 ml), and it is important to leave the jewelry in a container with liquid for 20 minutes.
Home Remedies
Available folk remedies will help clean dirty gold earrings from fat deposits and other contaminants:
- Grate peeled onion Squeeze the raw material through cheesecloth to obtain pure juice. Soak the jewelry in the onion liquid for 10 minutes and then brush with a soft-bristled brush.
- Sugar will help give products shine and shine . Dissolve granulated sugar in a small amount of water and soak the jewelry in the sweet syrup overnight. You can use baking soda in a similar way.
- egg white and beer in equal proportions . Beat the ingredients well with a fork. Soak a flannel cloth in the resulting mixture and wipe the gold earrings with it.
To keep gold jewelry shiny and looking like new, after each cleaning, wipe it dry and rub it well with velvet.
To clean gold earrings with stones, use a special paste. To prepare it, mix Vaseline, grated soap, chalk and a little water . The result should be a creamy consistency.
Apply the resulting paste in an even layer to the decoration and leave for 1.5-2 hours. After the allotted time, rinse the earrings under running water and wipe dry.
Delicate cleaning of white gold
When deciding how and with what to remove contaminants from a precious metal, you need to take into account that it is subject to mechanical stress, despite its high hardness. Recommendations for caring for white gold:
- prepare distilled water, a few drops of detergent, the resulting liquid is used to clean platinum;
- It is permissible to use a toothbrush, but provided that it has soft bristles, a soap solution is applied in this way.
It is acceptable to consider liquids based on ammonia and soda.
Cleaning white gold at home
Recommendations for proper cleaning
It is important to pay attention to the type of fastening of the insert: it can be glue or a clamp. In the first case, the product cannot be wetted, since this will cause the properties of the adhesive composition to be lost.
Attention! It is forbidden to use a needle to remove dirt, otherwise scratches will remain. You should use a cotton swab or a wooden toothpick with a small piece of cotton wool at the end.
When cleaning, you do not need to make sudden movements or press on the product. For best results, you should run the brush over the soap, although this method is only suitable for hard stones.
Care and regular visits to a jeweler to check a piece with a precious stone
To avoid having to boil gold jewelry in the future, risking ruining it, or using other methods at home, you need to follow simple rules:
- before taking a shower or bath, remove all rings and earrings;
- You should not play sports without taking off your jewelry;
- body and hand cream is applied before putting on rings and other jewelry;
- do not visit the bathhouse without removing gold earrings and bracelets, especially if these are inlaid items;
- periodically carry out cleaning with improvised means so as not to damage the products;
- You should not polish jewelry yourself, as this may cause the stone to become loose;
- It is important to store gold items separately; for this purpose, use a box with inner lining;
- Every year they turn to a specialist to prevent the formation of defects: they check for chips, scratches, and the reliability of fastenings.
Category: question-answer
Is it possible to clean a diamond ring yourself?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
If for various reasons it is impossible to contact a specialist, and the jewelry has lost its attractiveness, choose one of the methods given above - for hard stones. The best methods: a solution of ammonia, soap or peroxide. Moreover, unlike other hard stones, diamond quickly deforms, which means it is not recommended to use a brush.
Which method is suitable for cleaning cubic zirconia earrings?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
The stone is moderately hard, and therefore requires more careful handling than other types. The best cleaning method is a mild soap solution. An alternative option: alcohol or glycerin, there is another method of mechanical action - an eraser. The last of them removes surface contaminants that have not yet penetrated the structure of the material.
When cleaning a gold ring in Coca-Cola, it changed color, what does this mean? How to return the color?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
Many people use proven materials and jewelry cleaning products. Among the suitable methods is the Coca-Cola drink. However, upon contact with the substance, the metal becomes colored, which is due to the presence of a large number of additives in its composition. They interact with the environment. You can remove brown marks from gold using different means: ammonia, soap. Thanks to such means, the original color of the jewelry is returned.
Gold jewelry
How to clean gold at home to make it shine with ruby?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
Prepare a solution using one of the main ingredients - alcohol. An alternative option is shampoo, but any other detergent or cosmetic product will do. Gold that has darkened is treated with alcohol or an alcohol-containing product. Ruby is cleaned using the least aggressive methods, and without abrasives.
A gift from my husband has become cloudy, how can I clean earrings with stones at home without damaging them?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
Changes in color and other properties of jewelry can be caused by improper handling (exposure to hot water, soap, chemicals, the formation of a layer of fat) or a natural consequence of changes in the body (with a decrease in immunity, other processes develop, biological substances are produced that react with components in composition of jewelry). This means that you should pay attention to the accompanying factors that could affect the condition of the jewelry when external characteristics change. Plaque can be removed in different ways, but it is important to understand whether these are surface or structural changes in the material. It is possible to return the original properties of gold only in the first case. To do this, use the means given above: soap solution, toothpaste, vinegar solution, etc. The choice is made taking into account the inlay.
Gold ring after cleaning