Cleaning your jewelry must be done gently and patiently. Depending on the quality of your jewelry you can clean gold jewelry at home or take it to a jeweler for professional cleaning. This all depends on how confident you are in cleaning your pieces. At Crafted by Kaydee I give you rather simple steps to follow for your jewelry to shine as though it’s brand new!
There are many different types of gold and levels of gold. 24 Karat gold is pure gold, anything less will usually consist of different alloys mixed in with it. However, this does not mean you are purchasing costume jewelry! This simply means you are not purchasing gold that is as soft and brittle - depending on your lifestyle consider purchasing 14-18 Karat gold if you are more active.
How to Clean Gold Jewelry
1. Gather Your Items
When cleaning your jewelry you want to be sure it is in a safe place and no one will throw it out. Grab a decent sized bowl that will allow your jewelry to fit and not be overcrowded. Along with this bowl you want to grab a soft cloth or towel, along with Dawn dish soap and a soft baby toothbrush.
2. Dawn Dish Soap
Once you have gathered all your items place warm water and a drop of Dawn dish soap into the bowl. Dawn spreads easily and you don’t want to over soap when you clean gold jewelry. Be sure that the water you place in the bowl is warm and not hot! Once the bowl is ready, gently place your gold jewelry in the bowl. With necklaces be sure to leave out part of the chain to avoid any tangling while cleaning.
3. Brush
Using a soft toothbrush that is baby-sized (these can clean better for the soft bristles and small size) lift the jewelry out of the soapy water and gently brush. You will want to brush anything with stones such as diamonds, and jewelry with small crevices. Be sure that you do not scrub hard with the toothbrush, but very gently go over the stones and small areas of when you clean gold jewelry. Once you have finished place back into the water to allow the jewelry to soak a little longer.
4. Air dry
Once you have thoroughly cleaned your jewelry and the water has gone cold carefully remove each piece of jewelry and place it on a dry towel to air dry. Be sure you move your hand around the bottom of the bowl to feel for any left earrings, rings, or other gold items before dumping the water down the drain. No one wants to lose a piece of jewelry to the garbage disposal!
After you have followed these 4 steps your gold jewelry is guaranteed to shine like the day you bought it! There are a few steps to take to ensure your gold jewelry stays clean for a while:
1. Avoid bleach
You want to be sure that you avoid chlorine and bleach at all costs with gold. If you are going into the pool or jacuzzi it is smart to remove all jewelry, real or fake, to avoid any tarnishing. Bleach and chlorine are strong chemicals that can ruin your jewelry rather quickly.
2. Remove before showering
Avoid harsh soaps, shampoos, and conditioners - especially for colored hair. You want to remove your gold jewelry before getting in the shower, getting in the pool, working out, and washing your hands. By removing your jewelry it has a better chance of lasting much longer and staying clean much longer.
Be sure that every few months or once a year you go to a professional jeweler to clean gold jewelry. When cleaning your jewelry at home it can help to keep it looking nice and sharp, but nothing beats a professional cleaning every so often. Also be sure to speak with your jeweler before home cleaning any precious stones other than diamonds.
If you are looking to give the gift of handmade jewelry to someone special in your life contact me today! I create hand stamped jewelry from bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. I hope you’ve enjoyed my tips on how to clean gold jewelry at home and learned something new!