How To

How to Clean Gold Jewelry

By eHow Fashion, Style & Personal Care Editor
Rate: (72 Ratings)

Gold doesn't tarnish, but it can be dirtied or dulled by the oil in your skin, body lotion, makeup or other substances. There are lots of products out there that promise to clean gold, but you can do it easily with mild detergent and a soft cloth.

From Quick Guide: Jewelry Cleaning Guide
Difficulty: Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Soft Toothbrush
  • mild dish detergent
  • soft polishing cloth
  1. Step 1

    Mix a squeeze of mild dish detergent with warm water in a bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Put the gold item into the soap mixture and let sit for a few minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub the jewelry.

  4. Step 4

    Remove item from soapy water, rinse it and dry thoroughly with a soft polishing cloth.

Tips & Warnings
  • It is wise to check clasps, mountings, prongs and posts for damage before washing the jewelry. If you find a problem, take the item to a jeweler for repair.
  • Always be sure gold jewelry is completely dry before storing it.
  • Never use a harsh or abrasive cleaner, a stiff brush or a scouring pad on gold.

Comments  

kat1127 said

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on 5/14/2009 Another great way to clean gold is by dipping it in a solution of mild soap, water and a few drops of ammonia. But be very careful with pieces that have any colored gemstones. For more great tips on jewelry check out the Jewelry Information Center website www.JIC.org. They have tons of tips on everything jewelry related!

useless said

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on 12/5/2008 My Dad lost his gold necklace down the toilet months ago without realizing where it had gone. By sheer luck he retrieved it today but it had spent much time with toilet cleaner mixed with it. It looks like a rainbow now--any help for this gold or is it ruined?

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