How to Clean Your Fine Gold Jewelry and Gems

Gold jewelry needs to be cleaned regularly and stored correctly.

Fine gold is a percentage of pure gold mixed with an alloy. The higher the percentage of gold in your jewelry, the softer and more delicate your jewelry is, since gold is a soft, lustrous metal. A carat is the measure of pure gold in your jewelry. A carat is one-twenty-fourth of the total weight. If a piece of gold is marked 18K or 18 carats, it is 18 parts pure gold to 6 parts of alloying metal. If reasonably pure, your gold jewelry will not tarnish.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• Liquid soap
• Ammonia
• Toothbrush
• Soft cleaning cloth

Instructions

1. Use a simple household formula to create a gold cleaner. Fill a small bowl with some liquid soap, water and 1 teaspoon or more of clear household ammonia. The ammonia adds luster to the gold and brilliance to encrusted stones that may be in the jewelry.

2. Immerse the jewelry that you want to clean in your bowl and let it stand for a few minutes.

3. Remove each piece of jewelry one at a time. Take a soft toothbrush and gently brush the piece and then rinse it in hot running water.

4. Dry carefully with a soft cloth or chamois.

Tips & Warnings

• Never wash pearls in anything but clear, cold water.

• Do not boil gold jewelry.

References

• World Gold Council: Glossary
• World Gold Council: Care