How to Clean Gold Jewelry at Home
Gold is a dense, soft metal that is often used, in conjunction with copper or silver to form an alloy, to create many types of jewelry, such as rings, bracelets, watches and necklaces. While this metal's attractive shine and luster has made it highly prized since the Stone Age, it also tarnishes and dirties easily. Luckily, tarnish, dirt and grime can be removed from gold jewelry with at-home cleaning solutions. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Ammonia Solution
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1
Combine 1/4 cup cold water with 1/4 cup ammonia in a small bowl.
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2
Allow your gold jewelry to soak in this solution for approximately 30 minutes.
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3
Rinse gold jewelry under cold water.
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4
Allow the jewelry to dry on a soft, lint-free cloth.
Seltzer Water Solution
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5
Add three drops of mild liquid soap to 1 cup warm sodium-free seltzer water. Seltzer water bubbles will loosen dirt from the jewelry better than plain water.
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6
Allow the gold jewelry to soak in the seltzer water solution for 10 minutes.
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7
Rub the jewelry very lightly with a cotton swab to remove any grime or smudges from the metal.
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8
Rinse the jewelry under cold water.
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9
Dry the jewelry with a lint-free cloth.
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Tips & Warnings
Gold jewelry with soft gemstones, pearls or crystals should not be cleaned with any of these at-home methods. These pieces should be taken to a jeweler for professional cleanings.
Remove gold jewelry when doing any household chores, bathing or swimming in chlorine to prevent damaging or smudging the metal.
Do not soak gold watches in any liquid solution as this will damage the time piece.
Do not clean your gold jewelry with baking soda or toothpaste as these abrasive materials can damage the gold.
Do not use club soda when soaking your gold jewelry as this can damage the metal.
References
Resources
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