How to Restore Gold Tone to Jewelry

Gold jewelry takes a beating, especially wedding rings and charms that are constantly worn. But the good news is that while a piece of gold jewelry might lose its shine, you can restore its luster in just a few simple steps. It just takes some patience, care and precision. The job can be done effectively with a few household items.

Things You'll Need

• Dish detergent
• Soft-bristle toothbrush
• Rubbing alcohol
• Clean rag
• Soaking dish
• 1 fizzing tablet

Instructions

1. Drop the fizzing tablet (non-flavored Alka-Seltzer) into a glass of cold water and let the tablet disperse and carbonate the water.

2. Drop the gold jewelry into the cup of now-carbonated water. Let the jewelry soak for two minutes, then remove immediately.

3. Scrub the still-wet piece of jewelry with the toothbrush to remove any surface residue loosened by the seltzer water.

4. Fill the soaking dish with warm, soapy water, according to Color Spark, a Virginia-based handmade jewelry company. Drop the gold jewelry into the warm water and let soak for about five minutes.

5. Scrub the piece with the toothbrush once more to remove any remaining gunk, and then dry off with a dry rag, according to ColorSpark.com.

6. Polish the piece with a clean, lint-free cloth. Your luster should be back after a few swooshes of the cloth.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply a non-acidic gold polish if you still aren't happy with the tone of the jewelry.

References

• Color Spark: "How to Clean Gold Jewelry"
• Estate Jewelry International: "Fashion Jewelry Help and Information"

Resources

• The Find: "Gold Jewelry Cleaner"