How to Clean Gold Jewelry at Home

  Now is the perfect time to brighten up your jewelry. You can clean gold jewelry at home with a few household supplies. Follow these simple steps and watch the transformation from dull to bright and shiny!  

Supplies You Will Need

Nothing fancy required. In fact, Jewelers Mutual recommends using the fewest ingredients possible. (source) Simply grab a small bowl, a bottle of liquid dish soap, a a few cotton balls and cotton swabs, and a very soft towel. You may also want to find a small strainer for washing earrings or other small pieces of jewelry. (source) I found a few sites recommending the use of a child's soft-bristle toothbrush. However, I strongly caution against this. Instead, use cotton swabs and cotton balls to remove any stubborn grime. Or simply soak your jewelry longer in the dish soap solution.

Simple Steps to Clean Gold Jewelry

First, put a few drops of liquid dish soap in the bottom of your bowl. Fill the bowl with warm water, allowing suds to form. Swish the solution around a bit to ensure the soap mixes all the way into the water. Next, place your gold jewelry in the solution. For larger pieces, it is fine to set them gently onto the bottom of the bowl. Use a small strainer for stud earrings or other small jewels. Note of Caution: In most cases, your gold jewelry also contains gemstones. For most gemstones, soaking in mild dish soap is fine. However, I recommend learning how to clean specific gemstones. Also, never soak pearls. Back to the instructions - Let your gold jewelry soak in the soapy water for between 5 and 20 minutes. This gives the soap time to act upon any grease and grime built up on the surface of your jewelry, as well as within cracks and crevices. After 5 or 10 minutes, fish your gold jewelry out and use a cotton ball to gently scrub the surfaces. Use cotton swabs to carefully clean any stubborn grime out of crevices and corners. After gently swabbing them, set your jewels back into the bowl for another 5 or 10 minutes to ensure thorough cleansing. Next, rinse your gold jewelry under warm running water. Then lay it on a soft cloth to air dry. You may also carefully dry it with a soft towel. Avoid paper towels or tissues, as they contain small bits of wood capable of scratching gold. (source)

Tips for Keeping Gold Jewelry Clean

By heeding the following recommendations, you can protect your jewelry and decrease the need to clean gold jewelry. Remove jewelry before cleaning house, washing your hands, showering, swimming, or hot tubbing. Remove jewelry before applying hair spray, makeup, or body lotions. Safely store jewelry when gardening or working with harsh chemicals. Cleansers, hand soap, body washes, beauty products, and lotions leave a film of scum behind, allowing grime to form on your jewelry. Meanwhile, chlorine, bromine, and other harsh chemicals can degrade gold and other metals. If your gold jewelry remains dull after following these simple washing instructions, consider calling your jeweler to schedule a professional cleaning. It's a wise idea to have your fine jewelry looked over by an expert a couple of times a year anyway. Now that you know how to clean your gold jewelry at home, you can add that to your stay-at-home to-do list. Let me know how it goes! ~Angela Magnotti Andrews