How to clean a gold piece
Over time, gold jewelry loses its former attractiveness, begins to fade and darken. In order to put a gold piece in order, it is not necessary to go to the workshops, you can do it yourself. How to clean gold at home will be discussed below.
How gold is cleaned
A beautiful piece of jewelry always attracts attention and is also a great addition to any outfit. However, it is important for gold jewelry to be properly cared for. Let's figure out how to clean gold at home and what methods exist.
If the decoration is smooth, has no carved elements, engraving, inserts, then it is quite possible to look after it at home. The treatment will consist of removing grease and dirt with a soapy degreaser and hot water. It concerns classic wedding rings or simple earrings. There are 3 ways to remove dirt and stains:
- soaking (from 30 minutes to 12 hours);
- polishing;
- stripping (mechanical).
In jewelry workshops, the following methods are used to clean jewelry:
- ultrasonic;
- chemical (special compounds are used).
Attention! Regardless of whether gold jewelry is used or just lies in a box, over time it will still lose its former luster.
How to clean gold at home
You should definitely know how to clean gold at home. At home, every housewife will definitely find means for cleaning the jewelry, which will return its attractive appearance in a short time.
Important! Gold is not used in its pure form; other substances that improve physical and chemical indicators are necessarily added to the alloy.
Hydrogen peroxide
The most suitable liquid, which is found in almost every home, is hydrogen peroxide. If the contamination is insignificant, then it is enough to moisten a rag in the liquid and wipe the gold product with it. For more severe contamination, the following recipe can be used:
- Prepare a solution in the following proportions: you will need 1 glass of warm water, hydrogen peroxide 3% (3 mg), ammonia (1 tsp), a small amount of liquid soap.
- Mix everything well.
- Dip the gold jewelry into the resulting solution for 3-5 hours.
- Rinse the jewelry with water and dry.
Ammonia
Another way to quickly clean gold at home is to use ammonia or ammonia. For the result to be effective, it is necessary to prepare ammonia (0.5 tsp), water (small amount) and shampoo (1 tsp). In the resulting composition, you should lower the decoration, after removing the dirt, rinse it with plain water.
Attention! In more severe cases, you can use the pure ammonia solution without diluting it with water.
With foil
If you want to not only clean the gold at home, but also give it a perfect shine, then the foil method is the most suitable option. It is necessary to cover the bottom of the glass with foil, put gold and fill it with soda dissolved in water (1 tbsp. L. For half a glass). It is best to leave it overnight.
Vinegar
Vinegar cleansing is more suitable for yellow and red gold. You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
It is enough to soak the jewelry made of precious metal in the substance for 10-15 minutes. Then remove and rinse in running water. If necessary, you can gently brush the product with a toothbrush. Better to use ceramic or glass dishes. This is all about white vinegar.
Consider the apple cider vinegar cleaning method. You will need:
- 1 glass of vinegar;
- ¼ glasses of salt and the same amount of flour;
- Toothbrush.
Actions:
- Pour half a glass of vinegar into a bowl;
- dip the product into a container and leave for 15-20 minutes, the vinegar should completely cover it;
- then mix the remaining ingredients: salt, flour and half a glass of vinegar;
- the consistency should be thick, it is necessary to dip a brush into it, and then clean the decoration with it (after taking it out of the solution);
- rinse with cold water;
- wipe the product with a dry cloth.
Attention! White gold should be treated with extreme caution, excluding the use of a toothbrush, paste and powder.
Soda
Of course, baking soda will help wash the gold from accumulated dirt, but this is not a good option for tricky stains. The method of boiling with soda is more often used. It takes up to 30 minutes, so it is recommended to clean several products at the same time. The procedure is as follows:
- Prepare the container, cover the bottom with any cloth.
- Prepare a solution by adding 2 tbsp. l. baking soda.
- Put jewelry in a container, pour the prepared composition.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for half an hour.
- Then rinse the jewelry and dry it with a dry cloth.
The easiest way is to soak the jewelry in water and apply some baking soda by rubbing with a cloth. This option is more considered preventive if the gold is not heavily contaminated. It is enough to perform the actions once a month.
Important! Chemicals can remain on gold products, causing allergies. Therefore, it is recommended to rinse them with plenty of cold water.
But it is not advised to clean gilded items with abrasive substances. A ring, chain or bracelet can be cleaned in a completely affordable way:
- Add soap shavings (1 tsp) and 5-6 drops of ammonia to 1 liter of warm water.
- Dip the gold into the resulting composition and leave for 30 minutes.
- Rinse under cold water and wipe dry.
- Buff with a suede cloth.
How to clean gold with ultrasound
We have already looked at the possible ways to remove dirt from gold at home, what else can you clean the gold with?
Ultrasonic cleaning is a new method of jewelry care. Even stubborn stains and stubborn dirt can be removed with this method. With the help of special equipment, cavitation foam is created in a container with a special agent, which, due to its fine dispersion, penetrates even into microscopic details of the decoration, removing blockages.
Can i clean gold with citric acid or toothpaste?
It may seem strange to some, but regular toothpaste will help get rid of dirt on jewelry. Powder or paste should be applied to the product and then brushed with a soft bristled toothbrush. Then it must be rinsed in cold water and wiped dry with a cloth.
Despite the positive result, many are not sure if this method is so safe. In fact, tooth powder is an abrasive substance that contains grains that can scratch the surface. Therefore, it is not worth using toothpaste for smooth products or jewelry with stones.
It is strictly forbidden to brush white gold with toothpaste. For this, it is better to take a soft cloth. The alloy contains three metals (gold, copper and nickel) that are easy to abrade. Toothpaste can damage the surface quite a lot.
Citric acid is also used to remove plaque from precious metal jewelry. However, you should be careful with this substance; it can be used only if the product is not scratched. If there is damage or stones, then the substance cannot be used.
How to clean medical gold at home
Medical gold is an alloy of titanium, silver, brass, copper and zinc. Gold itself may not be included in this composition at all. Products made of such gold are highly durable and are not subject to mechanical stress. Thanks to a special method of polishing and spraying, the jewelry retains its original shine, does not darken or change color.
If necessary, medical gold can be cleaned from contamination in the following way:
- The glass must be half filled with water, add 2 drops of liquid soap or shampoo to it. Use a soft brush to cleanse.
- You can remove dust with a cotton swab soaked in beer. You do not need to wash off the product under water.
- The decoration can be wiped with table vinegar and then rinsed under running water.
Gold cleaning tips
By following simple rules, you can preserve the shine of a gold jewelry for a long time:
- It is recommended to store jewelry in a jewelry box. To prevent them from scratching each other, each should be in a soft cloth bag. Storage in separate cells is allowed.
- Gold does not like direct sunlight, so a dark place is ideal for storage.
- When doing household chores, it is better to take off the products.
- Preventive cleaning should be done at least once a month.
Such simple and useful folk advice will allow gold to return to its former beauty. Also, do not forget about proper care to avoid the appearance of plaque and scratches. Only in this way will your favorite gold jewelry be pleasing to the eye for many years.
VIDEO: How to clean gold at home.
