How to clean your gold jewellery – 5 easy steps to make it shiny and look like new
- All you need to smarten up most gold valuables, even some with gemstones, is warm water, dish soap and a soft-bristled toothbrush
- Special occasion jewellery should be checked after each wear for dirt; jewellery with emeralds, opals, pearls or crystals is best cleaned by a professional
We all have our favourite, most-worn pieces of jewellery. From necklaces to rings to earrings, they add a final touch, unlike any other accessory.
When your staple pieces get dull, you’ll want to keep your jewellery in tip-top shape, and certain materials like gold need gentle cleaning.
For example, white gold is alloyed with nickel, zinc, palladium, and/or silver, while rose gold is alloyed with copper.
If you’re unsure what kind of gold you have, the metal carat will be stamped on the jewellery, usually in an inconspicuous spot. It can be hard to see without magnification, but a jeweller can use a loupe to see the stamp.
When to clean gold jewellery
Any jewellery worn regularly should also be cleaned regularly. Fraser recommends a gentle weekly cleaning and deep cleaning after exposure to serious dirt, debris, or chemicals.
Special occasion jewellery should be inspected after each wear for dirt, smudges, or damage. It only needs cleaning if it appears dirty.
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“Gold can withstand gentle frequent cleaning, which keeps it free from dust, oil, fingerprints and chemical build-up,” Fraser says. This helps extend the life of the jewellery and keeps it looking shiny and new.
What you’ll need
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A drop of mild dish soap
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Soft-bristled baby toothbrush
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Soft, lint-free cloth or a jewellery-specific cleaning brush
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Warm water
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Shallow bowl
Quick tip: Fraser doesn’t recommend using any chemicals beyond a drop of dish soap to clean your jewellery. “Even when alloyed, gold is soft and is easily scratched, even by regular household cleaners,” she says.
How to clean gold jewellery
These instructions work for most gold jewellery, including gold jewellery with semi-precious gemstones. Be sure not to clean your jewellery in or near an open sink. Place a mat or dish over any nearby drains before beginning your cleaning regimen.
1. Mix your soap and water: Pour warm water into a shallow dish and drop in a bit of dish soap. Using the soft toothbrush, swish the soap around until small bubbles form.
2. Soak your jewellery: Place your jewellery in the bowl and allow to soak for 15 minutes.
3. Brush each piece: Lift the jewellery out of the bowl piece by piece, and brush any links, clasps, and tight chains gently with the toothbrush.
4. Rinse under cool water: Rinse the cleaned jewellery briefly under cool running water.
5. Dry your jewellery: Lay jewellery flat to dry. After drying, you can gently buff your jewellery with a lint-free soft cloth.
Quick tip: Tarnish is a chemical reaction between metal and oxygen, and happens most frequently in silver jewellery. If your jewellery is tarnished, you can use a silver-specific cleaner or polishing cloth to gently buff it away.
Necklaces should lay flat and never hang, both to avoid stretching over time and to help keep them from tangling
Cleaning gold jewellery with gemstones
Some stones are perfectly safe to use with the cleaning method above. If you know your jewellery contains diamond, ruby, sapphire, and most semi-precious gemstones, like amethyst, aquamarine, or rose quartz, they are safe to gently clean.
You can use the method described above, paying extra attention to any prongs and the areas behind or under the gemstones to get them extra clean. “Do not put pressure on settings or hold the gemstones face down on a worktop to prevent scratching,” Fraser warns.
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Do not soak natural emeralds, pearls, opals, coral, bone, or wood. Emeralds, pearls, and opals are delicate and soaking can cause permanent damage, while coral, bone, and wood are soft and absorbent, so water and any chemicals can cause permanent discolouration or damage.
Most fashion stones, such as cubic zirconia or crystals, can withstand a brief gentle cleaning but should not be submerged in water or scrubbed with abrasives. These items can be gently buffed with a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth, but for a deeper cleaning, bring them to a professional.
Cleaning gold-plated and white gold jewellery
Gold-plated jewellery can be cleaned with a mild dish soap soak, but should not be scrubbed or rubbed with anything abrasive. All colours of gold, including rose gold and white gold, can be cleaned the same way.
Quick tip: Fraser recommends storing jewellery in a soft-lined jewellery box with separate compartments so that metal and stones don’t scratch one another. “Necklaces should lay flat and never hang, both to avoid stretching over time and to help keep them from tangling,” she says.
