Knowing how to properly clean your jewelry is essential for maintaining your pieces. Yes, it gets easily overlooked, because it takes time, but I promise you that it's worth it.
And, best of all, this is definitely something you can do while you multi-task. Gather a few simple things, and clean your pieces while you watch your favorite show or listen to a podcast.
Remember: gold jewelry requires different care than sterling silver. If your jewelry has stones or pearls, you may need to follow different instructions.
TO CLEAN GOLD
(this works for: plated gold, gold vermeil, 14k gold, 18k gold, white, rose, or yellow)
- get a small dish and fill it with warm (not hot) water
- mix in a few drops of liquid dish soap
allow your piece to soak 5-10 minutes to loosen any dirt and grime
- use a SOFT brush (like a child's toothbrush) to softly polish and clean
- dry with a soft cloth
Tips
- don't do this over the sink, you might accidentally drop things
- don't use any harsh ingredients or cleaners
- don't use a hard/rough brush or scrub items too vigorously (gold is relatively soft and can scratch or dent)
Now that your gold is clean...
- avoid getting sunscreen or lotions on your pieces when possible
- remove pieces for showering or swimming
- store your gold in soft pouches or boxes
- keep your pieces away from items that might scratch the surface
If you try the above steps, but don't get the results you want, or if you have an extremely tarnished piece, you can take your items to a local jeweler. Some will clean pieces for free or a small fee.
There are also gold cleaners you can purchase online or at your local hardware store, look for Hagerty's brand for this cleaning method.
With the right care, your gold and gold vermeil jewelry can stay radiant and beautiful forever.
And if you also have silver pieces in your collection, check out my tips for cleaning tarnished silver jewelry.
