How and with what to clean gold at home quickly and effectively
Many people have gold jewelry that can be worn for many years. With prolonged use of gold items, their appearance deteriorates and you need to clean up. Therefore, you need to determine in advance how to clean gold at home and what needs to be done for this.
Why jewelry begins to fade
People who wear a gold chain or other jewelry for a long time will notice that their surface darkens over time.
There are several reasons why gold items fade:
- Violation of ligature prescription in jewelry production. It is known that pure gold is not used when making jewelry. Specialists use high-quality alloys, which are 98% noble metal.Sometimes, to save money in the production of jewelry, they use low-quality alloys, to which an insufficient amount of ligature is added. This leads to poor wear resistance of the jewelry created.
- Continuous skin contact. The waste products of the human body remain on the surface of the skin of any person. Over time, they coat the surface of the gold, making it sticky and collecting dust, sulfides and grease particles. To get rid of accumulated dirt, you will need to regularly clean the jewelry with soap solutions and ammonia.
- Frequent use of products containing mercury compounds. In contact with this substance, the gold is covered with small spots of gray color. It will not be possible to remove these spots, since they were formed as a result of the destruction of the gold alloy. In this case, you will have to replace the jewelry with a new one.
- Iodine ingestion on the alloy. Like mercury, iodine belongs to a group of substances that should not come into contact with gold jewelry. If iodine accidentally gets on the gold, its top layer will turn black. However, it will not be possible to restore it. Therefore, when using medicines or cosmetics, you need to make sure that they do not contain iodine.
Means and technology for cleaning jewelry
There are several effective cleaning techniques that can help restore the appearance of precious metal jewelry at home.
Hydrogen peroxide
Among the most effective cleaning agents, hydrogen peroxide is emitted. To clean the jewelry, simply dip a cotton ball in peroxide and carefully wipe the product with it.
Some experts advise using a special solution based on hydrogen peroxide.When preparing it, peroxide is mixed with ammonia, after which the mixture is infused for a day.
Ammonia
Sometimes gold objects are cleaned with an ammonia solution. It is recommended to use a concentrated mixture of ammonia, which cleans gold better. When cleaning, the solution is poured into a shallow container. After that, a decoration is placed on it, which must be soaked in liquid for 3-4 hours. During this time, all dark spots will disappear and the yellow metal will look like new again.
Ammonia
The safest methods for restoring gold surfaces include the use of ammonia. To prepare a cleaning solution, 10 ml of alcohol and 20 ml of liquid soap or other detergent are added to 300 ml of water. Then a piece of jewelry is placed in a container with the prepared solution. After half an hour, they take it out and wipe it with a dry towel.
A soda
A liquid based on soda and salt will help cope with dirt on gold. To cook it yourself, you will need:
- Add 50 ml of soda and salt to a container of water.
- Soak the decoration for 12-15 hours.
- After soaking, rinse with cold water.
Salt
Salt is considered the most affordable way to clean precious metal products. When creating a saline solution, 90 grams of salt is added to a glass with heated water, after which the solution is stirred for 1-3 minutes. Then the jewelry is placed in the glass for 8-10 hours.
Dishwashing liquid
Some people choose to wash their jewelry with dish detergent. They are only used to remove minor contaminants. To clean the product, simply rinse it with a solution of warm water and detergent.
Sugar
Gold plated jewelry is often rubbed with a sugar solution to help remove dark spots.To create it, add 70 grams of sugar to a pot of water. Then a cloth is moistened in the liquid, which will be used for cleaning.
with chalk
An effective product is considered to be made from grated chalk, petroleum jelly, laundry soap and water. All components are mixed in the same amount in a small container, after which the golden jewelry is dipped in the liquid.
Toothpaste
Whitening toothpaste can be used to clean blackened gold. It contains components that help remove stains from this noble metal. After cleaning, the product is washed with water and dried.
Coca Cola
Coca-Cola not only helps remove stains from jewelry, but also adds a shine to the surface. For cleaning, a hot boiled drink is used, in which it is necessary to soak the gold for 1-2 hours. To completely remove dark spots, the procedure will have to be carried out several times.
onion juice
Blackened gold jewelry is treated with freshly squeezed onion juice, which restores the shine of gold. After the treatment, the jewelry should be rinsed to get rid of the onion smell.
A mixture of ammonia and shampoo
A solution of shampoo and ammonia will help to quickly and effectively remove darkening from the gold surface. When creating it, a teaspoon of ammonia is added to a liter of shampoo. It is necessary to put the jewelry in the prepared liquid for an hour, then wash it with clean water.
Professional preparations for cleaning precious metals
Experts advise using professional preparations to restore jewelry at home. Such a commercial product can be used to treat any gold jewelry.Effective drugs include Fog, Aladdin and Hagerty.
Things to consider when cleaning jewelry
You need to determine in advance what you need to consider when cleaning various jewelry.
With diamonds and other stones
Before cleaning your earrings or other jewelry containing gemstones, you should familiarize yourself with the specifics of this process. Experts advise cleaning diamond jewelry with ammonia, as it will not damage the stones. precious.
A solution is prepared from ammonia and water, in which the jewelry is soaked. The procedure is carried out for 25-35 minutes, after which it is removed and wiped with a dry towel or napkin.
How to Clean White Gold
The refining of white gold is carried out in several stages:
- Product control. When inspecting, pay special attention to damage. If there are small cracks or chips on the surface, you will have to refuse cleaning.
- Preparation of the solution. The bracelet and other white gold jewelry are washed in soapy water. To create it, add 100 milliliters of detergent to one liter of water.
- Cleaning. The jewelry is placed in a container with water for 30-40 minutes, rinsed and dried.
If the jewels are golden
It is recommended to treat earrings and other gold products with vinegar when cleaning. 80 milliliters of vinegar are mixed with a liter of cold water. Then the golden jewelry is placed in a container with liquid vinegar for 20 minutes. In the process of soaking, areas with dark spots are wiped with a sponge.
Removing dirt from matte gold
Lately, people are more likely to buy matte gold jewelry.When caring for a matte surface, a soda mixture is used, consisting of soda, salt, lime and water. Jewelry is placed in a container with liquid for forty minutes and washed under running water.
Products with pearls
Jewelry containing pearls is cleaned with toothpowder. They are placed in a container with powder, after which it is poured with a small amount of hydrochloric or malic acid. At the same time, rub the beads with a cloth, as this damages the surface.
How to properly clean your rings with stones
Gemstone rings clean:
- Detergent. However, it should not be too hot or too hot. To remove dirt from the surface, you need to moisten a cloth with liquid and wipe the ring.
- Essence. Helps remove greasy solutions with oily stains. It is better to polish the rings with gasoline every month so that the gold does not darken.
How and what you can not clean the precious metal
There are some contraindications that you should familiarize yourself with before cleaning the precious metal:
- Gold jewelry should not be treated with a vinegar solution if it contains precious stones. It is also contraindicated to rub them with a coarse toothbrush.
- When working with white gold, you will have to give up powder and toothpaste.
- Cheap jewelry with a thin layer of gilding should not be washed in soapy water.
How to Avoid Tarnishing Metal
Chains and other gold jewelry require proper care. This is the only way to protect them from premature blackening.
When caring for jewelry, adhere to the following recommendations:
- Care should be taken to ensure jewelry does not come into contact with acetone and solvent.
- Do not wear jewelry for a long time in rooms with a temperature above 25-30 degrees.
- All jewelry should be kept in well-protected boxes with tightly closed lids.
- It is necessary to regularly clean gold objects so that plaque and dirt do not accumulate on their surface.
Conclusion
People who own gold jewelry often face the problem of premature darkening of the precious metal. Before proceeding with surface restoration, you should familiarize yourself with the basic methods of cleaning precious metal jewelry.