Gold jewelry is a luxurious closet staple that must be handled with extreme care. After all, this ensures that they will last a lifetime and always hold their heirloom-quality.
If you’re wondering how to clean your gold jewelry at home or how to prevent scratches on gold jewelry, then this guide is for you. We’re giving you all the tips and tools you need for proper jewelry cleaning to practice gold maintenance like a professional.
All gold jewelry is valuable. And because of this, you have to take certain precautions and use specific tools to maintain the aesthetic and monetary value of each item so they last.
Before we discuss what’s safe to use on gold jewelry, let’s be clear on what isn’t safe. Harsh chemicals like bleach or ammonia and abrasive tools (like metal or steel wool scrubbing pads) should be avoided at all costs. You should also never wash your tarnished gold in hot water.
Instead, you can make your own gold cleaning solution at home. All you need is a bowl of warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap to create a safe and sudsy solution.
To effectively clean gold jewelry at home, here are the exact steps to follow:
Gold maintenance isn’t a hard at-home task and you don’t need to have extensive tools to do the job either. There are a few basic tools you will need to effectively clean your precious gold and protect the fine craftsmanship.
With that said, it’s important to always use the right tools, like soft items that aren’t abrasive. Non-abrasive tools, like soft brushes, prevent scratches on gold jewelry that damage the appearance and gemstones.
Here are the tools you’ll need to properly clean gold jewelry items:
There are several common mistakes gold jewelry owners make when it comes to jewelry polishing. While using harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners are the top two, there are other mistakes that are commonly made as well, like cleaning too often.
Cleaning your gold ca jewelry a little too much can wear down the polish. This can lead to significant damage to the beautiful appearance and tarnish the fine craftsmanship. Once this happens, you can say goodbye to having gold jewelry with aesthetically pleasing value.
Another overlooked common mistake is improper storage. You can clean your gold jewelry properly and shine the piece up, but storing it in a cluttered jewelry bow or without care when handling can lead to faster wear and tear, like scratches.
Cleaning gold jewelry with harsh chemicals tends to be the leading mistake many people make. There’s a common misconception that harsh chemicals clean and remove dirt more efficiently than other cleaning solutions, but that’s not true at all. In fact, harsh chemicals cause the most damage since the solution weakens the alloy and causes tarnishing or discoloration. That’s why in order to keep these heirloom-quality pieces looking luxurious for decades, you must use safe and gentle cleaners.
Second to harsh chemicals is the mistake of using abrasive tools. Scrubbing pads made with metal or steel wool causes significant scratching and also damages the beautiful coating and plating. You can also do the same damage if you scrub too hard. Gold jewelry should always be cleaned with soft brushes in a gentle fashion to remove dirt while keeping the item scratch-free.
Using a gold cleaning solution is just the first step in maintaining your jewelry at home. After shining your pieces up, the next step is to ensure you have proper storage. This also helps to prevent scratches on gold jewelry since it keeps your pieces in their own spot where they aren’t rubbing against other necklaces or bracelets.
