Luxury News from Luxist - Fine Living, Dining, Apparel, Travel, Estates, Shopping

How To Clean Gold Jewelry

by Denise Shively (RSS feed) — Dec 26th 2010 9:31AM

Keeping your gold jewelry clean is relatively simple, and can easily and efficiently be done at home. While gold jewelry will not tarnish like other metals, it can still accumulate dirt and grime, become dull and lose its shine. To keep your gold jewelry looking good as new, follow these simple tips to bring back its luster and shine.

Soap and Water
Believe it or not, you can clean gold with soap and water, but it works best on gold pieces that are plain and free of other gemstones (such as a plain gold necklace or simple ring.) To clean your gold with soap and water, fill a small bowl with warm - not hot - water and a few drops of a mild dish soap. Place your jewelry in the soap and water mixture, and allow the pieces to soak for about 20 minutes. After soaking, use a clean, dry cotton cloth to dry your jewelry, and allow them to sit on a towel to air dry completely before wearing them again.

This method will get rid of all the oils from beauty products and regular day-to-day wear that makes your gold jewelry dingy and lackluster, and is a very simple and quick way to bring back the beauty of your gold.

Cleaning Gold Jewelry with Gemstones
If your gold jewelry includes gemstones, you can still clean them at home without fear of damaging the stones or setting. The important thing to remember about this type of gold jewelry is to NEVER submerge them into water, as the water can become trapped in the setting, rust or discolor your setting/stones, or cause the stones to become loose and fall out over time.