How to Clean Gold Jewelry and Costume Jewelry?

Cleaning Gold Jewelry

If your beautiful gold jewelry is not as bright as it used to be and looks a little dull, doesn’t worry. With easy cleaning, it will look brilliant again. You do not need expensive jewelry cleaners to get your gold jewelry shining. So, let’s examine how to clean gold jewelry:

Caring for Gold Jewelry

Costume jewelry needs minimal care, but valuable pieces should be cleaned often. Do not wear rings with stones during house cleaning, as this could cause damage to the settings.

Preventing Damage to Gold Jewelry

• Check jewelry: Check jewelry each time you wear it for any damaged links and faulty clasps. Have rings checked by a jeweler a few times a year for loose stones?
• Chains: Fasten chains when you are not wearing them to prevent knotting. Do not wear gold chains when you go swimming; the chlorine in pools makes gold brittle.

Cleaning Valuable Gold Jewelry

1. Soak jewelry in a solution of dishwashing liquid in a bowl for a few minutes. Do not use a sink. Brush items gently with a toothbrush.
2. Rinse the jewellery and lay it on a dish towel. Dry it with a hairdryer on a low setting. Check the water for stones before discarding it.

Cleaning Costume Jewelry

Cover costume jewelry with baking powder, then brush it off gently with a soft toothbrush.

Ring Holder

Keep a large safety pin near your kitchen sink at all times and use it to attach rings to your clothes when you wash dishes. This will prevent rings from getting damaged or misplaced.

Caring for Precious Stones

• Fragile stones: Amber, coral, and jet are fragile stones. Wash them using the method above. Do not use chemicals on them.
• Emeralds: These are soft and chip easily, allowing water into cracks. It is best to have them cleaned by a professional jeweler.
• Opals and turquoise: These are porous stones, so they should not be washed. Shine them with chamois leather. Brush settings with a toothbrush.
• Hard stones: Clean rubies, diamonds, and other hard stones as above, or use a special jewelry solution.
• Jade: This should be washed, then dried immediately. Use a soft cloth – any abrasive surface or grit will scratch it.
• Pearls: The best way to keep these stones clean is to wear them. If you wear them infrequently, rub them gently with a chamois leather occasionally.

Gold Jewelry Repair and Storage

It is recommended to have a safety chain added to valuable brooches to back up the clasp. To avoid scratching gold items, wrap them in tissue and store them in separate boxes. If a gold or silver ring is causing skin discoloration, coating it with clear nail polish will not damage the metal.

Making Minor Repairs to Jewelry

• Restringing a necklace

  Place the beads in the correct order along a crease on a piece of paper. Restring them using a fishing line as it is extremely strong.

• Untangling chains

  Lay a knotted chain on a piece of wax paper and put a drop of baby oil on the knot. Untangle it with a pair of needles.

Storing Pieces of Jewelry

• Necklaces: Prevent necklaces from tangling by hanging them from cup hooks screwed into a wooden clothes hanger.
• Costume jewelry: Use egg cartons to store jewelry – the bottom for small items and the lid for necklaces and bracelets.

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Getting Stuck Rings Off

• Using soap: Loosen a stuck ring by wetting your hands and rubbing soap lather above and below the ring until the ring slides off.
• Using ice: If a ring is stuck because your finger has swollen in hot weather, put your hand in a bowl of ice water. Soak your hand until the ring can be slipped off.

Caring for Miscellaneous Items

Objects such as combs, fountain pens, and handbags need regular attention to keep them in good condition. To clean canvas bags, use household detergent and rinse well. Rub leather bags with neutral shoe polish.

• Handbags: To prevent metal handbag frames and clasps from tarnishing, paint them with two coats of clear nail polish before use. If a handbag handle breaks, replace it with a chandelier chain from a hardware store.
• Combs: Wash combs in cold water with a few drops of ammonia or 2 tsp (10 g) baking soda. To clean non-washable stuffed toys, shake them in a plastic bag that contains baking soda. Brush them well, preferably outdoors.
• Playing Cards – Cleaning off marks: Rub playing cards with crustless white bread to remove dirt and grease. Dust with talcum powder occasionally to keep them free from grease and grime.
• Cleaning a fountain pen: Occasionally, take fountain pens apart and soak the pieces in vinegar. Let them stand for an hour, then rinse them in warm water and let them dry on a paper towel.

Tip: If you want to learn more about cleaning gold jewelry, click on the “tags” below.