Cubic zirconia is a synthetic semi-precious mineral that imitates diamonds. Despite the fact that the stone is not natural and grown in a laboratory, it is very popular among women.
And this is not surprising, because its brilliance and depth are amazing. Cubic zirconias are combined with gold and silver; the metal emphasizes the shine of “artificial diamonds.”
But over time, the jewelry becomes dull, the stones lose their transparency and shine. To restore their attractiveness, you need to carry out high-quality cleaning. There are 2 options - take the jewelry to a workshop or clean it at home.
Gold should shine
If gold items have lost their shine, it means they require thorough cleaning. To avoid damaging your jewelry when cleaning, follow these rules.
- Do not use abrasives.
- Do not subject chains or thin bracelets to harsh mechanical cleaning.
- The glued stone does not need to be wet so that it does not come off.
- If the gold on your ring or earrings has darkened, first soak it in soapy water.
- Gold cannot be stored in cardboard and plastic boxes, only in wooden boxes.
- Don't do your homework in rings.
Basic rules for caring for jewelry
- Avoid unnecessary contact with household chemicals and sharp objects. Be sure to remove your rings and earrings before any cosmetic procedures.
- Protect accessories from contamination. Experts advise that after wearing, put them first in a special container with compressed air, and then in the box - this will help get rid of dust, which invariably leads to damage to your favorite jewelry. You should also wipe them regularly with a soft cloth.
- Monitor the temperature. Jewelry products supplemented with cubic zirconia feel best in a cool and dry place. Sudden changes in temperature can have devastating effects. In particular, the glue that holds the minerals in place may deteriorate. The result is deplorable: the stones come off and are lost. Therefore, try to store new clothes away from heating appliances, direct rays, and windows.
- Each ring has its own place! The ideal option would be to provide each model with its own box, special bag or box. But keep in mind that some types of wood with their fumes are dangerous for jewelry and can cause irreparable harm to them. If you put all the jewelry together, they can intertwine, scratch each other, and ruin the metal and gems. Or even darken by entering into a chemical reaction with each other.
Ancient recipes that will bring back the shine
Folk methods will help you quickly restore a beautiful shine.
- Extract the juice from onions or potatoes, soak a napkin in it, and wipe the decoration.
- Lubricate the item with lipstick, hold for 1 minute, then polish with a dry cloth.
- An aqueous solution of borax will help remove severe contamination, but it will not cope with stains.
- You can clean it effectively and quickly with toothpaste. Apply the paste to a soft cloth and polish the product.
- A hyposulfite solution (can be purchased at amateur photography stores) will help get rid of iodine on gold.
- To make gold jewelry shine, there is an old, but still very effective way: mix egg white with 2 tbsp. l. beer, apply to fabric, polish, rinse under tap, let dry.
Preliminary acquaintance
Careful handling and care significantly increase the service life of accessories. However, it is important to understand the characteristics of the stone, its history and properties.
The whole world learned about cubic zirconia in the middle of the last century. Moreover, the massive supply of incredibly cheap diamonds from an unknown deposit instilled panic in businessmen. But it soon became clear that these were not diamonds, but their artificially grown analogues in the laboratory. Due to their similarity to royal jewels and low price, they immediately found thousands of fans. After all, they represented a real chance to get an original piece of incredible beauty for a modest sum - even the simplest pendant or bracelet with such a gem looks luxurious and respectable.
Cubic zirconia is a synthetic twin of diamond, but is significantly inferior to it in hardness. Therefore, it requires special processing, which is how experts distinguish an artificial diamond from a real one.
Cleaning antique gold
Jewelry that was inherited, for example, may have stains or a film of oxide.
To tidy up old items, we will use hydrogen peroxide and ammonia.
Add to 1 glass of warm water:
- 1 teaspoon of ammonia
- 30 ml 30% hydrogen peroxide
- 1 tbsp. spoon of liquid soap
Mix everything, put objects in this mixture, hold for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with water, dry with flannel.
You can defeat oxides with ammonia: pour 0.5 teaspoon of 10% ammonia and 1 teaspoon of detergent into a cup of water. Put the jewelry down as soon as the water darkens, remove it, and rinse it under the tap.
Recipe for getting rid of oxides with foil and soda: Place a piece of foil on a plate, place decorations on it, pour in a solution with soda (1 tablespoon of soda per glass of water). Leave for 3-4 hours. Then rinse under the tap and dry.
To enjoy the beautiful shine of your rings and earrings, use salt: (for 0.5 cups of water - 3 tablespoons of regular salt). Leave the jewelry in this product for 12 hours, then polish it with a flannel.
Features of gold with cubic zirconia
Cubic zirconias are synthetic stones that imitate diamonds. They were first obtained in the laboratories of the Soviet Academy of Sciences in 1970.
Zirconium dioxide, from which cubic zirconia is obtained, is colorless, but with the help of various additives it can be dyed almost any color from pink to purple and golden brown. They are now used in the chemical industry, dentistry and jewelry.
Rules of care
In order for these artificial diamonds to resemble their natural counterparts in brilliance for as long as possible, they need to be carefully stored and properly cared for - after all, with every day of use they become duller and duller.
This is facilitated by interaction with oxygen, human secretions ( sweat, sebum ), various chemicals ( soap, cream, dishwashing and cleaning products ). As a result, a cloudy film and dark coating appear on once shiny jewelry, and dirt accumulates in some places.
- They need to be stored separately in boxes, cases or special fabric bags.
- Jewelry should be protected from bright sunlight and excess moisture . It is best to take them off before going to the pool, sauna or beach.
- If you use jewelry regularly, you need to clean it at least once a month.
- Jewelry should be protected from exposure to aggressive chemicals , which are all household chemicals. That is, before washing dishes or starting cleaning, it is advisable to remove rings and bracelets.
To avoid damaging the stones
Jewelry with stones should be cleaned especially carefully and preferably at least once a month.
How to clean the stone on a gold ring? The cleaning method depends on the stone itself. If a soft pebble is in the product itself (amber, opal, lapis lazuli, turquoise), then it can be washed with alcohol. Take equal parts of alcohol and water, put rings with stones in it, take it out after 25 minutes and dry it.
Rings or earrings with pearls are washed with a brush, moistening it with a soap solution. The gold part of the product with pearls is polished with a soft cloth.
Rings with hard stones (diamond, sapphire, topaz, ruby, emerald, amethyst, tourmaline, zircon) can be cleaned with alcohol. A cotton swab is soaked in alcohol and the stone is wiped.
Diamond jewelry is best cleaned with a soft toothbrush dipped in liquid soap or shampoo. You can also clean jewelry with topaz.
An amazing result is obtained by cleansing these stones with a solution of ammonia (6 drops of alcohol per 1 glass of water). Then the diamond and setting must be polished with flannel. For zircon, prepare a mixture of ammonia and water in a ratio of 1:6.
Delicate treatment of every part of the decoration
On the Mohs scale, the hardness of cubic zirconia is 8.5. This indicator is lower than that of a diamond, but it is still quite difficult to scratch the stone. However, cubic zirconia does not tolerate alkalis, hydrogen peroxide, or chlorine well, and it becomes dull from aggressive chemicals. This stone also attracts dust and grease, so you will need to clean it often and remove it when you clean or apply cream.
Gold requires a more delicate attitude. It can be damaged not only by aggressive detergents, but also by simple mechanical action. Therefore, the fabrics and brushes that you use to clean gold must be soft. You shouldn’t get carried away with powders with hard granules: an earring with micro-scratches will quickly lose its golden shine.
Pay attention to how the stones are fixed in your jewelry; small crystals can be set with glue. In this case, your precious earring should not be in water for a long time , the glue may dissolve and the stones may fall out.
If you pay attention to all the details of your earrings, you can easily clean your earrings yourself.
How to clean white and yellow gold
Fashionable white gold is an alloy of gold with other metals. To enhance the shine of jewelry, they are plated with rhodium. If your gold items just become dirty or sticky, place them in a soapy solution for 5-6 hours.
Reviews from owners of white gold jewelry indicate that the best cleaning method is a simple soap solution. If you want to save your favorite items from the blackness that has covered them, take them to an experienced jeweler.
Do not clean with vinegar, soda or even toothpaste, so as not to spoil the coating of rings and pendants.
Yellow gold can be cleaned with vodka, peroxide, ammonia, salt and even dishwashing detergent. The recipes are described above.
But only professionals can clean gold leaf, as this process requires certain skills.
Methods for cleaning silver items
Silver items tarnish from time to time and become covered with dark spots. To clean silver, use the following methods:
- Place the decorations in a bowl with a foil-lined bottom. Sprinkle the rings with soda until it covers them. Then cover them with a second piece of foil, fill them with hot water, and rinse after 10 minutes.
- Cover the bottom of the bowl with a sheet of foil, place the silver on it, cover the jewelry with baking soda, salt, and add 5 drops of dishwashing liquid. Then pour boiling water into a bowl, and after 15 minutes, rinse and dry the products.
- A regular eraser removes dirt and blackness from the surface of silver. This method is only suitable for smooth products without indentations.
- Mix crushed chalk with ammonia until a creamy consistency is formed. Apply the mixture to a soft-bristled brush, wipe off the dirt, and rinse the jewelry.
- Chop the potatoes, add 100 ml of water and put silver in there. After 5 minutes, the jewelry is taken out and polished with velvet.
- Mix toothpaste with baking soda and ammonia in equal quantities. Apply the mixture to the jewelry, rub, and then rinse thoroughly. This is an aggressive method that allows you to remove stubborn stains.
If you are going to clean blackened silver, be careful not to scratch its surface. It is recommended to rinse silver with a matte surface with soapy water; hard brushes and abrasives are prohibited.
How to clean gold from foreign energy
This is a question many women ask. For example, you inherited gold, it was given to you by your mother-in-law or a distant relative. How to clean gold from foreign energy? There are several ways.
- Hold the items under the tap. Imagine how running water washes away all the bad things.
- Keep it in salt water, salt generally removes all negativity.
- Cleansing with a candle will help get rid of negativity. Place the ring on the table and light a candle. Use a burning candle to draw circles around the item being cleaned counterclockwise. Apply as many times as necessary until you feel complete cleansing. Then cross the thing with a burning candle. This way you will establish protection from future bad energy.
See also on the blog: How to protect yourself from negative energy
In parting, I would like to wish your gold shine and durability!
Dishwashing liquid
The best way to combat grease, oil traces and plaque of any origin is a product created specifically for this task. Take dishwashing gel, dilute it in water and leave the decorations in it. You can even boil gold without coatings and stones in a solution for a few minutes - a good way to clean out all the small links and other hard-to-reach places.
Photo: sdelai-lestnicu.ru
How to care for gold jewelry with stones
Jewelry is something that is bought for more than one year. They often serve as family heirlooms and are passed on from generation to generation.
So, what should you do to prevent your jewelry from deteriorating and your stones from becoming dull several years after purchase? Follow these guidelines for caring for your jewelry:
- If you wear jewelry regularly, clean it at least every 4-5 weeks.
- Clean stones that decorate earrings or a ring with a cotton swab. If there are greasy stains on it, use cologne as a cleanser and then polish the product.
- If the jewelry is not smooth and there are many “hard-to-reach places” on its surface, clean these areas of dirt with glycerin applied to a cotton swab.
- Large stones can be cleaned with match ash. Light a match and immediately blow out the fire, and use the resulting ash as a cleaning agent.
- For items with glued stones, cleaning methods that involve keeping the jewelry in liquids for a long time are not suitable. In such cases, use soft cloths soaked in a weak soap solution.
When preparing a soap solution, do not use the household, alkaline version. This will result in loss of shine. Better take toilet soap or shampoo.
- If you cannot determine what kind of stone your product is decorated with, and you need to clean it, use alcohol. This product is suitable for all types of stones; you just need to soak the jewelry in the liquid and then polish it with a soft cloth.
- When using powdered products, such as salt or soda, do not use them in their “pure” form, but dissolve them in water. Abrasive substances cause scratches on metal and stones.
- To add shine to gold, soak the jewelry for 30 minutes in a sugar solution (2 teaspoons of sand per 200 ml of warm water), then dry and rub with a soft cloth until shiny.
Jewelry should be stored in boxes or fabric bags and protected from direct sunlight. By following these recommendations, you will keep your “gold reserves” in their original form for many years.
Cleaning silver from blackness
Tarnished silver jewelry can be easily cleaned with a baking soda solution. Place them in a bowl lined with foil, sprinkle in 3 tablespoons of baking soda, cover with another layer of foil and pour boiling water over them. After 10-15 minutes, rinse them in cool running water.
The following method removes dark plaque from silver well. Prepare a small container and wrap it in foil. Then fold the decorations in an even layer, add salt and baking soda, add a few drops of dishwashing detergent and pour boiling water over it. After 10 minutes, rinse the items in plenty of cold water.
Silver can be cleaned well with the light side of a regular office eraser. Just rub the ring with an eraser and the blackness will disappear. You can use lipstick instead of an eraser. This is due to the fact that lipstick contains microscopic abrasive components that can clean silver without leaving scratches. To do this, apply it to a soft cloth and polish the metal to the desired state. Then wash the jewelry with soapy water.
A very effective, but rather aggressive cleaning method is to use the following composition. Mix toothpaste or powder, soda and ammonia until smooth. Apply the mixture with a soft toothbrush and then rinse with cold water. Toothpaste works well for removing strong blackness on silver, but should not be used often because... it can cause microcracks to appear in the metal. Without soda, this composition will be more gentle. A mixture of toothpaste, chalk and ammonia also works well for cleaning cubic zirconia silver jewelry. The most important thing is to rinse the products well.
Cubic zirconia is a synthetic semi-precious mineral that imitates diamonds. Despite the fact that the stone is not natural and grown in a laboratory, it is very popular among women.
And this is not surprising, because its brilliance and depth are amazing. Cubic zirconias are combined with gold and silver; the metal emphasizes the shine of “artificial diamonds.”
But over time, the jewelry becomes dull, the stones lose their transparency and shine. To restore their attractiveness, you need to carry out high-quality cleaning. There are 2 options - take the jewelry to a workshop or clean it at home.
What do you need to know before cleaning your silver?
Before you clean your silver jewelry, you need to become familiar with the main causes of silver tarnishing.
People say that if jewelry darkens, then the person is in poor health. But in fact, this is far from the case. Experienced jewelers and doctors refute this theory, because the main reason for the darkening of jewelry is poor-quality metal.
Some craftsmen use copper when making silver rings and chains:
- As you know, copper is a very unstable metal, and upon contact with moisture it quickly oxidizes.
- In addition to a bad sample, various cosmetics (creams, lotions) have a bad effect on silver. Therefore, if you wear jewelry made of this metal, you should avoid frequent use of creams that contain sulfur and other harmful chemicals.
Important! In order for the cleaning of silver with or without stones to be successful, you should store silver items in dry places away from water.
Tooth powder or paste
The beauty of the method is in its simplicity: you only need them and an old toothbrush - nothing more. Keep in mind that powder cleans better, but it is rougher, and with paste you will have to tinker longer - but it is more delicate. Another method is to apply bleaching paste to the gold and leave it until it dries - this will bring back the lost shine.
Photo: dkvitin.ru
How to restore silver at home?
Dilute 1-2 tablespoons of soda in 500 ml of water, put this solution on the fire and, when the water boils, put in silver and a piece of ordinary food foil. After 10-15 minutes, the silver will shine like new. Or you can simply soak the products in a soda solution for a few minutes, and then wipe them with a soft cloth.
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