Since ancient times, gold jewelry has been a sign of wealth. Today you can hardly meet a person who does not have jewelry made of this noble metal, it could be a ring, chain, earrings, or bracelet. Many families pass on their gold items from generation to generation as they acquire the status of family value. Undoubtedly, subsequently all jewelry loses its original appearance, beauty, shine, and gloss disappear. Of course, qualified jewelers will help restore the product to its former elegance. However, there are many recipes that will return and maintain splendor at home at no cost.
How to clean white gold at home?
White gold contains various types of metals, the surface of which is coated with radium. Over time, it fades and then disappears completely. Because of this, white gold jewelry requires constant care and certain types of cleaning are simply unacceptable.
When cleaning white gold items, it is permissible to use only a soft cloth. It is also allowed to soak it with vodka, alcohol, and ammonia. It is forbidden to use a toothbrush, salt, toothpaste, or washing powder.
Methods of obtaining
To obtain products that look like precious metal, the steel alloy is plated with gold. The most popular methods of gilding:
- Gold Filled – rolling. The workpiece is covered with the thinnest gold sheet, which is attached to an oil or adhesive base. To make the surface shiny, use glue, and if you want a matte surface, use oil varnish. On products coated with this method, it is necessary to indicate how many carats the gold leaf had.
- Gold Plated – by galvanic method. The product is polished, degreased and cleaned of the effects of oxidation. A thin layer of gold plating is then applied using an electric current.
To obtain a white tint, the object is coated with PVD. Vapors of precious metals are sprayed onto the product under vacuum, and it acquires a cool white shine.
In addition to spray-coated steel, various alloys are used. In Europe you can find an alloy of copper and zinc (9/1). Copper is cleaned, polished, and becomes like real gold.
If aluminum is used instead of zinc, the resulting product is called aural (aufor, aufir). In Germany this alloy is known as goldin.
There is a coating called music. It is based on tin and does not lose its qualities under the influence of environmental factors.
The combination of copper, zinc and tin is sold under the name Mannheim gold, and mosaic gold is a composition in which copper and zinc are almost equal.
The more copper, the lighter the resulting color. In French gold it is 80%, and zinc is only 15%. Decorations made from it are light yellow.
How to clean gold chains at home?
Due to daily wear, gold chains very quickly lose their luxurious appearance. There are various ways to return it, which can be done without leaving your home.
- Toothpaste. Apply the paste to a soft brush and gently wipe the chain.
- A mixture of ammonia (two tablespoons) and soda (1 teaspoon). Rub the mixture on the chain and keep it for about a day. Then the product is washed with water and wiped with a soft cloth.
- 9% vinegar. Place gold items in a container with vinegar and leave them for 24 hours.
- A solution of one teaspoon of ammonia, three teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide, half a teaspoon of powder, half a glass of water. The solution is mixed and the gold chains are left in it for half an hour. Then they are washed with water and wiped dry.
Learn how to clean medicinal gold jewelry
The original shine and beauty of copper alloy paint can be maintained only through proper care and periodic cleaning.
It is best to clean jewelry made from medicinal gold using special ultrasonic cleaners. With the help of these devices, particles of wood can be seen from the most important places - between stones, fastened frames, teeth, and other other decorative elements.
After processing, it is necessary to check the fixation of the stones; fragments of the fastening may become loose under the infusion of ultrasound. After the cleansing procedure, the beauty looks like new!
In the home, you can clean medicinal gold embellishments using folk methods, which have already proven effective.
Well, medical gold is easy to clean:
- rare milk, shampoo;
- ammonia;
- by the storm;
- soda ash, grub soda;
- kreida;
- tooth powder;
- cleanse with your own hands the merciful flow;
- purchased pastes.
Medicinal gold virobes can be cleaned with another cloth soaked in wine alcohol or beer. It is very easy to remove contaminated oil or turpentine - they need to be removed five minutes after application.
How to clean medical gold at home?
Medical gold is visually no different from high-grade gold. Despite its low price, unlike ordinary gold, it has a number of advantages. Medical gold does not darken, does not lose color or shine. Depending on its composition, it is used in various fields: in medicine, as jewelry, and so on.
However, products made from medical gold also require special care. A good cleaning solution is plain water with a few drops of shampoo or liquid soap. The jewelry is kept in it for several minutes, then taken out and carefully cleaned with a soft-bristled toothbrush. In addition, medical gold can be easily cleaned with beer and table vinegar. The fabric is impregnated with one of the named components and the products are wiped. It should be remembered that various chemicals have a negative effect on jewelry made from medical gold, so it is recommended to remove such items before washing or washing dishes.
Material properties
There is an opinion that the medical alloy is gold of the highest standard, but this is absolutely not true. It is impossible to make a product from a noble metal without any impurities due to its softness and malleability. Such jewelry would be huge, and they would have to be worn with great care, because any careless movement could cause serious mechanical damage. And the price of such an item would not please anyone.
Medical (sometimes abbreviated as honey) gold is an alloy of several metals: magnesium, nickel and chromium . From the name you can guess that the scope of application of this substance is medicine. Not only attractive jewelry is made from the material, but also surgical instruments. It is also used to create dental crowns. It has a lot of advantages:
- excellent appearance, making it difficult to distinguish it from real gold;
- has anti-corrosion properties;
- very low price per gram;
- quite strong and durable;
- does not cause allergies;
- does not oxidize.
The first jewelry from this alloy was made in the 18th century in France. From there, a fashion for this material arose, and soon it became widespread in England and Russia, where craftsmen from the Tula plant produced similar products. There was a very high demand for them among men. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the popularity of the alloy gradually declined. Until the nineties, it was practically not remembered for the creation of costume jewelry, because it was not considered valuable. But in the twenty-first century, products made from it returned to the shelves again.
These jewelry are famous for their beauty and grace. In addition, they are quite cheap, which means almost anyone can afford them. For example, a ring of not the greatest thickness, made from this gold, will cost about a thousand rubles.
How to clean old gold at home?
Before you start cleaning gold at home, you just need to pay attention to some features: the color of the gold, the surface coating (shiny or matte), the presence of inserts and what they are made of. Antique gold jewelry, passed down from generation to generation, often takes on a terrible appearance. They become dull and become covered with dust and dirt. You can also clean them at home. To do this, take a glass of warm water and dissolve one teaspoon of liquid soap or dishwashing detergent in it. Take a metal saucepan and cover the bottom with a soft cloth. Place old gold on a cloth and pour in a glass of warm water with dissolved liquid soap. Place the pan on the fire and boil for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the degree of contamination. After boiling, remove the product, rinse with water and wipe with a soft cloth.
Prevention
To make rings, bracelets, earrings and chains sparkle and delight you with their appearance, you need to adhere to simple operating rules.
- Remove jewelry before dirty work, contact with household chemicals, sports and cosmetic procedures.
- If moisture gets on the gold, be sure to wipe it with a cloth.
- Clean your accessories at least once every 2 months.
- It is better to store jewelry away from sunlight in a wooden box with soft walls.
Sources
- https://adella.ru/home/cleaning/chistim-zoloto-v-domashnih-usloviyah.html
- https://zhazhdazolota.ru/dragotsennosti/uhod/kak-pochistit-zoloto-v-domashnih-usloviyah
- https://metalloy.ru/obrabotka/chistka/zolota
- https://tvjam.ru/livehaki/kak-pochistit-zoloto-v-domashnikh-usloviyakh/
- https://CentrBalans.ru/chistka/zolota.html
- https://vsvoemdome.ru/dom/hozyajstvo/kak-i-chem-pochistit-zoloto-v-domashnih-usloviyah
How to clean gold at home with peroxide?
Hydrogen peroxide is one of the best products that removes dirt and plaque on the surfaces of gold items.
Peroxide is used for cleaning as a separate component or in combination with other substances. As a separate component, take a cotton pad, moisten it generously with hydrogen peroxide and wipe the gold with it until it is clean. This method, unfortunately, does not always lead to the desired success, so it is best to use hydrogen peroxide together with liquid soap. Take a ceramic dish, put decorations in it, pour some water and pour 2 teaspoons of liquid soap into it. Place the dishes on the fire and bring the solution to a boil. Next, pour in one tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the gold items, rinse under water and wipe with a dry soft cloth.
Tips for choosing jewelry
When planning the purchase of jewelry, it is worth considering some points to minimize the risk of purchasing a low-quality item:
- Costume jewelry does not have the usual gold standard, but it has its own marking. A conscientious manufacturer will indicate on the stamp the amount of impurities and the number of carats of gold plating, if any. Carats are designated by the letter K and a number. 375 standard - the lowest for gold - is marked 9K (British system) or 36K (Russian system). Anything containing fewer gold carats is a jewelry alloy.
- The decoration is accompanied by a tag indicating the manufacturer, his details, and alloy composition. If stones are present, then information about them.
How to clean gold at home with soda?
Baking soda is the oldest cleaning product that “gives” a second life to any gold jewelry. Soda is the safest, most economical and gentle substance.
To clean jewelry with baking soda at home you will need:
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 glass of hot water
- small piece of foil
Take a small container (glass, bowl, plate), cover the bottom with foil. Place the gold jewelry that needs cleaning on the foil. In a separate bowl, mix baking soda with hot water and pour this solution over the decorations so that they do not stick out of the water. Leave to process for 12 hours. Then we take out the gold, rinse it with clean running water and wipe it thoroughly with a soft cloth.
Cleaning gold with baking soda can be done in a variety of ways. In addition to the main component (soda), it is permissible to add a few drops of cleaning solutions to the solution. For example, shampoo, dishwashing detergent, laundry soap, hydrogen peroxide, table vinegar. They do not harm gold jewelry, but on the contrary, they allow you to quickly achieve its original appearance.
Heavily soiled areas can be cleaned with a soft toothbrush. Thin bristles ideally remove various debris and dust in the narrowest places.
It is not recommended to clean gold jewelry with inserts made of natural pearls or precious stones using detergents. They can ruin the appearance of the products, as well as cause additional scratches and chips.
What are watch bracelets made of?
We hasten to please you, dear readers, with the fact that the times when even very well-known watchmakers widely used such ultra-low-cost alloys as brass and alloy for the manufacture of watch bracelets are practically a thing of the past. Not very durable in maintaining a presentable appearance due to the rubbing of the protective coating during active use, such bracelets, in addition to this, also began to oxidize on the inside. As a result, dark stains appeared on the wrist, which did not look aesthetically pleasing and also stained the light cuffs of the shirts. We remember and tell you about this for a very practical purpose, in order to reasonably dispel idle slander about such defectiveness, supposedly universally inherent in any of the metal bracelets. Well, with the possible exception of gold ones.
So, from the most popular bracelets made of stainless steel, titanium alloy or high-tech ceramics today, if some darkening appears on the wrists, especially in the summer months, then this is only and exclusively due to the significant contamination of these bracelets. Indeed, in recent years, most watch manufacturers have been using low-allergenic stainless steel 316L or its closest analogues even for their inexpensive models. And since this steel is used in jewelry and even in the medical field, it is completely unlawful to blame the unworthy quality of watch bracelets made from it. The same applies to watch bracelets made from titanium alloys, known for their hypoallergenic properties, and high-tech ceramics, the former of which are also 40% lighter than steel, and the latter are distinguished by super-hardness, and therefore increased resistance to scratches.
Therefore, since the bracelets get dirty, you need to learn how to clean them! And quite naturally, the more regularly you do this, the less chance you will have of getting your wrist dirty, and you will be guaranteed to have an impeccably presentable appearance.
How to clean gold at home with foil?
Another effective method for cleaning gold at home is using foil. To do this, take a small container, the bottom of which is well covered with foil. The shiny side of the foil should be facing up. Place the gold items on foil and fill them with hot boiled water. Immediately add one tablespoon of salt, soda, and vinegar. Mix. When all components interact, a reaction will occur and bubbles will begin to form, which instantly remove all contaminants from the surface and give the product shine and shimmer. It is recommended to keep the products in the solution for up to 10 minutes, then they should be removed, rinsed and wiped dry.
This cleaning method is effective not only for jewelry made of gold, but also of silver.
Regular detergent
Even the most common inexpensive and not very caustic detergents will save your pets from traces of decay. They “rejuvenate” their crystal (rhinestones) and plastic decorations especially well:
- You drip a little product into a container (preferably plastic) with water.
- You put your rhinestones there for 15 minutes.
- Every 2-3 minutes, gently shake the container so that the detergent “works” better.
- Then you wash the jewelry in water.
If your crystal stones are covered with rhodium, you should not use detergent - it can “age” the rhinestones even more. It is better to clean them with ammonia (as described above).
How to clean gold at home with ammonia?
If your gold jewelry has lost its beauty and shine, and you don’t have time to go to the jeweler, then ammonia will help restore the items to their former “freshness.” This cheap remedy is available in every pharmacy. It guarantees safety and a perfect sparkle immediately after cleaning.
There are many recipes for cleaning gold jewelry using ammonia. The most popular and effective of them are:
- Apply a small amount of ammonia to a cotton pad or cotton swab and wipe the gold item thoroughly.
- If it is heavily soiled, take a small glass container, put gold in it and pour ammonia into it. Leave the jewelry on for 2 minutes.
- For gold jewelry with diamonds, it is recommended to dilute ammonia with water. One tablespoon of ammonia is required for one glass of water. Products can be kept in this solution for about thirty minutes.
- Strongly persistent stains on gold are removed in a solution that includes hydrogen peroxide and ammonia. To do this, take a glass of water, add 30 ml of peroxide, one tablespoon of ammonia and one teaspoon of liquid soap. Mix everything. Gold can remain in such a liquid for no more than 15 minutes.
After any procedure, gold should be washed under running water and thoroughly dried with a soft cloth.
Rules of care
To prolong the beauty of your favorite jewelry, just follow these rules:
- remove them when showering or applying skincare products;
- avoid their contact with perfumes and acetone-containing liquids;
- do not expose them to high humidity and sunlight;
- do not forget to clean them before storing them in a box or safe for long-term storage;
- Dry them thoroughly after cleaning and washing.
A little effort, personal time and financial expenses will help you restore and preserve the beauty of your favorite jewelry!
Reviews on how to clean gold at home
Irina: “I clean all my gold jewelry using my mother’s proven method. I dissolve a few drops of Fary in warm water and pour it over the gold jewelry. After half an hour or an hour, I take them out and carefully clean the heavily soiled areas with a toothbrush. Gold is cleared quickly, shine and sparkle appear.”
Angelina: “I once read on a forum about a method for cleaning gold jewelry. You need to take ammonia and hydrogen peroxide in equal quantities, put the products in there and close the jar. Leave for an hour. There will be a reaction immediately. A very good method and now I use it to clean my jewelry all the time. My jewelry is ordinary without stones.”
Remember, regular care of gold jewelry prolongs its life.
How often should metal and ceramic bracelets be cleaned?
If you wear the same watch on your bracelet every day, we recommend cleaning it thoroughly about once a month. The most meticulous watch owners can wipe them daily. Just as washing our face and brushing our teeth before bed contributes to our good health, our watches will also benefit from a similar express cleaning. Use a soft cloth to wipe the inside and outside of the bracelet, as well as the top and bottom of the case. This will help remove excess moisture and residue from the cosmetics you have used on your skin throughout the day. In addition, this regular maintenance and care of your bracelet will make monthly deep cleaning much easier.
Garlic
Garlic not only wards off vampires, but also restores the sunny shine to your jewelry. Especially if it is made of copper:
- Take a couple of garlic cloves and finely grate them.
- Add salt to the grated garlic (no more than a pinch).
- Apply to darkened jewelry.
- After 8-10 minutes, wash off the garlic.
- Wash the chains and ring thoroughly (with soap) to remove the not very pleasant garlic smell.
- Wipe the stones with a dry cloth.
Milk serum
You won’t believe it, but the most ordinary whey with darkened jewelry works real miracles:
- Pour the whey into a small glass.
- Add salt (30 g).
- You take a rag, apply the serum to it and thoroughly treat the jewelry with it.
- Wash your jewelry with water and wipe it with a dry cloth.
Now you can wear jewelry with confidence - everyone will think that you just bought it. And to best match it with your clothes, read the tips here: How to choose jewelry for a dress with a round neckline.
Source
Rules for storing jewelry
To ensure that jewelry does not lose its attractive appearance longer, it must be properly cared for and stored. It is best to keep jewelry in a special box that has compartments for such items. In this case, they will not touch each other, which eliminates their darkening. You can't let brilliant green (or iodine) get on your jewelry. Such substances can completely ruin jewelry.
Before storing rings, chains and other items, dry them thoroughly. Otherwise, after some time the coating will darken and peel off. The box should be stored in a dark place. You should not leave such products in the bathroom. If possible, you should clean the jewelry with suede or flannel.
