How to clean gold and diamonds?

When you think of diamonds, something sparkling and fabulously expensive immediately comes to mind. And this is not far from the truth: the beauty of these amazing stones lies precisely in their unclouded radiance and impeccable transparency.

The purer and larger the stone, the more expensive it is - this is an axiom. But over time, even a premium diamond can become visually cloudy. And the point is not that you were given a fake or that the stone is “old” - it’s just that the diamond is covered with a layer of dirt and needs to be cleaned. By the way, did you know that a cloudy stone visually looks smaller than its shining twin?

Why do you need jewelry care?

Caring for jewelry is an essential part of use and should not be neglected. During wear, jewelry comes into contact with the skin, sweat, body fat, and interacts with the environment. This leads to darkening and accumulation of dirt. In addition to the fact that dirt looks terrible and spoils the appearance of products, it is also dangerous to health, as it can lead to inflammation of the earlobe, irritation, wounds, etc. And if you consider that earrings, rings, bracelets, chains and pendants very quickly become covered with grease and dust, then the lucky owners of luxury jewelry need to clean their gold and diamonds monthly.

Gold ring with diamonds and topaz, SL; (price on the link)

To do this, you can contact a specialized jewelry workshop, where a craftsman will professionally, quickly and efficiently return the items to their original shine and charm. Or try getting rid of dirt at home.

Additional recommendations

Preventing pollution is much easier than eliminating it. Following simple rules will save money and preserve your decoration.

How to save the result

Over time, sweat particles, dirt from the environment and traces of cosmetics remain on the product. If you do not clean the product regularly, it will begin to oxidize. After a few years, it will appear as if the gold has turned black. It will lose its shine, become dull and inconspicuous. This can be avoided by following the rules of prevention:

Wear rubber gloves when washing dishes and cleaning. They will protect not only the jewelry, but also your skin.
Remove earrings and rings before swimming in the sea or going to the pool.
During active physical activity, it is also better to get rid of diamond jewelry.
Do not apply cosmetics to gold. Even hand cream contains substances that can cause oxidative processes.

If a recently purchased piece of jewelry turns black, this indicates low quality metal. The product should be taken for examination.

Professional help or cleaning at home?

Every owner of precious items is faced with the right to choose how to clean gold and diamonds. What to choose is up to you, because each method has its own advantages:

Professional cleaning is a guaranteed result. The jeweler knows exactly how to handle precious materials and stones, has the necessary solutions and tools to restore the shine and charm of masterpieces, and preserve the filigree work of the master.

Before you start cleaning, you need to determine the type of dirt and only then choose a cleaning method. Do not forget that gold is considered a soft material and it is quite easy to damage it. Gold also contains other metals such as copper, zinc, silver, etc. If they come into contact with moisture, they may turn green or black. Even small black and green spots can make a big difference in the appearance of your jewelry. Therefore, it is better to trust complex, expensive or exclusive jewelry in the hands of a professional.

Gold earrings with diamonds, SL;

The only drawback to professional cleaning is the money that you will have to pay each time. But this amount is not commensurate with the risk that exists due to inept handling, inexperience and lack of knowledge, which can lead to serious consequences. And if you consider that the cost of gold jewelry and diamonds is high, then it’s probably not worth the risk.

You can clean gold and diamonds inexpensively at home. This is the main and, perhaps, the only bonus of self-cleaning. You can also note the time savings, because you don’t have to go to a jewelry workshop, adjust to work schedules, or leave the kit behind. You can start cleaning your jewelry at any time convenient for you. But the risk of making a mistake is extremely high. The indestructibility of a diamond is known to everyone, but after cutting, even the smallest scratches become noticeable on the surface. Lack of knowledge and experience can cause incorrect selection of cleaning compounds and reagents, as a result of which cleaning will be ineffective or will lead to even more problems: loss of shine, clouding, stains or scratches. And mechanical stress and temperature increases can cause cracks in the crystal. In addition, there are cases when cleaning the products alone is not enough and after a set of measures it is necessary to perform polishing.

If you really value your jewelry, it is better to leave the cleaning in the hands of a professional.

Reasons for tarnishing

Gold is a fairly soft precious metal. To create jewelry with diamonds, the highest quality material is used. To give strength and hardness, a small amount of copper or silver is added to the alloy. However, over time, the product may fade and change color.

The main reasons for this include:

constant contact with human skin, where there are secretions of the sebaceous and sweat glands;
interaction with cosmetics used by the owner of the ring;
city street dust;
home dirt.

Under the influence of these unfavorable factors, the metal becomes dark, and the diamond loses its brightness and transparency.

How to clean diamonds at home?

The shine of diamonds begins to fade and gold begins to darken? How to clean gold and diamonds safely? For self-cleaning, experts offer several safe recipes:

Soap solution. To do this, pour water into a small container and add liquid soap or shampoo. You can immerse the diamond in the prepared solution for a few minutes, then remove it and rub it with a toothbrush. This method does not remove all types of contaminants, but it effectively combats yellowish plaque.
Ammonia. To prepare the solution you will need: water, a few drops of ammonia. It is enough to immerse the product in the prepared solution for 30 minutes, then clean it with a toothbrush and put it back into the solution for a few minutes. After this, just gently wipe with a napkin and you can wear it.
The vodka solution is made in a 1:1 ratio. The decoration is placed overnight, and in the morning it remains to be brushed, rinsed and wiped.
Some jewelry stores offer quick cleaning of gold and diamonds using special means. Therefore, it won’t hurt to purchase them along with a new masterpiece for the collection.

Gold earrings with diamonds and topaz, SL;
(price on the link) And don’t forget that prevention is always more effective and simpler than treatment. Therefore, if you wipe your diamond with a napkin every day and remove traces of dirt during the day, your jewelry will retain its original shine and charm for a long time. By the way, you don’t have to worry about searching for napkins. Wipes are perfect for LCD screens and monitors. They do not spoil the stone and dissolve dirt perfectly.

Method 5: special means

Professional jewelry cleaning products have a safe composition and high-tech formula. Thanks to particles of different dispersion, they remove dust, dirt, and grease well. As a result of the use of industrial compounds, the metals from which jewelry is made acquire a bright shine. Some compositions are capable of filling microcracks and returning natural radiance to precious stones.

Cleaning products in the form of solutions, pastes, foams, and sprays can be purchased at jewelry stores. There are also specialized cleansing shampoos, but they are more intended for use in professional cleaning installations, for example, ultrasonic washers or chambers.

How to clean white gold?

White gold has a special alloy. It involves gold, copper, nickel and palladium. It is nickel that replaces silver and gives products an amazing white color. Most often, jewelry is coated with rhodium to increase resistance to external factors, but over the years this coating can wear off and the surface becomes vulnerable.

White gold should only be cleaned with a soft cloth and you should absolutely not use powders, pastes or a toothbrush.

The following will come to help:

Ammonia solution
25% aqueous ammonia solution
Lipstick.

The last method may surprise you. In fact, explaining the effectiveness of lipstick is simple. It contains titanium dioxide, which effectively removes blackness from products. It is enough to apply a little lipstick on a cotton swab and wipe the product. Then carefully polish it.

If you are careless, a drop of iodine may fall on your white gold ring. If this happens, there is no need to be upset. Immerse the ring in a hyposulfite solution for 20-30 minutes. This is a special composition that photographers use; it can be easily purchased in specialized photographic stores.

In general, prevention and proper storage will help preserve its original charm. And you won’t have to think about how to restore the shine to gold and diamonds.

Preparatory work

Precious metal oxidizes in air upon contact with water. Plaque formed on a gold product worsens its appearance, sometimes provokes inflammation of the skin, and causes allergies. If you decide to clean your jewelry yourself, you need to:

Wear gloves for work.
Select a container that will completely fit the item.
Prepare the composition.

Do not soak gold in an acid or alkaline solution, allow it to interact with abrasive materials, aggressive substances, heat it to high temperatures, or keep it in hot water.

Proper storage will make care easier!

Proper storage of gold and diamonds is a whole science. And if you want to wear them, you must master it perfectly:

You should not leave jewelry in the bathroom; high humidity has a negative effect.
Products must be stored in a dry, dark place, reliably protected from direct sunlight.
Pearl products must be distinguished from other jewelry.
It is advisable to use closed boxes and containers that protect from dust.

Yellow gold diamond ring, SL;
white gold diamond ring, SL; rose gold diamond ring, SL; (price at the link) If you follow these simple rules, you can be sure that you will have to clean gold and diamonds much less often. The following is also important:

Never attempt to clean gold with abrasive materials.
Do not use untested methods. Remember, chemicals can be destructive to stone.
It is strictly forbidden to use hot water or blow-dry diamonds.
Even if you can clean gold and diamonds at home, you need to show your jewelry to a jeweler once every six months. He will check them for scratches and damage, remove dirt and germs with an ultrasonic bath, and, if necessary, strengthen or polish them.
If we are used to cleaning silver jewelry with soda, then it will not work for gold and diamonds. They will lose their shine and become dull.
Hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, and vinegar oxidize gold and contribute to the cloudiness of the diamond.
Bleach discolors gold.
Household detergents and cleaners contain a high percentage of alkalis, which have adverse effects.

Treat precious jewelry with care, study the list of prohibited cleaning products so as not to spoil the noble shine of the precious stone and keep the jewelry in impeccable order.

Remember that only systematic care can guarantee the mesmerizing shine of diamonds. And the plaque accumulated over the years can only be removed by re-cutting.

Toothpaste and liquid soap

When cleaning diamond rings, it is important to be careful to avoid accidentally damaging the gemstone. The easiest way is to prepare a warm cleaning solution. It helps well in cases where it is not possible to clean the ring with a soft cloth. Pour 5 ml of liquid soap (about a teaspoon) into a glass of water. Mix the liquid thoroughly until an airy soap foam appears. The decoration is lowered into it and left for 1.5 hours.

Once the dirt and dust on the surface of the gold softens, it will be easy to remove. The ring is removed and carefully washed with a brush. After processing, the diamond should shine. If this does not happen, you can repeat the procedure. At the end, the product is thoroughly rinsed with warm running water and wiped dry.

A good home remedy for cleaning jewelry is regular toothpaste. It should be chosen without any solid particles so as not to scratch the surface of the ring. Toothpaste contains soft substances that perfectly remove any plaque and dirt. After cleaning in this way, the gold begins to shine much brighter. You need to clean the jewelry within 10 minutes.