Damage to the surface can cause precious metal rings, including gold, to lose their attractiveness. Scratches and microscopic defects that create the effect of a matte finish are eliminated using professional means. In special cases, contact specialists for cleaning and polishing. But most often, minor irregularities are smoothed out and eliminated on their own. It is only important to study the instructions on how to polish a gold ring at home. To do this, you can take available means as a basis: products, chemicals.
Why does a gold ring lose its appearance? Why is regular polishing necessary: aesthetics and hygiene
If you constantly polish, this will eventually lead to thinning of the treated area and its deformation (the risk is especially high when polishing yourself). This means that it is important not only to find a suitable method for removing scratches, but also to eliminate the causes of their formation:
- mechanical damage due to impact;
- a natural change in shape at the slightest pressure is a manifestation of the low quality of the ring;
- improper use: jewelry is not removed before taking a bath, playing sports, cooking, etc., and microdamages are intensively formed.
Features of caring for white gold products
Just like traditional yellow gold, white gold is mined by electrolysis and undergoes a hallmarking procedure. It can be 585, 750 and higher, which indicates the high quality of the metal. In addition, it contains palladium, nickel and silver, which give the jewelry an inimitable white hue. Most often, this alloy is used to make diamond jewelry.
You can clean white gold at home with sugar or a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia.
Clean with sugar
The recipe is suitable for regular cleaning of minor stains.
For this:
- Dissolve in 1 tbsp. warm water 2 tbsp. l. regular sugar.
- Soak your ring or earrings in sweet water.
- Wipe with a soft cloth soaked in the same liquid.
- Rinse off the sugar with running water and polish the jewelry.
Cleaning white or yellow gold at home is not difficult, but if the antique needs restoration, do not take risks. Also take your earrings, chain or ring to a professional if the methods described are not effective enough. This suggests that the contaminants are deeply absorbed into the relief segments, and only an experienced specialist with expensive means and a clay oven used to absorb lead oxide can remove them without damaging the jewelry.
Gold jewelry, especially rings, fade and deteriorate over time from creams, soaps, cosmetics and natural secretions of the skin. Gold can oxidize, become stained, scratched, and stones set into jewelry can also become unusable.
But if you take timely measures and clean gold at home using one of the methods listed below, you can not only return your jewelry to its original appearance, but also extend its life.
Polishing options: professional or DIY
Before choosing a method for removing scratches, you should consider the available options:
- professional grinding: carried out in the workshop and in departments at jewelry stores; special equipment and products (pastes, solutions) are used to restore products;
- removing scratches yourself: it will not cost much, but it is not always possible to obtain accurate information about the composition of gold, which will certainly affect the result; in addition, there is no guarantee that the surface will be smooth (indentations may form if the product is exposed unevenly).
Cleaning medical gold
Medical gold is an alloy of brass, silver, copper, titanium and zinc, but there may be no gold in it at all: the alloy already has a noble “golden” luster. Products made from medical gold are durable, not subject to external mechanical influences, and due to the special technology of polishing and sputtering, they practically do not darken, do not lose shine, and do not change color.
- If it is necessary to clean such jewelry from contamination, the following methods are used:
- Rinse in a solution (2 drops of shampoo or liquid soap per 0.5 cup of water) and clean the product with a soft brush.
- To remove dust, wipe the product with a cotton swab soaked in beer; there is no need to rinse with water after this.
- Wipe the decoration with table vinegar, and then be sure to rinse in running water.
Polishing a gold ring at home. Main stages
If a gold ring or ring needs to be polished, the “front” of the work should be determined. Stages:
- preparatory work: mix the active components, the resulting solution is used to soak gold rings, this allows you to partially remove dirt and remove darkened areas;
- grinding – smoothing the surface of gold;
- additional mechanical cleaning.
Polishing a gold ring
Rules of procedure
Cleaning gold jewelry is a complex procedure, but quite doable. It is important to consider that the impact on pollution is combined. Polishing involves several key steps.
- First you need to remove the hair with tweezers. However, this step is only needed if you intend to clean chains or earrings.
- The next step is soaking. This will help soften the plaque, making it easier to remove later.
- Next, you should begin the polishing itself. It is necessary to restore the original shine to the jewelry.
- The last step is mechanical cleaning. It is not required in all cases; it must be performed carefully. Any improper mechanical action will lead to metal deformation.
Knowing the ways in which you can clean gold at home, you will be able to maintain the attractive appearance of your jewelry without overpaying for the work of a specialist.
Methods for restoring metal surfaces depend on various factors , including the composition of the jewelry, the presence of stones or the age of the accessory. However, in any case, to polish the product, you should follow the steps listed above.
Pre-soak in cleaning solution. Popular recipes
As a rule, polishing gold begins with preparing the material. To soak the ring before further polishing, prepare a liquid product; you can use available ingredients:
- soap solution: the detergent is dissolved in water, after which you need to leave the ring in the container for soaking, the duration of this procedure is 2 hours;
- soda solution: to further polish the decoration, leave it overnight in a container covered with foil, fill it with liquid (1 glass of warm water, 2 tablespoons of soda);
- saline solution: 125 ml water, 3 tbsp. l. fine-grained salt (sea and coarse-grained - strong abrasives), so that the ring shines, it is left overnight in such a liquid, after which it is washed and the moisture is removed;
- sugar solution: the scratched rings are first left overnight in a sweetened solution (take 2 tablespoons of sugar, 250 ml of water), then rinsed under the tap, proceed to the next stage of polishing;
- solution with vinegar or lemon juice: any acid can be used, but this method can be used at home to clean products without stones, white vinegar (125 ml) will help soften the effect of the product, mix it with soda (2 tbsp.), soak in the working solution ring, but you will need to rinse it after 3 hours;
- solution with onion juice: you need to prepare a product based on the juice of 1 onion and 2 tbsp. l. water, jewelry (chains, rings, etc.) are soaked in it for 3 hours;
- “Coca-Cola”: take the drink undiluted, leave the gold items in the container for 2-3 hours;
- hyposulfite solution: the substance removes dirt in 15 minutes, just mix 1 tbsp. l. products and 250 ml of water;
- a mixture of peroxide, ammonia, soda and chalk: these components are taken in a ratio of 2:2:1:1, the solution is suitable for cleaning a ring without stones, because it acts aggressively, this feature does not allow you to leave jewelry in the product for a long time, it is enough to soak 5 minutes.
Cleaning jewelry without inserts
Products that do not have inserts are easy to clean. The most popular representatives of such jewelry are wedding rings.
To restore them use:
- salt;
- soda;
- crushed activated carbon;
- lemon juice or concentrated acid solution;
- medical ammonia in combination with washing powder;
- hydrogen peroxide, liquid soap/shampoo.
To prepare a highly effective product, dilute a few teaspoons of bulk or liquid products in warm water, place the product in the solution overnight, and wipe with a soft cloth in the morning. To enhance the effect, boil the decorations or place them in a container with a solution, at the bottom of which there is a piece of food foil.
Note! It is better not to heat treat items coated with stones or painted with varnish to protect Goya gilding, so as not to damage the top layer.
Gentle polishing of the ring
Jewelry with stones should not be intensively polished. If products contain natural inserts, polishing can lead to their deformation. As a result, the fastenings become loose. This can cause stone loss over time.
Polishing the ring
Important: Polishing is carried out only with a soft cloth and extremely carefully - such recommendations are given if you plan to polish products inlaid with stones, or with a minimum amount of impurities in the composition (for high-quality jewelry).
Toothpaste, talc
It is necessary to prepare a lint-free rag; the material must be soft, durable, and smooth. Apply a small amount of toothpaste or talcum powder to a rag and treat the ring. Movements should be soft and should be done without pressure. Talc can be mixed with a small amount of ammonia. The resulting paste is used for polishing gold, but for stones it is better to use toothpaste without abrasives, additives, or dyes.
Applying a mixture of toothpaste and talcum powder
Hygienic lipstick, powder
A small amount of the product is applied to a microfiber cloth or other lint-free material. Polishing in this way will restore the shine, but will not remove scratches. Used to eliminate microdamages.
Professional paste GOI, polishing cloths
GOI paste is a universal product that is best used for polishing the metal part of jewelry. There are varieties: No. 1-4. The choice of option is made taking into account the degree of complexity of the damage. At the initial stage, use product No. 4, then gradually reduce the grain size - the product is exposed to paste No. 3, and then No. 1, 2.
GOI paste
Special napkins for polishing are also used. Such products are most often double-sided and are used for cleaning and polishing. It is recommended to use such wipes when the dry polishing method is chosen. You can buy them and polish them yourself.
Method two - Goya paste
If you have already tried at least a little to understand the issues of cleaning gold at home, then you have probably come across methods using Goya paste. This means you know that with the help of this abrasive you can clean not only gold items, but also copper coins, silver and much more. But do you know the insidious nuance of this paste?
In order not to spoil the product, it is worth considering that Goya paste has 4 different compositions. Accordingly, there are options on sale that differ in abrasive ability. Remember, gold is a soft metal and the top layer is very easy to remove. Therefore, you should approach the choice of pasta very carefully.
For gold, it is best to use a black paste, which is suitable specifically for polishing and has an abrasiveness of 0.3-0.1 microns. Due to chromium oxide, which makes up approximately 75% of the paste, you will get a pure mirror shine.
How does it work.
Apply the paste to the fabric (for this it is best to take a waffle towel or flannel), rub the ring, earrings or bracelet, polish with clean and dry velvet.
Disadvantages of the method.
If you use green, highly abrasive paste instead of black paste, you risk damaging your gold and reducing its weight. Of course, this will not be noticeable from the outside. But if you want to exchange the product for another one with an additional payment for the work, you will be unpleasantly surprised when weighing it in the store.
Bottom line.
If you want to polish gold using GOI, then choose only black paste.
Tips on how to maintain the shine of a product for a long time
To prevent scratches on a gold ring from appearing again, it is recommended to follow the rules for handling jewelry:
- rings must be removed before washing dishes or doing other housework;
- Before taking a bath and while playing sports, jewelry is removed;
- Do not use cosmetics without removing the ring.
Polished gold ring with diamonds
Method three - lipstick
We found this method on the Internet, where it was published as a life hack, and tested it. The soft chapstick that we rubbed on the wedding ring and then wiped with a soft cloth was as good as new!
Using this method, we were unable to hide the scratches on the ring, which simply inevitably appear with constant wear. But we were able to give it a very bright shine.
So, chapstick works, but does every woman have it in her makeup bag? Most often there is a colored lipstick, and we decided to try out how it would work.
You don't need to put in any special effort. Easily apply lipstick, wipe with a napkin and off you go.
Disadvantages of the method.
Any lipstick, whether hygienic or not, contains fats. Accordingly, a greasy film remains on the gold. If the ring does not fit tightly on your finger, then you risk losing it after such a procedure. It is better to use this method if the ring is very tight.
Category: questions and answers
How to polish grandma's old ring?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
Antique products are covered with hardened plaque and fatty components, which enhances the antique effect, but they need to be removed. To do this, use the method of soaking in a mild solution. Then carefully remove dirt with a soft toothbrush. If there is a stone on the ring, this method will not work; non-abrasive products are used. Instead of a brush, use a polishing cloth.
After professional polishing, I saw that the white ring had turned yellow in places. From what?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
If white jewelry loses color not before, but after polishing, the reason may be the removal of the rhodium layer. This is a common practice: to remove scratches, the protective layer is removed. It can be restored, but most craftsmen charge an additional fee for such work.
How much does polishing cost?
Expert opinion
Pribrezhny Gennady Valentinovich
Jeweler 6th category
The price of the service for restoring the properties of gold varies depending on a number of parameters: the size of the ring, the presence of stones, the method of their attachment, the type of protective coating, the degree of damage to the metal. For this reason, workshops usually provide average prices (200-1000 rubles or more, it also depends on the level of the workshop and region). The exact cost must be clarified on the spot; it will be announced after inspecting the ring.
How to polish a gold ring from scratches at home using improvised means?
Expert opinion
Grishanov Mikhail Petrovich
Jeweler, director of the Grishanov and Co. workshop
They use different methods: powder, talc, tooth powder and paste, as well as special napkins and GOI paste. The choice of option is made taking into account the sample of the metal and the presence of stones. As a rule, fine-grained substances are used to smooth the surface of the gold, and the stones are cleaned with liquid products, woven material and pastes that do not contain abrasives or acids.
A few nuances worth paying attention to
To keep your favorite jewelry looking new longer and requiring less cleaning, you should follow a few simple rules:
- When washing, cleaning, or hand washing dishes, it is better to remove jewelry. Household chemicals are quite aggressive, so they can damage the coating and cause oxidation and salt deposits.
- When performing cosmetic or medical procedures, you should not wear rings or bracelets, because the substances used can also damage the jewelry.
- It is necessary to remove jewelry made from precious metals at night if you do not want particles of epithelium, secretions of sebaceous and sweat glands to get stuck between the links and clasps of your jewelry.
- It is best to store earrings, rings, bracelets in a place inaccessible to sunlight and humidity, separately from each other, with a cloth.
Pros and cons of professional polishing: jeweler, electrochemical and ultrasonic cleaning
Pros of professional cleaning:
- high efficiency, because special equipment and professional line products are used;
- restoration of various products, including those requiring care: diamonds, pearls, agate, etc.
- the composition of gold is taken into account when working with it, which allows you to preserve the properties of the polished metal and prevent the development of negative processes;
- the ability to restore the product in a short time.
Reviews
I have a friend who is a jeweler and I constantly ask for advice. From the latter: he told me that soap is not such a safe method, because it leaves an invisible film on the product, it needs to be washed thoroughly. Now I try to use the mildest products (for example, toothpaste, without additives).
Nastya Grineva, Beloretsk
Maria Dubtsova, Krasnodar
Cleaning gold with my lipstick. If on the road I find that the ring has turned pale, I immediately take out a napkin. I apply lipstick and rub the jewelry with this product. I do this regularly, and therefore I don’t have to put in too much effort to restore the attractiveness of the ring.
I didn't like the effect after using salt. The ring seemed to have become cloudy. But I found a mistake - I didn’t leave it in the solution, and apparently scratched it when I rubbed it. I had to take it to the workshop for polishing.
Nastya Rybina, Tula
