Cleaning gold is a necessary measure. Without it, jewelry will be faded, dark and dirty. This is due to the fact that a certain percentage of impurities is added to gold products, which depends on the sample. As you know, when exposed to air, metals oxidize over time. This is what leads to darkening.
Specialists quickly give jewelry their original appearance with the help of special tools. They usually cost a lot. They can be made independently from improvised materials. This is what the publication will tell: how to clean gold at home.
Important Tips
The cleaning methods that will be presented later cannot be used for jewelry with precious stones. Homemade mortar can affect decorative inserts in the most unpredictable way and permanently ruin them.
If, according to the recipe, gold must be completely immersed in the cleaning solution, then it is advisable to use a container made of ceramic or glass. In some cases, a metal dish is best suited.
Almost all gold items have hard-to-reach spots. It can be fasteners, fasteners, concave parts, openwork ornaments and much more. In such cases, use a toothbrush, but only with soft bristles. She will gently clean your favorite things.
When important recommendations have been mentioned, we can proceed to consider the preparation of various options for home cleaning products for gold products.
Easy alcohol cleaning
Cleaning gold with alcohol is very simple. You do not need to cook anything. Simply dampen a cotton pad with clean ethyl alcohol and wipe the product with it. After that, you need to rinse the gold in water and wipe it with a dry cloth. This recipe is suitable for removing light plaque, but can not cope with severe contamination.
Ammonia and washing powder
For cleaning you will need the following:
- A tablespoon of washing powder. Ideally for handwashing. Can be replaced with liquid soap.
- A teaspoon of ammonia.
- Glass of water. Its temperature should be at least 90 degrees.
- Ceramic or glass container.
- Fleecy thick napkin.
It is worth noting that cleaning gold with ammonia will not only remove impurities, but also return the original shine.
So, pour water into a bowl, pour powder and alcohol. Mix everything thoroughly. In the resulting product, lower the gold for one hour. If the appearance of gold does not suit you, then again leave it in solution for the same time. After the product, rinse in hot water and dry with a napkin.
Cleaning gold with peroxide, alcohol and soap
Prepare the following:
- A tablespoon (30 milliliters) of hydrogen peroxide.
- A teaspoon of ammonia
- Half a teaspoon of liquid soap. Can be replaced with dishwashing detergent.
- Glass of water.
- Fleecy napkin.
- Ceramic or glass container.
Pour warm water into the bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix. Put gold in the solution for about 12 minutes. Do not go far, you need to constantly monitor the process. As soon as the products glisten, remove them and rinse with hot water. Dry with a tissue at the end.
Soda and foil
Prepare the components that are likely to be in every kitchen:
- A tablespoon with a slide of baking soda.
- A glass of hot water.
- A piece of foil that will cover the selected container.
- Glass or ceramic bowl.
- Fleecy napkin.
In a bowl, mix soda and water until smooth. Put the foil on the bottom. Dip the gold items in the cleaning solution. Leave them to soak for eight hours. After cleaning with soda, rinse the gold under the tap. Complete the polishing procedure with a cloth.
Boiling with soda
It is necessary to prepare:
- 2 tablespoons of baking soda.
- Glass of water.
- Enamel pan.
- Soft cloth.
- A fleecy napkin.
Dissolve soda in a glass of water. Place a soft cloth on the bottom of the pan. Pour the solution and lower the gold items. Bring to a boil and hold on fire for one or two minutes. Gently remove the gold, rinse in warm water and polish with a napkin.
Boiling with detergent
The recipe is not suitable for products that are highly oxidized or have spots on the surface. If you just need to return the shine, then you need the following:
- A teaspoon of dishwashing detergent. Can be replaced with liquid soap.
- Glass of water.
- Thick soft fabric.
- Metal pan.
- Fleecy napkin.
Combine the detergent and water in a saucepan. Put the fabric on the bottom and lower the products. Bring the solution in the pan to a boil and hold it on the stove for 5-10 minutes. You will understand how long it takes to clean the gold. Drain or remove items with kitchen utensils. Rinse in hot water and wipe with a napkin.
Soap gruel
It is prepared from liquid and bar soap. You will also need a glass or ceramic bowl, grater and a toothbrush. Do not forget to prepare a fleecy napkin for polishing.
Cut a bar of soap on a fine grater. Put in the bowl. Dilute contents with liquid soap to a mushy state. Lower the products into the solution for one to two hours, depending on the degree of contamination. After that, brush the gold with a toothbrush. Rinse with water and polish.
Salt cleaning
For this recipe you need affordable and cheap ingredients:
- Three tablespoons of salt. It should be iodine free.
- Half a glass of hot water.
- Fleecy napkin.
Pour salt into hot water and stir until completely dissolved. Dip the gold in a glass and leave it overnight. The next morning the items will be completely clean. All that remains is to rinse them with water and dry them with a napkin.
Sugar cleansing
Perhaps this is the most "delicious" solution for cleaning gold. You will need the following:
- Two tablespoons of granulated sugar.
- Glass of water.
- Fleecy napkin.
- Glass (ceramic) dish.
Pour hot water into the prepared container. Mix sugar in it. Put gold items on the bottom. They should be cleaned in eight to twelve hours. After washing, rinse the gold and rub it with a napkin until it shines.
Find out how you can still give your products a pristine look by watching the following video.
Features of cleaning jewelry with stones
The above gold refining methods are only suitable for products without decorative elements. But jewelry with stones and diamonds also need “resuscitation”. How to be with them? Each decorative element should be discussed separately. After all, everyone requires a special approach to themselves.
Pearls. This gemstone cannot be cleaned with abrasive products and solutions that include ammonia or vinegar. They perfectly remove darkening from gold, but they will harm the pearls. Therefore, when using such substances, carefully watch so that they do not get on the stone. A simple soap solution is recommended for pearls.
Turquoise and corals. For these jewelry the same statements are true as for pearls.
Cubic zirconia, zircons and diamonds. Cleaning gold with these stones must be done using ammonia. It will not hurt them, but, on the contrary, will give shine and restore its original attractiveness. Not only gold, but also stones will be refreshed.
Pay attention to how the jewelry is attached. If they are simply glued, it is not recommended to wash them under running water and, especially, soak them in a cleaning solution. Glued stones will be easy to wipe with a napkin soaked in the prepared product.
Also note that precious inserts cannot be brushed with a toothbrush (even with soft bristles). It can leave micro scratches on the surface that you can’t remove by anything.
Professional approach
Another home method that is often used is to clean the gold with a professional finished product. You can buy it in highly specialized stores or any jewelry stores. Gold kits are also available for sale. They usually include a jar of liquid detergent, a basket, a brush and a polishing cloth. In a special solution, you do not need to add water and other ingredients, it is completely ready for home use. How to use such a professional kit? Everything is very simple and convenient.
Put the contaminated gold items in a special basket. Dip it in a jar of the solution that came with it. Wait a few seconds, not minutes - this is very important! Gold will be absolutely pure. If there are hard-to-reach spots, then use a brush. Even a professional solution needs to be washed off under running water. Therefore, wash the products and polish with a special cloth. The main advantage of the professional kit is that it is absolutely safe for both gold and precious stones.
In conclusion
Now you know what tools for cleaning gold can be used at home. All of them are affordable and not burdensome. With their help, you will save a lot of money that would have to give the master for the work. But remember that gemstones require more gentle processing.
To have to resort less often to the purification of gold, handle it carefully. It is enough to follow a few simple rules. If these are decorations, always remove them during cleaning. Gold cannot be touched during and after sports. Sebum and sweat are the worst enemies of expensive metals. Gold is adversely affected by drugs (zelenka, iodine, ointments, etc.). Due to the content of chemical elements, they oxidize alloys, as a result of which pristine charm and luster are lost. The same goes for cosmetics. Therefore, remove gold jewelry while using creams, lotions, tonics, scrubs, masks and more.