How to clean gold
Jewelry lovers often face such a problem as cleaning their favorite accessories. Even gold earrings, rings, chains from constant wear lose their shine, change color, acquire small scratches. This is because they contain an alloy of zinc, copper, nickel, silver and other metals that react with water and air.
Is it possible to clean gold at home
Wealthy people, who have a lot of jewelry in their boxes, often take their favorite earrings or bracelets to a jeweler for cleaning for a while. For those who have one rim of a wedding ring on their finger, this is not so appropriate. So they are interested in how to clean gold at home, what materials are needed for this, what is the result. I must say right away that the effect is different.
Cleaning gold at home is an economical option, but not all items can be cleaned well without special jewelry tools. Jewelry with an openwork pattern, a convex pattern, a concave shape with many irregularities is difficult to bring to an ideal state even with a toothbrush. It is also difficult to care for items with precious and semi-precious stones. Simple rings, bracelets, earrings without numerous irregularities can be easily cleaned by yourself.
How to clean gold at home
This question is of interest to most of those who wish to use the means at hand without buying anything. They are attracted to folk remedies such as soda, dish detergent, toothpaste, lipstick, onions, vinegar. Yes, you can wipe the product with these substances, even some result will be visible (not for long). Chemicals are used much more often. After all, how to clean gold at home, if not with ammonia, borax solution, many ordinary people think. Products with stones require careful wiping with cologne, alcohol, even gasoline.
How to clean gold
Why it can happen that even expensive jewelry can darken (blacken) over time, you figured it out. Now about how to clean gold at home and how to do it without harming the product itself. Many people even decide to use washing powder (not liquid) to tidy up the decoration, but here it is proposed to consider the most common options.
Ammonia
This method is considered to be perhaps the simplest and most frequently used one. To prepare a cleaning mixture, you need pharmaceutical ammonia (a teaspoon), boiled hot water (a glass), laundry powder or dish detergent (st. Spoon). All these components are mixed until the last ingredient is completely dissolved. Next, the product is lowered into the container with the prepared liquid, the waiting time is 2 hours. After decorating, rinse under warm water, wipe them with a dry, soft cloth.
Hydrogen peroxide
Many people are interested in how to clean gold with ammonia with the addition of peroxide, because they have heard that the effect is very good. The mixture is very simple to prepare. Yes, it really is that effective: gold will shine like new with this tool. It's all about the reaction that occurs when ammonia combines with peroxide. These funds are able to fight not only with simple dirt (sebum, dust, traces of cosmetics), but even with oxide. Cleaning takes place as follows:
- a glass of water is poured into an enamel bowl or saucepan;
- followed by three teaspoons of ammonia;
- 2 tbsp. tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide;
- some regular liquid hand soap;
- the gold jewelry is left in this container for several hours, then it is thoroughly washed and wiped off.
Vinegar
Table vinegar (for food additives) can be used to clean gold jewelry. It is mixed with onion juice in equal proportions, applied to a soft cloth and wiped off the product. This method helps to get rid of frivolous pollution, to restore its original appearance. It makes sense to use such cleaning for prophylactic purposes. If iodine stains appear on the jewelry, hyposulfite liquid (sold in a specialized store for amateur photographers) can remove them.
How to clean gold jewelry at home
Each gold piece has its own characteristics, this should be taken into account when cleaning. If you use one method on all of your jewelry, some of them might just ruin. Before you clean white gold (like any) at home, you should be serious about choosing a method. The thing is that different jewelry not only have their own individual composition, but are also made in a certain style. Figure out how to clean your gold chain, and how to clean your earrings and rings without harming their condition.
Chain
The peculiarity and main difference of the chain is that it consists of small links connected in a certain way to each other. Between such small parts, dirt is packed very well, but it is difficult to get it. Careless cleaning often leads to the fact that the product on one of the links is torn. To prevent this, you should know how to properly handle the chain during cleaning. It's simple: you should put it in a solution of ammonia with peroxide (recipe above) for half an hour, then chat it there, take it out. Then it remains to rinse under running water and enjoy the result.
Ring
Women's rings are distinguished by ornate patterns, the presence of small and large pebbles, and other concave or convex details. Such products are more likely to get dirty. The wedding ring loses its luster over time, but there is nowhere to get dirt. It is brushed with toothpaste using a soft old brush. But this method should not be applied to intricate jewelry. The patterns on the ring will be cleaned, but worn out, will no longer look so attractive. Therefore, the best method is to leave the gold in soapy water or ammonia solution for a while, then rub gently.
Earrings
How to clean gold if these are earrings is a pressing question. In small details, not only dust and sebum are clogged, but many cosmetics. The problem is that earrings are made up of small, connected parts, and they are often decorated with stones. The clasp is wiped with a solution of ammonia, soapy water, even toothpaste. In the part with a stone, cleaning is allowed only with a cotton swab moistened with alcohol or other suitable liquid. This applies only to those products in which precious "details" are glued to the decoration.
How to clean gold jewelry with stones
You should be very careful when cleaning gold with pearls, diamonds and other precious and semi-precious stones. To prevent the glued parts from falling off, do not wet the product with water or solutions. If the stone is well fixed (with golden "paws"), you can not be afraid of such an unpleasant surprise, calmly engage in cleaning. There is one more important point. Each type of pebbles is special, therefore it requires an individual approach. If you have a product with:
- turquoise, you cannot wet it. Cleaning is carried out with a professional paste or by the jeweler himself.
- pearls, wash it in soapy water, followed by gentle wiping.
- Swarovski crystals, soaking it is also not recommended. Wipe with a special napkin, velvet, felt.
- quartz, diamonds, diamonds, topaz (hard stones), you can clean such a decoration with ammonia, a toothbrush and other possible methods. It is still not recommended to use sharp objects.
How to wash gold
It's worth thinking about more than just how to clean your gold at home. It is possible that he needs a simple wash. Only after this procedure can you find out if the product needs stronger means. In order to wash the gold, water is heated (up to 50 degrees), soap, shampoo, detergent (at choice) are poured into it. Gold is completely immersed in liquid for 2 hours. At the end of this time, the products are rinsed, cleaned and wiped with a soft brush. If your jewelry shines again, has its original appearance, more serious cleaning is not needed.