How to Clean Gold Jewelry 

Over time gold jewelry acquires a patina–a fine layer of film on the surface of jewelry–that can look glossy for a little while, but once the luster is gone, it is time to learn how to clean gold jewelry.

The oil from your hands and from lotions, as well as the oxidation of gold, causes it to lose its fine glow, but this problem is easily solved. Many companies market specifically to cleaning gold, but don’t give in to those high-priced solutions. All you need are a few simple household items that are easily found in any grocery store. In fact, most people already have these items on hand. Follow these five easy steps to get the glam back in your gold!

What You’ll Need: This quick arsenal will get you on track to making your gold good as new. You’ll need two small bowls, each filled with two cups of warm water, a mild dish-washing soap, a soft cloth and a soft-bristled toothbrush (not the one you use to clean your teeth!)

Soak: Just a few drops of the soap dropped into one of the bowls will do the trick. Then, stir the water to mix in the soap. Next, put your gold pieces into the solution and let them sit for about 15 minutes or so.

Scrub: Take one piece of jewelry out and begin to scrub it gently with the soft-bristled toothbrush. Make sure you go over the entire piece of jewelry, working carefully into any nooks. This will banish the dirt stuck in crevices and give the gold a new shine.

Rinse: After scrubbing the gold clean, it’s time to take off that soapy residue. Just swish the piece around in the warm water, turning it over gently. A minute or two in the warm water should get the jewelry free of soap.

Dry: After rinsing the jewelry, blot it with the soft cloth to dry it completely. Ensure you are thoroughly drying the jewelry. Then use the soft cloth to buff it and regain the original shine.

Repeat these steps for each piece of jewelry. Be cautious of the rinsing bowl getting too soapy.  If it does, simply change out the water and fill the bowl with fresh warm water. These quick and easy steps are a simple process for how to clean gold jewelry. Within a short time your gold will be back its natural, brilliant shine!

For higher priced items or pieces that require special care, we highly recommend getting your item professionally cleaned, but the above simple steps will keep your gold jewelry’s luster alive!

Category: Jewelry Care, Jewelry Guide