How to Clean Gold Jewellery at Home

Learning how to clean gold jewellery is a valuable skill that will ensure your most loved pieces dazzle every time you wear them. When your gold jewellery shines, you do too! That's why it's so important to know how to clean gold jewellery properly so you can keep it looking its best. With our easy step by step guide to cleaning gold, you'll be able to keep your favourite pieces looking brand new.

Table of Contents:

• How Often Should You Clean Gold Jewellery?
• How to Clean Gold Jewellery in 3 Easy Steps
• What to Avoid When Cleaning Gold
• 5 Tips For Caring for Gold Jewellery

How Often Should You Clean Gold Jewellery?

Generally, gold jewellery should be cleaned once a week. However, this can vary depending on an array of factors. These include:

• How often you wear your gold necklaces
• Whether you store your gold jewellery in a jewellery box or on a jewellery hanger.
• For gold chains and pieces worn on a daily basis, you'll want to clean these far more often than those that are stored safely in a box and only brought out for special occasions.

Each of these elements will affect what debris your gold is exposed to. Ultimately, knowing how to clean gold jewellery can help you to restore the shine to your beloved pieces. Their new lustre will ensure they remain the centrepiece of all your go-to outfits.

3 Easy Steps to Clean Gold Jewellery

Cleaning gold jewellery is very simple and can easily be done at home. To learn how to clean gold, follow these 3 easy steps:

• Step 1: The first step in how to clean gold is to use a polishing cloth. We have these available on request. Make sure your cloth is both clean and dry. Having a dry cloth is especially important for pieces such as gold rings with set gems. You should also avoid submerging your diamond jewellery in water as this can loosen the stone.
• Step 2: Rub your gold jewellery with the cloth in one direction, wiping away any dirt. You want to be gentle when doing this to avoid causing any scratches from large particles that may have gathered on your gold item.
• Step 3: For engraved jewellery pieces, pay close attention to the etching, ensuring debris is removed from these crevices. It's easier for dirt to accumulate in these sheltered sections of personalised jewellery. So cleaning these thoroughly will keep your design looking newer for longer.

If these steps don't remove all the grime, take a gentle soap on a wet cloth and again rub gently. This should remove any leftover dirt, leaving you sparkling clean gold jewellery. You'll be able to wear your pieces looking good as new with pride.

3 Steps to Clean Gold Earrings

Earrings are often the gold pieces that need the most cleaning due to being placed through your ear piercings. We've put together a guide to cleaning gold earrings:

• Remove your earrings from your lobes.
• Place in a saline solution and gently remove any dirt with a soft cloth.
• Take out and pat dry with a clean, soft cloth.
• Place in a dry place to store to keep them looking their best.

How to Clean Gold Rings

Cleaning rings can be a delicate job, especially if they have precious gemstones as embellishments. Here are our top tips:

• Use a gentle soap on a soft cloth to rub the surface of your gold stacking rings.
• Be careful to only rub up and down - not in circles.
• Rinse with clean water.
• Pat dry to reveal perfectly clean gold bands!

Ensure you do not submerge gold designs with stones as this can loosen the adhesive.

Cleaning Gold Necklaces at Home

With their delicate chain links, necklaces can be tricky to clean. To best get your gold necklaces sparkling clean again, this is our advice:

• Create a mixture of gentle dish soap and warm water.
• Soak your modern jewellery for a few minutes.
• Use a soft cloth or very soft toothbrush to remove debris.
• Pat dry with a soft cloth.

Make Gold Bracelets Sparkle Again

How to clean gold bracelets is much the same as for necklaces.

• Create a gently soapy mixture.
• Soak your gold bangles for a few minutes.
• Carefully remove any debris using a cloth or soft toothbrush.
• Dry gently with a clean cloth.

What to Avoid When Cleaning Gold

Part of knowing how to clean gold means knowing what not to do when you're caring for your jewellery.

• When cleaning gold jewellery you want to be careful, especially if the pieces are made from gold vermeil, because you don't want to cause any damage.
• Knowing how to clean gold means avoiding any chemical or artificial solution when cleaning your jewellery. This is advised as these can be overly harsh on precious metals.
• Only using polishing cloths, with a small amount of water and gentle soap will ensure you clean your gold without being too harsh on their delicate surface.
• Cleaning gold differs slightly with gemstone jewellery. If you're cleaning gold jewellery that contains a gem it's very important that you don't submerge the piece under water. Submerging stones, such as diamond rings, may cause water to become trapped in the setting of the jewel, leading to rust which could ultimately cause the precious gem to fall out.

With the knowledge of how to clean gold jewellery you can easily avoid this and ensure you are cleaning your pieces safely.

5 Tips For Caring for Gold Jewellery

Not only do you need to know how to clean gold to ensure it stays as precious as when it was new, but you need to know how to care for your pieces. Once you've learnt how to clean gold, caring for your gold and rose gold jewellery in between cleanings should be your next top priority. With our simple tips, you'll be able to keep your jewellery dazzling for longer!

Safe Storage

When not wearing, keep your pieces, such as your layered necklaces, in a jewellery box or pouch. This is instead of out in the open where they may become scratched or tangled.

Gemstone Care

Avoid submerging birthstone rings, or diamond bracelets in water. Taking these pieces off when doing the dishes or other household work that involves chemicals is vital as they may become tarnished by harsh substances. Taking earrings off in the shower is also advised. That way your gold studs or gold labrets will stay looking fabulous for longer.

Avoid Scratches

Store your solid gold jewellery separate from each other, possibly wrapped in a soft cloth. This will ensure that even when tucked away your jewels don't cause scratches to one another.

Regular Polishing

Clean your gold jewellery, such as solid white gold, regularly. Knowing how to clean gold and giving your pieces a regular polish will stop debris build up from occurring.

Minimise Contact

Minimise your favourite gold jewellery coming into contact with sweat by taking it off when exercising. This means that even if you do know how to clean gold, you hopefully won't have to clean it so often.

Knowing how to clean gold jewellery and how to care for it will ensure your sentimental pieces look gorgeous at all times. Whether they're your everyday tragus earrings, or dainty gold bracelets for a special event, your gold jewellery will shine as bright as you.

Cleaning other Jewellery

We adore mixing our gold pieces with sterling silver and rose gold jewellery. These types of metal also need love and attention. Which is why it's essential to learn how to clean silver jewellery too. You can clean sterling silver in much the same way as gold. We also recommend cleaning your earrings regularly as they come into contact with your skin the most.

Monica Vinader Sustainable Jewellery

We specialise in modern jewellery made from recycled metals and ethical gemstones. Our pieces, including dainty rings, initial chains, and rolo chains, are ideal for both everyday, and occasion-wear. With Monica Vinader, style inspiration is never far away.