How to clean a gold chain at home: effective methods

Weaving a gold chain can be very different - from the simplest to the complex Arabic or Bismarck. It is not always the more complex the weaving, the more beautiful it is. The choice of a gold chain depends on tastes, preferences and financial capabilities. But the more complex such bindings are, the more dirt gets clogged up in them.

If you want to restore the shine and original appearance of the product again, then you just need to clean the gold chain. To understand exactly how and what to clean gold chains with, let’s figure out what kind of gold is used in the jewelry.

Features of gold jewelry

585 yellow gold, the most common today, loved by jewelers and buyers. Consists of 585 parts of actual gold. The rest is copper and silver. Platinum is added to white gold. All these additives make gold stronger, but do not protect against scratches.

Gold is not afraid of chemical reagents. It does not react with alkalis or acids and dissolves only in aqua regia. Does this mean you can use chemicals to clean it? Advice - not worth it. There are many reliable ways to clean a gold chain and make it shine again without using harsh products.

Gold cleaning

reasons why gold darkens .
Firstly, this is the composition of the alloy. Gold itself is a noble metal that is not subject to oxidation from environmental influences. The source of darkening is in impurities that are added during the manufacture of jewelry to increase their wear resistance. Another reason for plaque is being worn on the body. The secretions of the human body - fat and sweat - mixing with particles of the epidermis, form a film on the jewelry, to which, in turn, dust and dirt stick.

Here are some tips to help you clean and polish gold at home:

When cleaning and polishing jewelry, it is most convenient to use a toothbrush or a soft cloth with a small pile: flannel, velor or faux suede.
Gold is a fairly soft metal, so when cleaning jewelry made from it, you should avoid using hard sponges or products containing abrasives. The higher the gold purity, the softer and more delicate the cleaning method should be.
To avoid accidentally scratching the chain when boiling , you need to cover the bottom of the pan with a piece of thick fabric.
When cleaning jewelry yourself at home, you need to be very careful with precious and semi-precious stones. Pearls, agate, turquoise and corals are especially sensitive to chemical and mechanical stress.
Soap solution - dishwashing detergent , liquid soap or washing powder dissolved in water - the easiest and most environmentally friendly way to clean gold jewelry from minor dirt.

Cleaning the iron from burnt fabric

Eight easy ways

There are many ways to clean a gold chain at home and more. They can be used to not only clean a gold item of dirt, but also to give it its original shine.

Method one - gold cosmetics

Such cosmetics include special care kits for gold jewelry. It must have a special brush. With its help, you can clean a gold chain in difficult places without leaving scratches. What do we mean by difficult and difficult to reach places? The joints of links in weaving or the fastening of a lock - most often this is where dust accumulates.

Method two - soap, toothpick and toothbrush

You can arm yourself with a wooden toothpick and slowly remove dirt from the gold chain. But first soak your product in warm water and soap.

After an hour or two, home remedies will do their job. You can take it out, wipe it with a flannel or simply dry it with a paper towel. A soft, old toothbrush is suitable for cleaning. Wet it in a soapy solution and carefully clean all dirty areas. But those places that the brush cannot reach can be cleaned with a wooden toothpick.

After cleaning the gold chain from dirt with soap, rinse it in warm water and wipe dry. Then it can be polished.

Method three - ammonia

Using an ammonia solution, you can not only clean the chain, but also give it shine without makeup and additional effort.

Recipe:

1 teaspoon of ammonia or 10% ammonia;
1 tablespoon of washing powder;
1 glass of well warm water.

Mix all this and leave the gold chain for up to 3 hours.

This recipe has one drawback - the smell. We recommend wearing a mask and kneading in a well-ventilated area. For example, this can be done near an open window or on an open balcony.

After three hours, rinse the gold chain with running water and wipe dry. If there is no deep dirt in the lock area or between the chain links, then you're done. If you're left, pick up a toothpick. If you're not satisfied with the shine, we polish it.

Ammonia quickly purifies gold. You can simply pour hot water into a saucepan, add ammonia to it, place a gold chain in the solution and close the lid. After a few hours, the chain should shine.

The composition should be 1 to 10. For one portion of ammonia, add 10 portions of water.

Method four - toothpaste or powder

Tooth powder not only cleans teeth, but also polishes many household items to a shine. The gold just shines from it. But here it is necessary to take into account that such funds should not have any foreign inclusions. Otherwise, the metal can be easily damaged.

The same point applies to toothpaste. For example, whitening toothpaste is dangerous not only because it destroys tooth enamel, but also scratches gold with small particles. Choose a homogeneous paste, without additional unnecessary effects.

Method five - chalk

We have already rubbed chalk between our fingers on the gold ring. It is unlikely that this method of cleaning the house will help clean a gold chain, but it will definitely add shine. We believe that it is better to attribute it to polishing gold.

Method six - vinegar

There are two options - make a vinegar solution and soak the chain for a while. And the second is to wrap the product with gauze soaked in a 9% vinegar solution. It all depends on the degree of pollution.

Method seven – salt and lemon juice

For this option for cleaning gold at home, coarse table salt is suitable. Prepare porridge from salt and a couple of tablespoons of citrus juice. It is believed that not only lemon juice, but also orange juice is suitable.

Rub the gold jewelry with the product until it shines. Be careful not to let the salt crystals scratch the thin metal.

Mix a spoonful of salt, baking soda and dish washing solution in equal proportions. Fill with hot water and place the product in the prepared container.

But there is one small nuance here - you must put foil on the bottom of the dish!

Method eight - for those who are bored

Beer and egg white. We have not tested this gold chain cleaner at home, but many bloggers recommend it. Whip the mixture with a whisk. The chain is immersed in this solution for half an hour, then washed and rubbed with flannel.

Features of cleaning different types of gold and jewelry

Some types of jewelry require delicate treatment, and therefore their cleaning must be approached with special attention.

White gold

White gold differs from ordinary gold in its noble shade, which is obtained by adding silver, nickel or palladium to the alloy. Such jewelry has a delicate coating, and therefore harsh cleaning methods are contraindicated for them.

White gold looks especially stylish if it is properly cared for and gently cleaned.

You can clean white gold with such a gentle product as a mixture of ammonia (1 part) and hydrogen peroxide (2 parts). Place the jewelry in a container with this liquid for 30–60 minutes, then rinse with running water and wipe dry.

A sugar solution will help get rid of plaque on white gold. Place two tablespoons of sugar in one glass of warm water and stir thoroughly. The decoration must be left in this solution for 12 hours.

Learn how to bleach items made from another precious metal, silver, from our article - Effective ways to clean silver.

Matte gold

Matte gold jewelry cannot be polished with special means. It is not difficult to guess that they are also not subject to mechanical cleaning - all the beauty of the matte smooth coating will be instantly spoiled by many scratches. To clean such a product from plaque, just soak it in an ammonia solution (25%) for 30–40 minutes, then rinse with running water and wipe dry, wiping off the remaining plaque with a rag.

Matte gold jewelry is refined and elegant, and also requires particularly careful cleaning

Gold plated jewelry

Gold-plated metals have a very thin coating that easily oxidizes and ages. Never use materials with abrasive particles to clean such items, as they will easily scratch the gold layer. To preserve the original appearance of your jewelry, you need to:

Use wine alcohol for cleaning. Soak a cotton pad in it and gently wipe the product, then rinse the alcohol off the gold plate under the tap;
soak the jewelry for 30 minutes in light beer, then rinse the jewelry in running water and wipe dry;
Wipe your jewelry regularly with a jewelry care cloth.

Gold-plated products have the same attractive appearance as gold, but have a lower price

Jewelry with stones

If the jewelry is decorated with precious inserts, it requires especially careful cleaning. Do not use any abrasive products (pastes or any other preparations with small hard particles, such as tooth powder) on such jewelry, and also refuse mechanical cleaning so as not to damage the stone. Never clean jewelry with the following stones with chemicals or folk remedies:

turquoise. Jewelry with this insert should not be exposed to prolonged contact with water, as the stone will lose its original color and may become dull and uneven in color. Turquoise also reacts to chemical treatment, losing its attractive appearance;
coral, pearls, mother-of-pearl. These materials have a very delicate surface that is easily scratched and comes into contact with various chemicals used to clean gold jewelry;
opal When treated with folk or special preparations for purifying gold, the unusual color of opal can acquire an undesirable grayish tint and lose its depth and purity.

Pearls, like some other inserts, are extremely sensitive to chemicals and require more careful cleaning.
How to clean such jewelry? Use a damp cloth to wipe away any remaining sweat, residue and grease, then immediately wipe the item with a dry microfiber or a special gold polishing cloth.

gold chain

A gold chain without any inserts can be cleaned with slightly more aggressive means than jewelry with precious stones. One of the most accessible methods is a mixture of ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, washing powder and warm water:

Mix a teaspoon of ammonia (ammonia), three teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide, and a pinch of washing powder in a glass of warm water.
Place the chain in the resulting mixture for half an hour.
During soaking, periodically shake the mixture and turn the product over.
Rinse the chain under the tap to remove any remaining product.

After cleaning with these improvised means, the gold chain will shine and delight you with its appearance.

Grandmother's methods for cleaning a gold chain

Mustard powder

for many grandmothers it remains a panacea. Some people use it to clean and wash dishes, windows, and crystal. And there is a grain of truth in this. This product copes well with grease stains and adds shine to any product.

Onion juice.

If you are not confused by the fact that you need to get juice from the onion, which is rubbed into the chain, then the method is very simple and original. By the way, it gives effect quite quickly. Just don’t forget to rinse your chain after the onion paste, otherwise the smell will haunt not only you, but also those around you.

Chemical assistance

If folk recipes do not cope with cleansing, then you can always resort to stronger substances, which can also be found in every home. Salt, baking soda, ammonia water (also known as ammonia), vinegar and hydrogen peroxide will easily remove oxidation, grease and dirt.

Mix coarse salt with citrus juice (lemon or orange), clean the resulting slurry for a few minutes, then rinse it thoroughly in water and dry.
Mix 100 ml of hydrogen peroxide and 40 ml of ammonia in a ceramic or enamel bowl and leave the decoration there, covered with a lid, for several hours.
Mix a solution of ammonia with water in a ratio of 10:1 and leave the chain there for a couple of hours.
Hydrogen peroxide (oxygen bleach will also work) and dishwashing liquid are diluted in equal proportions with water. Leave the chain in the resulting mixture for one hour. Wash thoroughly and dry.
You can also clean gold items using 9% table vinegar. It is enough to leave the chain in it for a day, and then wash and polish.
An original way to get rid of dirt and dark plaque is a contact lens cleaner.
Pour 150 ml of water into a pan (preferably enamel or ceramic), add a tablespoon of liquid soap and peroxide. Place the chain there and boil the resulting solution for 5 minutes with the lid closed.
Dilute 3 tablespoons of baking soda in 100 ml of warm water and add 2 tablespoons of 9% vinegar. Boil the product in the resulting mixture for 3 minutes.

Effective ways to clean a frying pan from carbon deposits and old fat

There are also non-standard cleaning methods

At home, some recommend using lipstick for cleaning. Our experiments have proven that this method is a myth. Lipstick adds shine to the product, but it is just grease that remains on the gold for a long time and does not wash off using conventional methods.

In addition, wearing a greasy chain around your neck will not only stain your clothes. Dust will quickly stick to the grease.

You can use Goya paste. It comes in a variety of colors and the color depends on the particle size. We recommend using Goya's green paste to clean your gold chain at home. The paste both cleans and gives shine to the product.

If you are a lover of gold jewelry, then buy such a pencil - it will last for a long time, and you will not have to figure out ways to clean a gold chain at home.

Alternative Method: Energy Cleansing of Jewelry

Esotericists and psychics claim that gold is a solar precious metal that absorbs surrounding energy and transfers it to its owner. This energy can be both positive and negative, destructive. When wearing jewelry contaminated with negative energy, a person may experience discomfort, possible deterioration in health, loss of strength, or simply a bad mood. If a precious item was inherited or received as a gift, it is necessary to carry out energy cleansing. In order to cleanse the metal of alien energy, it is recommended to perform an energy cleansing ritual.

Here are some simple options that are available to everyone:

Rinse the chain with holy water.
Read a prayer for plain water and keep the item in this water for about three days.
Hold the decoration over an open fire - over the fireplace, over a lighter or match. Fire has the power of purification and burns away negativity.
Salt also has a cleansing power, so a solution of regular or sea salt will remove unwanted energy. Soak the gold in a saline solution, place it on the windowsill during the full moon and keep it for 7 days.

A gold chain around the neck speaks of the status, wealth and taste of its owner. The chain should look perfect and shine on all sides, so you need to take care of your jewelry regularly and correctly.

How can you rub gold until it shines if you are not impressed with the results?

First of all, it is worth remembering that gold must be cleaned very carefully, without leaving scratches or denting it when cleaning.

Gold chains can be hollow. These products look the same as the full ones, only they weigh half as much. It is machine woven and is very easy to tear and wrinkle. To give it shine, you will need:

soft flannel or other fabric with fine but very dense pile. You should not use coarse fabrics such as linen for this;
chalk powder if you didn't use it for cleaning. If you cleaned gold with chalk, then it will still shine;
Goya paste or special jewelry paste.

We wipe the gold jewelry with flannel, trying not to leave threads in the links of the chain and not to crush it. The decoration will shine. In addition, using chalk, which is rubbed between your fingers, you can remove minor scratches from the product.

How to make a gold chain shine

To restore the original shine of a gold chain, you need to polish it with a special cloth, which you can buy at a jewelry store. In the absence of such a remedy, you can use folk methods:

To restore the shiny surface after cleaning, rub the product with a dry cloth.
A good way to add shine is lipstick. It is applied in a thin layer to the chain and rubbed with a cotton pad. Lipstick treatment makes the jewelry sparkling and bright.
You can polish gold with egg whites and onion juice.
Sweetened water is also used for polishing. Decorations are placed in a container with this solution and kept there for 2 hours.
You can restore shine with a simple toothpaste. It is applied in a thin layer for a couple of minutes and washed off with running water.

Some tips on how to keep gold clean and shiny without cleaning

A gold chain is a piece of jewelry that we wear all the time. Therefore, its contaminants can become:

Chlorine in water.
Don't forget to take off the chain when you go into the pool. Chlorine, which is used to treat pool water, and other disinfectant solutions, is unlikely to have a good effect on the appearance of gold.
Summer, heat, dust, sweat.
It is these four components that merge together that create the very dirt that you will then have to clean. Based on this, if you are going to jog, it is better to remove the chain.
Winter clothes.
Crew neck sweaters, items made of down or fabric with long pile - all this can get stuck among the links and not only stain the chain, but also break it.
Long hair
has the ability to get caught in knots. It is better to tie them up, thereby revealing the neck line, decorated with a gold chain.

When should you wear a gold chain if it gets dirty in the summer and breaks in the winter? In any season. Just try to take care of your jewelry without allowing it to become dark or dirty. Rinse it in the evening in summer, and in winter check it for integrity and remove excess threads.

Tips before cleaning

Gold is characterized by increased softness, so when creating any jewelry, silver, copper, zinc, palladium, nickel, cadmium, platinum or something else are added. Hence the different alloy samples, excellent color range.

The chains have different shapes, difficult-to-clean places (joints, bends), inserts of natural stones. To avoid damaging your jewelry, you should adhere to the following rules when cleaning it:

the container for the cleaning mixture must be such that the product fits completely into it;
Products with stones are not placed in water; classical methods of care are excluded. Use alcohol, gasoline, cologne;
white gold is very soft, it is cared for as carefully as possible so as not to wear off the surface;
matte chains are washed using ammonia and lime. Rough brushes and abrasive substances are not suitable, they will remove the matting;
Gilding cannot be treated with abrasive substances; scratches will appear.

Metal containers tend to oxidize, so it is better to choose plastic or glass containers for cleaning.

Considering the different composition of the gold alloy, you can see yellow, red, white, pink, and green gold on the jewelry market. Each type has its own sample and accordingly differs in care.

Complex cases

Even if it is heavily soiled, you can clean your gold chain until it shines at home. Here are ways to solve some problems.

From soot and soot. If you were overzealous in removing the threads and there are black marks left on the decoration, lemon will help. Rub the slice over the problem area or dip the whole chain into the juice.
From iodine. Whitening toothpaste treats this type of stain. Apply it to a soft toothbrush or sponge and brush. If the remedy is not very effective, sodium thiosulfate (sold at the pharmacy) will help. Mix one ampoule (5 ml) with two tablespoons of water. Place the jewelry in the resulting solution for half an hour. It did not help - repeat the procedure, increasing the concentration of thiosulfate.