፠ How to clean gold and diamond jewelry at home?

Even the highest quality polished stones will dull over time and lose their dazzling shine. The culprit is the influence of the environment and the proximity of the human body. Fat, sweat and the owner’s skin are not the best “neighbors” for a noble gem. So how can you clean diamonds at home safely and effectively?

Diamond

It is by no means necessary to resort to the expensive services of a jeweler: you can clean the stones yourself.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEANING DIAMONDS

Here are the main reasons for cleaning diamond jewelry:

The longer cleaning is not carried out, the more difficult it is to remove plaque from the stones.
An unrefined gem darkens and tarnishes.
Unmaintained stones are dangerous to human health.
Dust, leather, grease, and dirt stick to diamonds.
Plaque on diamond jewelry can penetrate an accidental abrasion or wound and inflame it.
Dirt on earrings is especially dangerous: it is easier for it to enter the body and cause infection.

To avoid such troubles, you should clean your diamond jewelry regularly.

This is interesting. Dirty diamonds appear smaller than clean diamonds.

Diamond cleaning

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES

Before cleaning diamond jewelry, it is useful to familiarize yourself with recommendations that will help extend the life of precious stones:

You need to clean your jewelry yourself once every 2-3 months.
You should not use a toothbrush for cleaning - this will not save time and money, on the contrary: hard bristles will damage the gems.
It is useful to visit a jeweler twice a year. The specialist will treat the stones with ultrasound and remove small particles of dirt and grease.

Jewelers also correct defects in jewelry and check the strength of the diamonds.

Cleaning with soapy water

Another method that is accessible to everyone and does not require special tools. You need to dilute a little laundry soap in warm water. It is not advisable to use toilet or cosmetic products, as they may contain various chemical additives that can interfere with the ring’s proper appearance. Then the diamond ring should be immersed in soapy water and kept there for 2-3 hours. During this time, dirt or grease accumulated in the frame will soften and can be removed with a soft-bristled toothbrush. After this, the product should be wiped with a soft cloth.

PREPARATORY WORK

Cleaning diamonds at home is a simple process, but it does require preparation.

For work you will need the following items:

brush with soft bristles;
microfiber fabric (velvet);
gloves;
container for soaking jewelry.

Microfiber cloth

Gloves are needed to protect your hands and jewelry: after all, solutions for stones can be toxic, and skin oils should not get from your fingers onto the jewelry.

BASIC CLEANING METHODS

We choose an option suitable for home conditions on how to clean diamond jewelry. Almost any housewife will have the necessary materials and tools at hand.

Folk remedies

For those who do not want to order special diamond cleaners, simple and effective folk remedies are suitable:

Glass cleaning liquid	● After this treatment of stones, jewelry shines like new. ● The cleaning agent can be sprayed or used as a base for a solution.
Nail polish remover	● It is better to choose ammonia-free products with a minimum of aggressive components so as not to damage the jewelry. ● Diamond products should be carefully wiped with the composition. ● The method is ideal for removing dirt and grease from the surface of stones.

Glass cleaning liquid

Soft fabric

Minor stains on jewelry can be easily cleaned with natural soft fabrics - felt or flannel.
The simplest method for cleaning gold and diamond jewelry is to rub it until it shines.
If you carry out this procedure regularly, other cleaning methods will not be needed.

Soap solution

Regular bar soap is not used for cleaning diamonds. Laundry soap makes the gold frame dull. Children's washing powder will not work either.

But any liquid soap is suitable for “bathing” diamonds: it is much softer than bar soap and dissolves more easily in water.

The cleaning procedure is carried out as follows:

A few drops of liquid soap are added to a vessel with warm water.
The stone is carefully wiped with a soft cloth.

Nail polish remover

On a note. Yellow stains from precious stones (for example, from iodine) are perfectly removed by soap solution.

Ammonia

One of the most reliable cleaning agents for gemstone jewelry is ammonia.

Attention! Before you start working with ammonia, you should wear medical gloves. This caustic substance can harm the skin of your hands.

The solution is prepared as follows:

Ammonia is mixed with warm water in proportions 1:6.
The decoration is placed in the solution for half an hour.
Products with diamonds are placed in a vessel with water.
After five minutes, the stones are taken out and treated with a special brush.
Finally, rinse under running water.

Hydrogen peroxide and ammonia

Hydrogen peroxide + ammonia is an effective mixture for removing stains from jewelry:

removes stains from diamonds;
returns radiance and shine to jewelry;
does not leave streaks on stones and metals.

Hydrogen peroxide

A solution of peroxide and ammonia is prepared as follows:

Pour one tablespoon of peroxide and three teaspoons of ammonia into a glass of warm water.
It is permissible to add a little liquid soap to the container.
Fill an enamel or glass container with the solution.
Immerse the decoration in the liquid for 20 minutes.
Wash with running water and dry.

Advice. Pure hydrogen peroxide cannot be used to remove stains on stone!

Onion juice

Ladies who want to look stunning even in the kitchen can take care of their jewelry while preparing lunch or dinner:

It is enough to cut one onion in half and rub the decorations with it.
Next, the product is left for a couple of hours, washed with water and dried.

On a note. Vinegar and lemon juice are suitable substitutes for onion juice.

Onion juice

Toothpaste/powder

Housewives often use these two components to cleanse surrounding objects. They are also suitable for removing stains from precious stones and metals. Here's how it's done:

Cleaning must be done with a soft bristle brush.
After cleaning, the stone is rinsed with running water.

The procedure is carried out until the diamond shines with a renewed, noble shine.

Important! Toothpaste should not contain hard abrasive particles that will scratch the stone. Otherwise, you will have to turn to a jeweler for help.

Toothpaste

Cola

This choice of cleaning product may seem strange. However, Coca-Cola is good at removing stains from gold and diamonds.

Decorations are placed in a warm carbonated drink.
After 2-3 hours, the product is taken out and washed under warm running water.

After such a “bath day,” the diamond will again become bright and noticeable.

Cola

Sweet water

If you don’t have Coca-Cola on hand, any sweet water will do for cleaning diamonds. Even cooked with your own hands:

You need to dilute one tablespoon of sugar in a glass of warm water.
The jewelry is completely immersed in the sweet liquid for three hours.
Wash with running water to avoid stickiness.

Sweet water is good at removing grease and dust from crystals.

Sweet water

Lipstick

It turns out that lipstick can not only complete your makeup. This cosmetic product contains titanium dioxide, which effectively removes plaque and impurities on the surface of diamonds.

Here's how to use lipstick as an all-purpose cleaner:

A little lipstick is spread onto a cotton pad.
Carefully wipe the surface of the stone. Pass over the product with a flannel cloth.

Lipstick

Beer and egg white

A very unusual method of cleaning a diamond.

The solution is prepared as follows:

Stir the white of one egg in a glass of beer.
The resulting liquid is moistened with a soft cloth.
Gently wipe the jewelry.
Then the diamond product must be washed and dried.

Egg white

Salt

Salt is a universal gemstone cleaner. White crystals clean jewelry from both household pollution and accumulated negative energy at the same time.

Sea salt is more suitable, but if it is not available, table salt is acceptable.

Dry and wet salt cleaning methods are equally effective (see below).

Wet method

Containers made of plastic or metal are not suitable: these materials can transfer their properties to water. Cleaning steps:

One teaspoon of salt is dissolved in a ceramic or glass container filled with water. To make the white crystals dissolve faster, it is better to pour warm water over them.
Decorations are placed exceptional in chilled water! In hot or warm liquid, the stone can darken.
The product is kept in the solution overnight.
The next morning, rinse with running water.

Salt

Dry method

Pour enough salt into a deep bowl so that the crystals completely hide the stone being cleaned. The container material can be anything. Dry cleaning jewelry with salt also takes overnight.

Important! High-quality polished gemstones often darken and fade when exposed to salt. However, there is no need to rush to abandon the salt type of cleaning, because there is an alternative approach to this problem. The diamond jewelry can be placed in a glass container, and it, in turn, can be placed on a plate with salt (a layer of at least 1 cm). The gemstone will not come into direct contact with the white particles, but they will still have a cleansing effect on it.

Alcohol

Alcohol diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio is an excellent way to clean diamonds from darkening:

The decoration is placed in a container filled with alcohol.
The residence time of jewelry in the solution should not exceed half an hour.
The diamond product is washed with water and wiped with a flannel cloth.

Alcohol

Hyposulfite and borax solution

The method removes persistent stains from the surface of gems.

Borax or hyposulfite are sold in jewelry or hardware stores (the ingredients are included in cockroach baiting products).

Moisten a cotton swab with the prepared borax solution and wipe the jewelry.
Wash the stones with warm water and dry.

Hyposulfite even removes iodine stains on jewelry.

A solution with hyposulfite is prepared as follows:

Pour a teaspoon of hyposulfite into a glass of water.
The decoration is placed in the solution for half an hour.
The product is treated with a soft bristle brush and dipped in a soap solution.
The final stage is rinsing with running water.

Hyposulfite

Soda

Baking soda cleans diamonds and makes them shine.

Professional products

They are used in jewelry stores to clean jewelry and help restore diamond jewelry to its proper appearance. The composition of professional products helps eliminate dirt and not damage stones.

Effective diamond cleaning products:

"Aladdin." The composition is available in a set with a container and a brush. You need to pour the solution into a container, then lower the diamond jewelry into it. After some time (according to the instructions), the product is taken out and the stone is polished with velvet or cleaned with a brush.
2 TOP BIO CLEANER Nano Brilliant. Another professional cleaning kit: helps remove tarnish and stains while adding shine to the stones.

By purchasing professional products, you can save time and spend a minimum of effort on cleaning diamonds. Most often, for high-quality cleaning you just need to immerse the product in the solution for 8 hours.

It is important to follow the instructions, otherwise there is a risk of overdoing the concentration of the product.

The compositions are not suitable for all jewelry: you need to make sure that the liquid is compatible with all stones (emeralds and sapphires are especially “capricious”).

Aladdin

Tips and tricks

Before cleaning, check for damage. This is an important procedure; if there are chips or scratches, it is better to take the jewelry to a master so as not to cause even more damage by cleaning it yourself.

There is a risk of dropping miniature jewelry down the drain when flushing the solution with water from the tap. Close the drain with a stopper or abandon this method of washing. Remove white gold jewelry when swimming in the pool. In this case, we are not talking about the possibility of loss. Pool water contains chlorine, which is harmful to rhodium enamel.

If the jewelry has stones, then you should refrain from cleaning with any alcohol, even ammonia. But this rule does not apply to products with diamonds.

When brushing with toothpaste, it may seem like the best solution is to use a new brush, but the old one will be much more useful; the soft bristles will not damage the coating.

After cleaning, be sure to dry the product, never leave it wet, otherwise such neglect will negatively affect the condition of the metal, which will be visible even to the naked eye.

You also need to store jewelry correctly. Cardboard boxes are not suitable for white gold due to the presence of sulfur in the composition.

There is a fundamental difference in cleaning a smooth ring or a complex piece of jewelry inlaid with stones. To effectively clean gold jewelry with stones at home, it is recommended to use the cleaning methods described above with ammonia alcohol, paste, and liquid soap. As a rule, using a soft brush to clean hard-to-reach areas is indispensable.

Cleaning gold with stones

When cleaning such jewelry, you should take care not only of the condition of the gold, but also of the jewelry inserts. Jewelers recommend using different products for different types of gemstones:

a ring with topaz or any other gold jewelry with this stone will shine after soaking for 20 minutes in water with a couple of drops of dishwashing detergent diluted in it;
acids should not be used to clean jewelry with chrysolite;
earrings with stones such as emerald, ruby or sapphire can be easily cleaned in warm soapy water - hot water is contraindicated for these stones;
Cleaning gold items with cubic zirconia is done using ammonia, toothpaste without abrasives or any washing powder.

The easiest way to clean white gold at home is to regularly wipe the jewelry with a fleece or felt cloth until it shines. If the stone still becomes tarnished, there is no need to run to a master. Perhaps ordinary products will help restore its shine.

Onion juice helps to restore the beauty of white gold with diamonds. You need to cut the onion and clean the frame and stone with it. After 1-2 hours, rinse the product thoroughly and wipe dry to add shine to the stone.

Beer and egg white

This is a proven method for cleaning a white gold diamond ring. Beat a glass of beer with the white of one egg. Apply the mixture to a soft cloth or sponge, wipe the product, rinse and wipe dry.

The most effective method is to clean jewelry with special products. They quickly cope with various contaminants and are safe for stones. The formulations are sold in the form of solutions, pastes and cleaning wipes.

To clean your jewelry with special products, you must follow the instructions. In general, the process is similar to home methods:

apply the composition;
remove contaminants;
rinse with water;
wipe dry;
polish.

Usually, lines of special products have all the necessary accessories: containers, brushes, polishing cloths.

Cleaning jewelry: methods and precautions.

HOW TO CLEAN GOLD WITH DIAMONDS

Not all products are suitable for the valuable metal. Cleaning gold and diamonds at home is not difficult, but painstaking. The process requires accuracy and precision.

How not to clean gold and diamonds

The main difficulty lies in simultaneously cleaning diamonds and precious metals:

It is better to entrust the cleaning of expensive gold and diamond jewelry to a specialist.
Gold also contains other metals/alloys (zinc, copper). They darken on contact with water.
Gold is a soft metal and easily damaged.

The following are absolutely not suitable for cleaning diamonds:

cleaning products with aggressive composition damage jewelry;
vinegar - spoils any mineral;
iodine - negates the magnificent brilliant shine.

Diamonds are not cleaned or dried at high temperatures (hot water, hair dryer on drying mode): they may fade. The temperature of the solution should not exceed 30–40 degrees.

What are the types of contamination of white gold products?

White gold jewelry can turn black due to improper use and poor care.
White gold jewelry uses an alloy with the addition of several auxiliary components, which include nickel, palladium, and silver. Their presence in the alloy gives a beautiful shade of white with a slight yellowness.

To add gloss and enhance shine to products, they are plated with rhodium. This layer performs a decorative function and protects the precious alloy. It may wear off over time or due to improper handling. This should not be forgotten when cleaning such jewelry yourself.

White gold does not react well when in contact with chlorine and mercury, so pool or tap water can cause a black appearance.

What kind of stains do jewelry require cleaning?

The decoration became sticky and became stained . For such cases, there are many ways to clean it. All manipulations must be carried out carefully and do not use cleaning products with abrasive additives.
The surface of the decoration has turned yellow . This is a more difficult case. The appearance of such a shade indicates that the rhodium plating has worn off. This problem can only be corrected by a jeweler with sufficient qualifications.
The decoration has turned black . This happens after prolonged use or due to improper care. In such cases, the product loses its original attractiveness, and its restoration should be entrusted to an experienced specialist.

Qualified jewelers are skeptical about home methods and recommend cleaning gold items only with proven methods.

HOW TO PROPERLY STORE PRODUCTS

Diamonds “don’t like” pearls, so cut diamonds are not stored together with pearl jewelry.
It is also better not to combine other precious stones with “a girl’s best friend” in order to prevent the faces from rubbing against each other.
The ideal “home” for jewelry with diamonds would be a box made of coil or agate - it will protect the jewelry from microcracks and dust.
Diamonds should not be stored where it is too humid (in the bathroom, bathhouse, sauna).
Toxic substances and bleaches are also not the best “neighbors” for a diamond.
Do not leave crystals in direct sunlight for a long time.
To avoid mechanical damage, jewelry is removed when manual work is to be done (cooking, playing sports).
Avoid touching diamonds with your fingers. Cut diamonds deteriorate from constant contact with water and detergents, so it is better to remove jewelry before washing hands or dishes.

Text author: Irina RALLO

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