Gold is gold! The precious metal is reaching new heights everyday. Considering its worth, the jewellery made of gold is timeless, expensive, and often holds emotional values. However, with regular use, even pure gold items can lose their luster because of body oils, sweat, cosmetics, and pollution too. While professional cleaning is suggested, it is not possible to run to your jeweller all the time. So here are some effective and safe ways to clean your gold jewellery at home. All you need to do is use these simple ingredients. But before we delve into the cleaning bit, let’s understand why gold jewellery loses its shine?
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You need to understand that gold does not rust. Most jewellery is made from gold alloys mixed with metals like copper or silver for strength. Now, these alloys react with daily pollution, cosmetics, sweat, perfumes and lotions, among others. Together these form a dull film on the surface. The dust can seep in intricate designs and clasps or edges of the stones. This makes your jewellery look old and dusty.Effective home method to clean your gold: Warm water, mild soap Experts agree on this method. All you need is warm water and mild liquid soap. This is considered the most effective method to clean your gold jewellery at home.How to clean:
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Soaking: Collect all your gold jewellery and soak it in the solution. Let it sit for 15–20 minutes which allows the dirt, oils, and other residue to loosen up.Scrubbing: Take some warm (not boiling) water and add a few drops of mild soap. Take a soft toothbrush and lightly scrub the accumulated dirt. You can also use soft microfiber or cotton cloth. Avoid aggressive scrubbing.Rinsing: After this, rinse the jewellery under clean to remove soap. Always rinse in a strainer to prevent accidental loss.Drying: Let your jewellery air-dry completely before storing or wearing again.Homemakers swear by this method as it works exceptionally well for daily-wear gold chains, bangles, earrings, noserings and rings, among others.Safe for all gold types (yellow, white, and rose gold)This method is safe for all types of gold. And is also cost-effective and chemical-free. Even professional jewellers recommend this method for routine home care. “We often recommend this home cleaning for gold jewellery. Instead of taking your dailywear gold jewellery to the jewellers, you can easily use soapy warm water to clean them,” says Anurag Dixit, a jewellery store owner in Lucknow.Things that should be avoided
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However, he says sometimes people come with complaints that despite washing, the jewellery is not clean. It is because, sometimes people use white toothpaste or baking soda or salt. These should be strictly avoided. These products are too abrasive. Baking soda or salt scrubsVinegar or lemon juice (can weaken alloys)Boiling water (may loosen stones)These methods may seem effective initially but can cause long-term damage.Special care for gold jewellery with stonesDo not soak the jewellery with pearls, emeralds, opals, or any other precious stones, more than 5–7 minutes and be extra-gentle while brushing these. How often should you clean gold jewellery?Every 2–3 weeks for daily-wear jewellery or once a month for occasional pieces. Storage Tips
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Gold jewellery should always be stored separately in cloth pouches.Avoid contact with perfumes and lotionsRemove jewellery before bathing or gymming, Yoga and exercisingWith this effective method, your precious gold jewellery can be easily cleaned at home and doesn’t involve harsh chemicals and can also retain its brilliance and shine.
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