How to clean white gold

Video: Cleaning Jewelry : How to Clean White Gold Rings

Content

Method 2 of 2: Caring for White Gold Jewelry
Tips
Warnings
What do you need
Purification of white gold

1 Examine the jewelry for loose stones and broken clasps. Before starting work, take the jewelry in your hands and carefully examine it. First of all, before submerging the jewelry in water, it is necessary to repair wobbly stones and broken elements, otherwise you can accidentally lose something.

If you notice that some element of your jewelry is not properly secured, take the jewelry to a professional jeweler for repair. Use a zip-lock bag to transport your jewelry so you don't lose anything along the way.

2 Mix warm water with liquid dish detergent to soak your white gold piece in the solution. Use about 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap and 1–2 cups of warm water (240–480 ml). Stir with hand or spoon until foamy. Warm, soapy water will gently remove dirt from your jewelry.

If your jewelry is heavily soiled, add 3-4 drops of ammonia to the solution.
Do not use hot water to clean jewelry.

SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

Jerry ehrenwald

President of the International Gemmological Institute and Chartered Gemologist Jerry Ehrenwald, GG, ASA is a Chartered Gemmologist from New York. Former president of the International Gemological Institute (IGI) and inventor of the US patented Laserscribe℠ technology, which allows unique data, such as the diamond identification number (DIN), to be applied to a diamond using a laser. Responsible for the commercial laboratory IGI and its evaluation unit. He is a senior member of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) and a member of the Twenty-Four Karat Club in New York, a club of no more than 200 of the most prominent figures in the jewelry business.

Jerry ehrenwald
President of the International Gemological Institute and Chartered Gemologist

Our expert agrees: “Use a warm, aqueous dish detergent solution that does not contain ammonia and phosphates for soaking. Then gently scrub the jewelry with a toothbrush and rinse in a separate bowl with warm water. Then wipe off the gold with a soft cloth or towel. "

3 Leave the jewelry to soak in the solution for 20-25 minutes. It's not difficult at all! Just gently submerge the product in water, set the timer and do other things.

If the jewelry includes pearls or onyx, do not soak it. In this case, it is better to wrap its metal elements with a napkin moistened with warm soapy water.

4 Make a paste of baking soda and water to clean your jewelry. Take a small bowl, put half a tablespoon of baking soda (about 10 g) in it and add just enough water to form a thick paste. Remove the jewelry from the soapy solution and rub each of its elements with a soft brush (for example, a toothbrush) with prepared paste.

The baking soda and bristles of the brush will help clean out the smallest indentations in your jewelry and make it shine brighter.
If your jewelry is very dirty, you can substitute 1/2 cup (120 ml) of white wine vinegar for the pasta water.

5 Rinse off the soap and baking soda with warm running water. Stop rinsing when the jewelry is shiny again and is free of soap or baking soda. Be sure to rinse the fasteners well so that nothing remains inside.

When you rinse your jewelry, plug the sink or put the gold in a sieve to avoid accidentally rinsing anything down the drain.

6 Dry and polish with a microfiber cloth. Rub each piece of jewelry gently until dry. Pay special attention to fasteners and hard-to-reach areas. Microfiber allows you to wipe off white gold without leaving any lint or residue on it.

You can also use a special jewelry napkin, if you have one.

Method 2 of 2: Caring for White Gold Jewelry

1 Clean white gold once a month to keep it in good condition. If you have a frequently used piece of jewelry, such as a ring, it may be worth cleaning it even more often, such as weekly. Regular cleaning will help keep your jewelry shine, so set up a monthly reminder on your phone so you don't forget about it.
- Overly aggressive cleaning procedures can accelerate wear on the rhodium plating, so avoid using abrasive cleaners.
2 Use a proprietary white gold cleaner if soapy water doesn't work for you. Sometimes gold can become so contaminated that it needs a more powerful cleaning agent than soapy water and baking soda. Use a dedicated white gold cleaning spray and follow its instructions to clean your jewelry.
- Be aware that many common jewelry cleaners cannot be used on white gold as they will corrode the rhodium plating.
3 Contact your jeweler to restore the rhodium plating on your jewelry if it starts to yellow. This problem with white gold is by no means uncommon. Over time, rhodium plating wears out, giving the piece a worn look that it retains regardless of your attempts to clean it. Contact a reputable jeweler for a rhodium plating refurbishment service.
- Depending on the complexity and scope of work, the service can cost you from several hundred to several thousand rubles.
4 Store white gold separately from other types of jewelry to prevent scratches. White gold is easily scratched and damaged, so store it where it won't rub against other harder objects. If you have a jewelry box, set aside one of its sections specifically for white gold. You can also wrap each gold piece in a small microfiber cloth for extra protection.
- Keep white gold away from high temperatures. Do not store it near heating appliances.
5 Remove white gold jewelry before swimming in chlorinated water. Chlorine will corrode rhodium plating. Therefore, do not wear white gold jewelry to the pool.
- If you visit a public pool, check in your valuables in the locker, or leave them in the glove compartment of your car, or hide them deeper in your gym bag for safety.
- It is also wise to remove any white gold jewelry such as rings before showering. Soapy residue and hard water can leave marks on the surface of gold over time.
6 Wear gloves when using abrasive cleaners. Chemicals will erode the finish of the jewelry, and they can also seep into the fasteners and cause them to break, which can cause the inlaid stones to loosen over time.
- If you don't want to wear gloves, just remember to remove your white gold jewelry before working with cleaning agents.

Tips

If you use lotion generously, it can build up on jewelry and make it look dull. Remove jewelry before applying lotion to your skin and rubbing it in, and only then put jewelry back on.