Easy Ways To Clean Gold Jewelry at Home

It’s natural for patina to form during the lifespan of gold jewelry. However, that signature patina can quickly turn to an undesirably dull and muddy color. Time for a cleaning! Rather than splurge on spendy cleaners, here are common solutions to easily clean gold jewelry at home.

Wondering how to clean tarnished gold easily?

In a few short steps, your gold jewelry will be sparkling like new. When you own fine gold jewelry, you want to keep it in display condition, right? Well, daily wear leads to buildup of oils, perspiration and skincare products. The result is a layer of grime that dims the brightness of your precious gold jewelry.

No sweat! Read on for our recommendations for the easiest ways to clean gold jewelry at home. Each method is optimized for simplicity, efficiency, and thoroughness.

The Soap And Water Method

Can’t go wrong with a trusty jewelry cleanser of water and soap. Of all the jewelry cleaning methods at home, this one is the simplest. Easily pour water into a large enough bowl to fit your jewelry, add a dash of soap, and let your gold jewelry soak in the tub.

After about 15 minutes, use a soft-bristled brush or toothbrush to gently clean and cleanse any grime away. Do not scrub too hard or you can risk scratching softer, higher karat jewelry like 18k and 24k gold. After a gentle and thorough cleaning, rinse each item and set them on a soft cloth to completely dry out.

Soak Gold Jewelry in Boiling Water

Let’s heat things up. Another easy way to clean gold jewelry at home is to give it a boiling bath. Sound harsh? Don’t worry, it’s totally safe and effective at giving your gold jewelry a deep cleaning.

First, place your gold jewelry in a large bowl, then boil water and pour it gently over the jewelry until it’s completely covered. Submerging gold jewelry into hot, boiling water will safely remove oils, buildup and grime. Leave your items in the hot water until it cools down to room temperature. Then, gently scrub with a soft brush or cloth.

Be mindful that using boiling water to clean gold jewelry is chemical-free, however it is not safe for gold jewelry containing stones or diamonds.

Cleaning Gold Jewelry with Toothpaste

Ready for another DIY jewelry cleaning method? Here’s how to clean gold with toothpaste. Grab a soft toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste and gently scrub away residue. Alternatively, you can use a soft cloth and rub away oils and dirt. While cleaning gold jewelry with toothpaste is effective, it’s not a good idea for regular cleaning as some toothpastes contain abrasives that can dim the finish of gold jewelry. As such, use the toothpaste method sparingly.

Can You Clean Gold Jewelry with Alcohol?

You bet! An inexpensive option to use in place of a jewelry cleanser is alcohol. Most of us already have a bottle of alcohol in the house for cleaning, which is perfect because alcohol doubles as a jewelry cleaner.

Similar to the soap and water method, cleaning gold jewelry with alcohol is easy and effective. Drop gold jewelry into the solution and let it soak for a few minutes. Not only will the alcohol remove residue, but it will kill bacteria from skin oils and dust. Alternatively, you can dip a Q-Tip into rubbing alcohol and gently scrub away dirt from your gold jewelry. However, do not use alcohol for gold jewelry with gemstones that contain glue, as it will eat the glue and compromise the security of the stones.

Use Ammonia for Cleaning Gold

Like toothpaste, the ammonia method for cleaning gold jewelry at home should be used minimally. While ammonia is effective at cleaning your jewelry, it can also damage gold if used too often. To properly clean gold with ammonia, create an easy DIY jewelry cleaner solution in a large bowl containing 6 parts water to 1 part ammonia. Then, drop your pieces in the solution for a brief 30-45 second bath. After splashing your gold in the ammonia, rinse your pieces with cold water and allow them to thoroughly dry out on a soft cloth.

How to Clean Gold Jewelry With Precious Gemstones

As you can see, many of these DIY jewelry cleaning methods aren’t safe for gold jewelry with gemstones. So, how do you clean gold jewelry with stones? Grab a soft cloth and dampen it with soap and water. Use the cloth to gently wipe away dirt and buildup. Afterward, rinse items with water. Then, allow your pieces to dry out on a soft towel. It’s a good idea to place your gold items upside down to allow any moisture to thoroughly drain.

Tips for Cleaning Gold Jewelry At Home

Fortunately, there are several DIY jewelry cleaning methods to easily and safely clean gold jewelry at home. However, there are factors to be mindful of to ensure your items aren’t damaged. Here are our final tips for cleaning your gold jewelry:

• Never clean gold pieces over an open drain, it’s simply not worth the risk of accidentally dropping an item down the drain and losing it forever.

• Apply pressure gently. You can always start with a gentle scrub and apply more pressure. However, if you scrub jewelry too hard it can become tarnished or scratched.

• Gold jewelry with gemstone settings requires greater care and finesse. Prongs tend to be more fragile and thin.

• Clean jewelry over a soft and large surface. In the event any stones or pieces fall, they won’t disappear into the carpet or worse, get damaged from hitting hard flooring.

• When in doubt, take gold jewelry in for a professional cleaning. This will keep your pieces sparkling and increase the lifespan of your gold jewelry.

Cleaning gold jewelry at home will ensure your pieces remain sparkling long-term. However, there are additional steps for care and maintenance. Learn more in our complete guide to maintaining gold jewelry. 

SHOP FOR GOLD JEWELRY

Gold Jewelry