How to Care for Your Gold Jewelry

One of the most common questions we get at Samuelson’s is how to clean gold jewelry — and with good reason! Gold is a classic setting for most jewelry, whether it’s yellow gold, rose gold, or white gold. 

Here are a few tips on how to clean and care for your gold jewelry:

Avoid Abrasive Household Chemicals

How often have you found yourself using household bleach and other cleaning products while wearing gold jewelry? We’ll let you in on a little secret — don’t! The chemicals in most cleaning products can cause gold to discolor and possibly disintegrate. Instead, consider wearing rubber gloves or store your gold jewelry in a safe place.

Remove Jewelry Before Swimming 

Going swimming in a chlorinated pool? Take your jewelry off! Repeated exposure to chlorine will weaken your gold jewelry’s structure and eventually lead to it breaking. The same applies for applying lotion, makeup, sunscreen, and perfumes, all of which contain harmful chemical elements. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so keep your gold jewelry in a safe place until you’re ready to head out the door.

Watch Out For Gold Jewelry Damage 

Gold is a popular metal used for many types of jewelry including rings, necklaces, earrings and more. While gold’s beautiful material makes jewelry shiny, gold is also a soft metal, which means it’s susceptible to dings, scratches, and dents. 

While you’re cleaning your gold jewelry, it’s the perfect time to inspect your piece to see if there’s any damage. Are there any loose stones? Do you see any scratches or dings? Is your gold tarnished? If so, it may be time to consider bringing your gold jewelry to a professional so they can reset the stones and make it appear brand new again!

How To Clean Gold Jewelry at Home 

It’s surprisingly easy to clean your gold jewelry at home. One of our favorite ways of cleaning gold jewelry involves warm water and dish soap. Make a simple solution of 10 parts warm water and two parts dish soap, then soak your gold jewelry in the mixture. We recommend leaving it in for about three hours, after which you can scrub gently with a very soft brush.

To avoid the perils of a sink drain, consider using two small bowls: one with the cleaning solution for soaking and one with clean water in which to scrub and rinse your jewelry. Then, use a jewelry polishing cloth to blot dry. We don’t recommend using a paper towel or tissue, as these can scratch your jewelry. Don’t have a jewelry polishing cloth? Use a soft, dry, and lint-free cloth instead and it will do the trick.

Need Help Caring For Your Gold Jewelry?

Now that you know how to clean gold jewelry at home, we highly recommend only cleaning your jewelry when it is visibly dirty or has a clear patina. However, if the home remedy to clean gold jewelry isn’t working, you can always bring it to a local jewelry store to get professional help. At Samuelson’s Diamonds, we use ultrasonic machines to get a deep clean while minding your fine jewelry so any issues can be addressed immediately.

If you are looking to sell your gold jewelry or want to get your jewelry professionally cleaned, restored, or repaired, we can help you with that. Just make an appointment at your convenience! At Samuelson’s, our team of experienced goldsmiths and master jewelers are capable of handling all your gold jewelry needs.