There are many methods out there can teach you how to clean your gold jewelry. But today we focus on How to Clean Gold Jewelry with Baking Soda and Vinegar. You can do it at home.
Gold is, literally, the standard for magnificent jewelry which is why we all have (or are) that one friend who only wears gold – white, rose or yellow gold. But who can blame us, gold is beautiful, timeless, and it goes with anything and everything.
The only problem is that after wearing gold jewelry pieces for some time, they always get tarnished and lose their luster.
Having gone through my fair share of gold cleaning messes and had a few pieces destroyed in the process, it would be unfair to allow you and the rest of the guys in this gold-loving world to suffer.
And with jewelry making up the largest part of your outfit, you need to make sure that your jewelry pieces look timeless, all the time. By cleaning your jewelry pieces, you also prolong the shelf-life of your jewelry.
In this article, we go through everything you need to know about cleaning gold jewelry using household items. Dirt and grime accumulate in the deepest carvings and crevices, meaning that you need to find ways of cleaning the deep-seated dirt if you want to keep your pieces shiny. You don’t want your gold ring to look gold-plated.
Baking soda and vinegar are two household items with the most uses, and the interesting bit is that you can use these two chemicals to clean just about everything.
Besides the versatility of these cleaning solutions, they are fast, cheap, easy, and safe to use. Also, both baking soda and vinegar are gentle and natural; meaning you won’t need to rub and scrub the jewelry pieces too much or even worry about abrasion.
So, how do you clean gold jewelry with vinegar and baking soda?
Method 1 – Using Baking Soda & Vinegar
As noted above, both baking soda and vinegar are great cleaning products which you could use to clean any products.
However, you need to keep in mind that you should only use these cleaning products on gold jewelry that is not embellished. If your ring has gemstone, opal, or pearls as embellishments, you shouldn’t clean it with either baking soda or jewelry; especially if you will be dipping the ring in the cleaning solution.
Taking caution is essential when dealing with delicate pearls, gems or crystals because baking soda or vinegar could corrode the piece’s natural protective layer or enamel, and if this happens, then that piece of jewelry loses its beautiful natural luster.
Therefore, you might want to use this cleaning method for a gold-only piece.
Steps
Mix one parts water with 3 parts baking soda, and then mix these two ingredients until you obtain a toothpaste-like consistent paste.
Using a cotton ball or a cleaning sponge, apply the paste on your gold jewelry, making sure that you cover the entire jewelry piece. Once lathered in the baking soda paste, place this jewelry in a bowl or a small plastic container.
Next, take your stilled (preferably white) vinegar and pour it into the bowl with the jewelry, making sure that the piece is completely covered by vinegar. Allow this to sit for about 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, remove the jewelry piece from the vinegar-baking soda mixture and then rinse off the piece by running it under warm water. Take your time rinsing the piece and ensure that there is no residual paste.
Once you’ve cleaned the gold jewelry piece, pat it dry using a soft cloth.
But if after drying it you are still dissatisfied by the results; you should repeat the steps above.
Note that you should not use a toothbrush or any other rough thing to clean your gold piece. And if you have to rub it, be gentle.
And to reiterate the cautionary measure noted above, you should not follow this method if you are dealing with pearls or gemstones, and basically any other type of embellishments.
Method 2 – Baking Soda + Boiling Water
If your gold jewelry has diamond, gold, or gemstones as embellishments, you might want to try a milder cleaning option that doesn’t involve the use of vinegar. All you need is boiling water and some baking soda.
Though mild, the baking soda and boiling water mixture cleans gold jewelry pieces thoroughly.
Steps
You need a bowl, or a pan lined using aluminum foil with its shiny surface facing up. A baking pan or a saucepan will do.
Place the jewelry pieces on the aluminum foil surface and then put some baking soda on your gold pieces – the pieces should be totally covered by baking soda.
Next, pour one or two cups of boiling water on the baking soda covering your gold pieces completely. Leave your jewelry to steep in hot water/baking soda mix for 5 minutes.
Carefully remove the gold pieces from the pan and then rinse them in cold water. Ensure that your pieces are free of baking soda residue then dry your jewelry pieces thoroughly using a clean, soft, and lint-free piece of cloth.
Let the pieces air dry for some time before you keep them away.
Method 3 – Baking Soda, Water, and Dishwashing Soap
Since Method 1 above is not ideal for gold jewelry pieces with embellishments such as pearls and gemstones, we’ve come across a milder cleaning process that works best for such delicate pieces.
Method 3 is a milder cleaning alternative that involves cleaning without vinegar (the acidity of vinegar is the reason for possible abrasion of gemstones, diamonds, and pearls).
Steps
Mix one cup of clean water with one teaspoon baking soda, and a teaspoon of gentle dishwashing soap. Ensure that these ingredients are mixed well. Note that you can double your ingredients if you feel that this mixture will not be enough to submerge the jewelry pieces that need cleaning completely.
Next, place your jewelry pieces into the bowl with your baking soda/ water/ dishwashing soap mixture, submerging them completely. Let the jewelry piece/ pieces soak in this mixture for about half an hour.
After 30 minutes, gently scrub the gold pieces using a soft-bristled toothbrush. Alternatively, you could use a soft cloth to clean it. And if it’s not too dirty, your forefinger and thumb will be enough to get the job done (remove any residual grime and dirt).
Once you are satisfied that the pieces are clean, rinse the pieces under warm running water. Rinse the pieces severally and thoroughly to make sure that you’ve gotten rid of the cleaning agent,
Next, dry the pieces completely with a soft, lint-free cloth (cotton), and then air dry them for about 30 minutes before storing your pieces.
Conclusion
Thanks to water, baking soda, vinegar, and dishwashing liquid, your gold jewelry pieces will always look as good as new. Just be careful with the gemstones or any other embellishments.