How to clean gold and precious stones

How to clean gold, diamonds and other precious stones? Here is a quick guide with what you need to know about how to clean your jewelry ♦

Of course, a very precious jewel must be kept with care and, frankly, if it has a great value, even emotional, it is better to take it periodically to the jeweler, who can also check its state of health: it happens, for example, that the stones can be detached. , or that the surface is covered with scratches. But it is not always necessary. You can (indeed, must) clean your jewelry periodically, just like washing your laundry. A jewel, in fact, is almost always in contact with the skin and is covered with an opaque patina due to the natural fat that comes out of the pores, and even worse it can be ruined by perfumes, creams and lotions used regularly. Here, then, are the tips for cleaning jewelry to perform at home.

Unlike silver, for example, gold does not blacken over time, but it can easily accumulate dust and dirt. The same goes for diamonds which, of all gems, have the greatest ability to retain organic fragments. And so jewelers are horrified when customers bring rings to tighten or widen, earrings to fix, and wonder why they don’t wash them like their clothes. You can restore the luster of jewelry by yourself, just a few household tools and a few ingredients.

1 Pour a few drops of liquid dish soap into a bowl of water that is just over warm, but not hot. Gently mix. Even if normal tap water works well, for even better results, you can use soda-free soda water: carbon dioxide gives rise to a process, carbonation, which in surfactants, i.e. detergents, helps to dissolve dirt. and accumulated debris. Do not use very hot or boiling water because some stones, such as opals, pearls and corals, can break with a rapid and drastic change in temperature. Then, soak for about 15 minutes to allow the solution to penetrate otherwise hard-to-reach cracks and crevices.

2 Gently scrub the jewelry with a soft bristled toothbrush, the softest possible (there are specific products, but a toothbrush or eyebrow brush will be fine), to avoid scratching the surface. Attention, stiff bristles may remove the top layer in the case of gold plated or galvanic treatment jewelry. Particular attention should be paid to very sensitive and soft stones, such as opals, or pearls.

Read also: How to clean cameos, pearls, emeralds, opals, crystals

3 Rinse in running water (always lukewarm) to remove the last residues, remembering to cover the drain plug with a pasta or metal filter coffee sieve. Domestic accidents are more frequent than imagined and even the ring or earrings in the sink pipe are a classic! One last consideration. Let the jewelry dry completely before wearing it again: if it is still wet, even slightly, it can retain moisture on the skin and cause mild skin irritation.

There is another method, that of toothpaste, useful for traveling or for everyday jewelry

1 Mix a small amount of toothpaste and water in a bowl to make a smooth paste.
2 Scrub with an old soft-bristled toothbrush.
3 Rinse thoroughly.

But if the dirt remains, before trying more radical methods such as boiling water or ammonia, which we strongly advise against, it is best to consult a professional.