How to clean gold rings and jewellery
When you buy a special piece of gold jewellery - like a wedding or engagement ring - you want to ensure it stays as sparkly as the day you first wore it.
Daily wear takes a toll on precious jewellery though, the oils and chemicals in products like shower gel, moisturiser, sunscreen, makeup and perfume dull the shine of precious metals and leave a cloudy film on the surface of diamonds and gemstones.
Read on to learn how you can safely look after your gold rings and jewellery at home.
What you need to know:
- Before you begin cleaning your gold jewellery at home, check the stones are secure.
- Clean gold diamond rings and jewellery with warm water, washing up liquid or baby shampoo, a soft-bristled toothbrush, and a microfibre lint-free cloth.
- Yellow, white gold and rose gold jewellery can be cleaned in the same way, but gold-plated jewellery requires extra care to preserve the plating.
- Avoid soaking rings and jewellery containing delicate gemstones such as emerald, opal or pearl. Porous gemstones require extra care and attention.
How to clean gold diamond rings and jewellery at home
We recommend cleaning your gold rings and jewellery regularly at home to remove surface-level dirt and keep them sparkling.
Follow our step-by-step guide on how to clean your white, yellow or rose gold jewellery:
- Step 1: Add a few drops of baby shampoo to a bowl of lukewarm water and mix to get a soapy solution.
- Step 2: Soak your jewellery in the soapy water for 10 minutes. This will help loosen any dirt or hardened debris, making it easier to clean in the next step.
- Step 3: Gently clean your gold jewellery with a soft-bristle, baby toothbrush. Pay careful attention to any corners or gaps in the setting where dirt could accumulate.
- Step 4: Rinse well in a bowl of clean water to remove any soap residue. (Don’t hold your rings under running water, as they could get lost down the drain!)
- Step 5: Dry and polish your gold jewellery carefully with a microfibre lint-free Avoid using anything that might scratch the metal or catch on the prongs of a diamond setting.
Congratulations, your gold jewellery is ready for you to wear again.
How to clean gold-plated rings and jewellery
Gold-plated jewellery should be cleaned very carefully. The base metal – usually brass, copper or silver – is finished with a thin plating of gold that can wear away over time, so try not to scratch the piece.
Do not soak your gold-plated jewellery in water either. Instead, wipe it very gently with a soft, dry microfibre cloth to remove surface marks and restore shine. Try not to rub too hard, as this can also strip the gold plating.
How to clean white gold rings
White gold jewellery is usually finished with a rhodium plating, which makes it more durable, but also more sensitive to certain cleaning products. Lemon juice, vinegar and other acids can erode the rhodium plating over time, so avoid these as much as possible and take your white gold rings off while cooking or cleaning the house.
Apart from that, you can clean white gold rings the same way you clean yellow gold rings – with lukewarm water, washing up liquid, and a very soft toothbrush.
You should also avoid polishing your white gold rings too hard or too often, to preserve the plating.
How to clean gemstone rings and jewellery
Gold jewellery set with sapphires and rubies can be gently cleaned in soapy solution of baby shampoo and lukewarm water.
Soak for a few minutes, taking extra care with the gemstone and dry with a microfibre lint-free cloth.
Avoid soaking jewellery set with delicate, porous gemstones such as emeralds. Instead, wipe clean with a soft, microfibre lint-free cloth.
Summary
To keep your gold rings and jewellery in sparkling condition, use simple household products to clean them regularly. Take care of your gold properly, and we guarantee they will last forever. Read more about our lifetime warranty.