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Reading Room
How To Clean Gold Jewelry
by: Ben Sather
Gold jewelry to a woman is priceless. Although gold jewelry comes in many
different styles and colors, the care and cleaning procedure for all golden
treasures remain the same. Good common sense is your best guide, and these
important tips on how to clean gold jewelry will help you keep your exquisite
pieces lustrous and shining.
Gold is tarnish-resistant, but it can get dirty or smudged. Lotions, powders,
soaps, even natural skin oils that we use regularly can cover your jewelry and
cut down their brilliance. Jewelry cleaning removes any such build-up or residue
and restores the original sparkle and shine to make your precious jewelries last
a lifetime.
Although numerous commercial products are available to clean gold jewelry,
most often water and a mild detergent is sufficient to restore the radiance, and
a soft brush helps to gently clean intricate filigree designs and stones.
Sometimes it can be helpful to soak the gold jewelry in a solution of one part
ammonia and six parts water for up to sixty seconds. It is imperative to dry and
polish your gold jewelry with a chamois or soft cloth after cleaning.
Jewelry polishing cloths are an effective and inexpensive way of keeping your
bits of gold glittering and radiant. These essential cotton cloths help to
remove tarnish and to buff jewelry to look as good as new. Avoid wearing jewelry
while in contact with household chemicals, such as chlorine bleach as this can
discolor or damage your gold jewelry mountings.
Proper storage of jewelry when not in use is essential to keep your golden
treasures clean and new. When storing your jewelry, be careful that pieces do
not tumble against each other to avoid scratching and loss of radiance. Ideally,
store your jewelry in a fabric-lined jewel case, or a box with compartments or
dividers or store each piece in individual soft cloth pouches.
It is important to check the stone settings of your jewelry periodically for
any damage to the gold prongs or bezels. Immersing the jewelry in rubbing
alcohol for a few seconds will restore the gorgeous sparkle to cloudy stones. It
is very important to dry the jewelry thoroughly after cleaning before wearing or
storing. Remember that Pave set (glued in stones) jewelry should never be
immersed in water while cleaning gold jewelry.
Related Resource:
Jewelry Care Guide
Caring for your gems
See Also:
Find Jewelry Gifts
Find Gifts with your selection of
gemstone
More Reading
Specialgifts.com Infocenter Home
Ben Sather is the publisher of
http://www.a2-gold-jewelry.com/ - A gold jewelry information resource.
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