How to clean gold jewellery

If your prized gold Trollbeads treasures have gotten a little dull, you’re only a quick clean away from gold that sparkles and shines like new! Gold is a wonderful, eye-catching material, but as one of the softer metals used in jewellery making it needs to be treated with care. With these simple methods and some household products, you can restore your gold jewellery to its full lustre.

Read on to find out how to clean gold jewellery safely and effectively. 

There are several good ways to clean your gold jewellery depending on the level of cleaning required. This first method is suitable for every day dirt and grime:

  • Fill a plastic bowl with two cups of lukewarm water. Make sure there’s enough water to cover the jewellery completely. For some extra bubbly cleaning power you can use sodium-free carbonated water. 
  • Make sure the water isn’t too hot or too cold. Boiling water may cause thermal shock that can crack precious stones, and ice cold water will make the grime harder to get off.
  • Add a few drops of household dish soap to the water, and stir to combine. Make sure the soap has dispersed evenly through the water before proceeding.
  • Add your Trollbeads to the solution and let them soak for around 15-30 mins. The dirtier the beads, the longer they will need to soak to loosen any debris and allow the warm water and soap to get into the nooks and crannies. 
  • Take a very soft-bristled toothbrush suitable for cleaning, and use it to scrub any remaining dirt on the surface of your jewellery. Be gentle with your beads! You can use a cotton bud to clean in any crevices that may need it. 
  • Once your beads are looking clean, rinse under cool, clean water and dry completely with a soft cloth before storing them away or popping them right back on!

For deeper cleanings of gold jewellery, ammonia can be used. Keep in mind that ammonia can be abrasive, so it’s important not to use it too often. Ammonia can also damage amber, platinum or pearls, so don’t use on styles that include those materials. 

Mix a solution of six parts water to one part ammonia in a bowl and soak the jewellery for no more than a minute. You can strain the jewellery in a colander or sieve to remove it from the liquid quickly, then rinse under running water. 

Always keep in mind that home cleaning methods may damage precious gemstones or extremely delicate jewellery. If in doubt, it’s certainly best to take your precious collection to a professional to make sure there aren’t any unexpected outcomes.

Simply follow these steps to keep your gold at its gleaming best! Enjoy!