Time has power over everything, including precious metals. That’s why we sometimes have a question about how to clean a gold chain that used to shine before, and now it’s visible to the naked eye that its gleam has dimmed.
Special features of a gold chain
Gold does not react with other substances, it does not rust and it is not easy to destroy, especially if it is stored in a favorable environment in your home. But gold is a soft metal, and it is very susceptible to mechanical damage (scratches, dents). The addition of other metals in the alloys leads to the fact that gold darkens over time, and you will want to clean it, to make it shine.
You can clean it with ultrasound, a special foam or a liquid sold in a jewelry store. But if you do not want to spend money on this, you can clean the chain at home, using regular household items.
The thing with the chain is that it consists of many small links connected to one another. Dirt tends to get stuck between the links, and accumulate, which makes it quite difficult to remove. Careless cleaning at home can break a link, at the same time, the usual rubbing with felt will not help. We have selected a few of the most popular tips for you. These tips will help to restore the look of your favorite jewelry, so that no one doubts that it is gold again.
A solution of four ingredients
Experienced housewives recommend to prepare a solution in a small bottle at home to clean a gold chain with:
- A teaspoonful of liquid ammonia;
- Hydrogen peroxide (someone recommends half a teaspoon, and someone – three);
- A pinch of laundry detergent;
- Half a glass of warm water.
Put the chain into this solution for half an hour, shake it a bit, then pull it out and rinse it. Your jewelry will shine like new.
However, this method is recommended only for gold, for jewelry that does not have stones or other metals.
Soap solution
It easy to clean your gold at home with a soap solution. Water down the liquid soap, or grate the usual bar soap and dilute it in a small container of water. The solution needs to be very soapy and foamy. Drop gold into the solution for a while, then shake it. After that, rinse the chain and dry it in a natural way. So that there are no traces of soap on the surface, wipe it with a soft cloth.
Instead of soap, sometimes other detergents are used. It can be a laundry detergent or dish soap. In those cases, rinse the chain very well so that no traces of detergent remain.
Boiling with baking soda
In case of severe contamination, use the method of boiling with baking soda at home. Put a chain into a pot (the best ones to use are enamel or refractory glass), and completely fill the pot with water. Heat the water and add 1-2 tablespoons of soda into it. Then start boiling the water.
To clean the jewelry more effectively, add a little detergent. Boil gold this way for a minute or two and pull it out. All grease and other dirt should be cleared
Toothpaste
Some women clean their jewelry with toothpaste. In the morning, they just apply toothpaste on the chain, lightly rub it with a toothbrush, and rinse. Doing this regularly, you can prevent the formation of dirt and oxide. This is a very simple way to clean the chain, although it has its drawbacks:
- It is possible to make a micro-scratch with a toothbrush;
- Toothpaste does not always clean the surface well.
The first problem can be resolved by using a soft toothbrush. Instead of toothpaste, you can also use tooth powder.
Compare the cleaners
Let’s make a small chart comparing several cleaning agents that are used at home most often.
| Agent | Advantages | Drawbacks |
| Ammonia+ hydrogen peroxide | High efficiency | Strong smell |
| Baking soda + soap | Available Ingredients | Average efficiency |
| Toothpaste | The simplest way | it is possible to make a micro-scratch with a hard toothbrush, average efficiency |
Finally, we advise against cleaning a gold chain with means that can leave small scratches, for example, soda or abrasive powder.
If you use a toothbrush at home, then choose a brush with soft bristles only.
If hair or threads are stuck in your chain, then you can just burn them off. And you don’t even have to involve a gas burner. Grab the jewelry with a pair of tweezers and bring a lighter or just a burning match to it. The resulting fume can be removed from the jewelry by one of the ways listed above.