ACCESSORIES

TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN BRING SHINE TO YOUR GOLD JEWELRY

In today’s world, gold jewelry is one of the best luxuries that life has to offer and most people cherish their gold jewelries. People don’t joke with their gold jewelries for a number of possible reasons. First of all, gold jewelries are highly valued especially if they are gifts from a special person. Besides, they are worth a lot of money; in addition, gold jewelries are considered by some as investments much the same way someone might invest in real estate or in the stock market. Whatever might be the reason why people cherish their gold, it is natural that people would want to keep their gold jewelries looking their best. To achieve that everlasting spackle for your gold, it is necessary to occasionally clean them.  

Gold is really very easy to maintain and to keep the glitter remaining the same even after many years of buying them. However, it is always better to employ the services of a professional jeweler.

Nevertheless, there are easy ways you can clean your gold at home. But when cleaning your gold at home, you have to be careful because if proper care is not taken, your gold jewelry might become dull, starched, or discolored. If you are careful, you can remove dirt and return the shine to your gold with a few simple steps.

Here are the tips for cleaning your gold jewelry at the comfort of your home.  You will need the following before you start with the cleaning:

Ø  Mild dish detergent

Ø  Small bowl

Ø  Jewelry brush or baby toothbrush (ensure it has soft bristles unless, you will starch your gold)

Ø  Soft cloth

Ø  Jewelry polishing cloth

Steps to Follow:

1.      Fill a bowl with about 2 cups of warm water. The water should be very warm, not HOT OR BOILING WATER. Add a little detergent to the bowl of water and mix well. Soak the gold jewelry in the solution for about 20 minutes; as it soaks, the warm water will loosen the dirt tightened up in the gold. (Do not use tooth paste or baking powder to clean your gold, they are too harsh. Use a mild dish washing liquid.)

2.      Use the soft brush to gently scrub away the dirt that has built up. Scrub each piece of jewelry paying attention to the nooks and crannies where dirt may be hidden. The toothbrush should be soft bristle, the softer the better. Hard brush can scratch the surface of your jewelry; it can even remove the gold layer entirely. Special brushes designed for this purpose are better. If you don’t have a designated brush, an eyebrow brush or toothbrush will do, as long as it has soft bristle. And be gentle while scrubbing, even with added mental, gold is very soft and easily scratched.

3.      Rinse thoroughly with clean warm water and dry with a cotton cloth. Avoid using paper products like tissues to dry your gold after wash because they contain particles of wood that can scratch the gold’s surface.

4.      Store them back in your jewelry box. Before storing, make sure the jewelry is completely dry.

5.      Once the jewelry is dry, if it still looks dull, then rub it gently with a jewelry polishing cloth. To avoid creating patches on the gold, rub with the polishing cloth in a varying straight line, not in a circular motion.

ADDITIONAL TIPS ON HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR GOLD

·         Never bathe with your jewelry, and incase of any exposure to water, (because soap and chemicals can makes your gold dull), if water touches your gold, make sure you dry immediately

·         Always wipe off excess makeup and skin oils from your gold by using cotton wool and lukewarm water after each use, and clean your jewelry frequently to avoid buildup of perfumes, lotions, dirt, etc

·         It is important to keep your jewelry in dry and cool places. Humidity and air pollution is a big threat to jewelries.

·         Also, store your gold properly. Always store them separately in a jewelry box or keep them wrapped separately in soft cloths when not worn. Storing them separately will prevent them from getting tangled or scratching one another.

·         Finally, inspect your gold jewelry for weakness or damage and bring it to a professional jeweler you trust for immediate repair.

Be careful when handling your gold, even though gold is durable, it can lose its shine and get scratched if handled roughly.

                                                                                          Accessories by Fatima Damisa