Is Your Gold-plated Jewelry Losing its Shine? Follow these Tips on How to Clean Gold Plated Jewelry in 2020

Plating is a technique by which a metal is covered with another metal. On account of gold-plated flatware, for instance, the whole item is plated in gold, or simply a few sections, to get an adornment and to decorate the whole piece, giving it more worth, higher stylish effect, and greater refinement. The gold utilized for plating is unadulterated 24-carat gold. On account of plating, truth be told, the delicateness of gold is a positive quality, as the valuable metal must soften, cover, and append to the base to be plated. By and large, when plating an item, the less honorable metal is utilized as the base and the most valuable one is utilized as the plating material.

Tarnish occurs on gold plated and other artificial jewelry when the surface of the piece comes in contact with sulfur, body oils, fragrances, makeup, moisture, sweat, and other outside elements. Basically, it is a thin layer of corrosion on metals, emerging from a reaction to moisture, air, or chemical elements with the metal. In the case of gold plated jewelry, when plating combines with sulfur it produces gold sulfide, which causes it to rust and changes the color to black.

However, you can prevent your jewelry from tarnishing by taking several precautionary measures. For instance, keep your jewelry away from the direct sunlight, store it in a separate container, and do not wear it during swimming or bathing, etc.

If your jewelry got dirty and you could not get rid of it yet, fret not, we have a great solution for you. Try out a warm water method and achieve that new shiny appearance again.

In order to remove dust and non-sticky dirt from the gold plated jewelry, give jewelry wipes a try. This will not leave any scratch on it will effectively clean them. If you are using jewelry wipes, just take a one wipe and gently rub it on. Do not apply harsh strokes as it will peel off the plating. The jewelry wipe contains mild active agents that are helpful to clean dirt and oil without tarnishing the gold plating.

One of the most effective methods to clean your gold plated jewelry is by using dish soap. Liquid dish soap contains mild agents that do not react with the plating and tarnish the shine and metal. Cleaning the jewelry with dish wash takes lesser time and gives it an immediate glistening effect.

To remove hard stains from the gold plated jewelry without damaging the coating and leaving scratches, try out this method.

If you are struggling to remove dust and dirt from the embellished jewelry without damaging it, then give this condition-water method a try. Using regular conditioner helps because it does not contain abrasive elements and helps to remove the dirt without damaging the upper plating. Furthermore, the conditioner aids in achieving the original shine, thereby removing the blackness and tarnishing from the jewelry.

Another method that you can try to clean your gold plated jewelry is using an apple cider vinegar. The vinegar contains active agents that remove the oiliness, dirt and prevent tarnishing of the metal.

The most initial and important tip to prevent your jewelry from tarnishing is to keep it in a separate container. Store your gold plated jewelry in an airtight box or anti-tarnishing wooden box to preserve it for a longer time. Do not store them in uncoated wooden boxes as this will definitely cause it to lose color or shine. Do not put other silver or artificial jewelry with it, as it will cause discoloration and rusting.

Furthermore, try to store it in a ziplock or clear transparent bag as it will prevent the direct contact of metal and air. With the less air contact, the metal will not be able to oxidize. You are suggested to remove the air before closing the zip.

Another effective tip to keep your jewelry shinier for a longer time is to keep it away from perfumes, fragrances, and other chemical products. Synthetic chemicals and aromatic oils from perfumes can discolor the gold plating. Moreover, the oils and chemicals can also tarnish expensive gemstones and embellished jewelry pieces. In addition to all that, other substances like oil, nail paints, nail polish remover, acids, and food coloring, among many other products tarnish the jewelry and peel off the upper coating layer.

Additionally, avoid wearing jewelry in chlorinated water as chlorine is a chemical that reacts with the metal and leads to discoloration. Solvents and harsh agents present in hair sprays, body mist, and lotions, etc affect the durability of the jewelry and turn it dark.

People usually do not consider taking the jewelry off during swimming, weight lifting, and workout. However, this can damage the jewelry and make it brittle and weak. Chlorine in swimming pools and hot tubs, attack the metals that are alloyed with your gold. It peels off the upper layer of the jewelry, leaving behind microscopic bubbles inside it. Also, it can damage and discolor metals and can slowly corrode the details and polish of gemstones.

In addition to all that, weight training and workout affect the jewelry and corrode when exposed to your sweat. Weights can completely damage the structure of your rings. The softer metals are more likely to bend. Pieces of jewelry with stones can also get severely damaged if you unintentionally bang them against the equipment.

If you want to protect the shine of your jewelry for a longer period of time, remove it while preparing food. This is so, because, the heat from the flame melts the upper coating and causes it to peel off. Also, the aroma of spices reacts with the metal and oxidizes the gold plating. This causes uneven hardware tone and discoloration of the metal.

In addition to all that, spices can be stuck in the detailing of the jewelry and let it tarnish gradually. Furthermore, during cooking, sweating happens that also causes the sulfides to react with the gold and cause it to turn blackened over time.

Another thing that you should avoid doing is cleaning your delicate jewelry with harsh and abrasive chemicals. The active agents present in these acids react in the opposite way, thereby damaging your jewelry. For instance, the use of ammonia can damage and discolor your jewelry, wear down your gemstones, and make fracture-filled diamonds appear cloudy. It can also strip paint and rust off metal if exposed constantly.

Additionally, baking soda can be too abrasive and ruin the finish of the gold plated jewelry. It oxidizes the electrolytes and changes the original color of the jewelry. Baking soda also leaves marks on the metal and could scratch softer stones and gems. Furthermore, you should also avoid putting your jewelry in hot boiling water. The extreme heat will affect the metal causing it to expand and cause loose gemstones to fall from their settings. Thus, you are suggested not to use harsh chemicals and exfoliators in order to clean your jewelry pieces.