Despite the fact that gold-plated jewelry is not made of pure gold, it always looks elegant and aristocratic, emphasizing the good taste of its owner. But in order for such products to always have a bright appearance and not fade, they need to be properly looked after and cleaned in a timely manner.
It's time to clean the gold plating!
The basis of gold-plated jewelry is silver coated with a layer of gold. As a rule, both precious metals can become dirty and tarnished over time, and therefore lose their attractiveness. This is especially true for gold-plated chains, the design of which consists of numerous links and rings. With constant contact with the body, they become clogged with dust and sebum, so they can change color or become stained.
Any gold plating is soft, so if used incorrectly or poorly cleaned, there is a risk of damaging the surface of gold-plated jewelry.
Features of cleaning gold plated chains that cannot be ignored!
Before you start cleaning the gold plated chain, you need to prepare it for this process, and for this you should:
- degrease jewelry with a small amount of alcohol;
- remove dirt from the surface before cleaning, you can use a soap or vinegar solution.
One of the main rules for quality cleaning is the correct selection of products. It is strictly prohibited to use hard and prickly sponges, as well as dry powders or pastes with gold-plated items, to avoid damage to the surface of the jewelry. It is also not recommended to use aggressive acids, because of which the surface layer of gold may even peel off.
How to clean a gold-plated chain at home without harming the product?
There are several ways to add lost shine and restore the former beauty to gold-plated jewelry, each of which differs in composition, but the result is the same for everyone.
Special means
Professional cleaning of gold-plated chains at home using various special products will help quickly restore the chic appearance of any piece of jewelry. Moreover, the range of such cleaners is presented in different types. It can be:
- solutions, which will cope with plaque and other contaminants in just a couple of minutes;
- specialized cloth wipes for polishing and cleaning. They have a soft base that does not scratch the surface;
- cleaning paste the most contaminated products. It presents no difficulties during operation and also guarantees long-term protection against tarnishing.
Before you begin cleaning, you must carefully study the composition of the product and also adhere to the instructions for use, since some substances can erase the gold plating or damage the surface of the jewelry.
Folk remedies
Sometimes it happens that you urgently need to clean a gold-plated chain, but there are no special tools or devices at hand. Then you should resort to traditional methods, which will cope with cleaning and polishing no worse than special solutions, and the costs will be minimal.
The main methods for easy cleaning of gilding at home include:
- wine spirit - Helps quickly restore the shine of gold-plated jewelry, and is also suitable for regular cleaning of gold-plated jewelry. To carry out the procedure, you need to moisten the sponge in the liquid and pass it along the chain;
- beer, especially dark varieties - removes any dirt from the surface of gold-plated products. To do this, soak the jewelry in a beer solution for a while, then rinse with running water, dry and polish with a soft cloth;
The time for soaking the chain in beer depends on the type and condition of the gilding.
- egg white — able to cope with any contamination and quickly help restore the shine of a gold-plated product. For wiping, you can use either protein alone, moistening a sponge in it, or adding a small amount of white;
When working with bleach, you should wear special gloves, as the chemical solution can damage the skin of your hands.
- soap — will remove any stains from the gilding and add a bright shine. The solution is prepared from soap, grated into pieces, and warm water. Place the jewelry in the liquid for any time, then rinse and rub with a dry soft cloth;
- alcohol - removes greasy stains and removes green tint. The alcohol solution must be mixed with water, but you should not overexpose the gold-plated chains in it, as the coating may peel off;
- toothpaste - the most common cleaning method. It is necessary to use only toothpaste without dyes or tooth powder;
When applying toothpaste, you must use a soft kitchen sponge that will not damage the surface of the jewelry.
- soda — when mixed with water, it cleans the product well from dirt, but it is an aggressive agent, so when used, the gold-plated chain should be immersed in the solution for a short period of time, then rinsed and wiped;
- vinegar - cleans well and adds shine to gilding. After soaking in a solution of vinegar and water, the jewelry should be rinsed thoroughly, as any remaining acid may damage the top layer.
After using any of the above cleaning methods, you need to rub the product with a soft cloth or natural suede. The further type of the chain and the quality of the work done depend on this process.
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