Clean White Gold
White gold is gold that has been plated with a rhodium coating. While white gold jewelry is not difficult to care for, it does require special attention when cleaning it. With some simple precautions, warm water, detergent and a soft cloth, you can clean and shine your white gold jewelry with ease. Here are some tips for cleaning white gold.
Steps
- Examine your jewelry for loose stones, damaged prongs or other imperfections. If you notice anything wrong with jewelry, stop cleaning it and take it to a jeweler. If you attempt to clean it, you could damage your jewelry or lose precious stones in the process. If you don't notice any damage to your jewelry, proceed with the cleaning process.
- Mix 1 tsp. (5 ml) dish soap and 1 qt. (1.1 l) warm water together in a bowl. Swish it enough that the soap bubbles up slightly. Put your white gold into the bowl and allow it to soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Use a timer to remind you to remove the white gold from the bowl after it has soaked.
- Remove grime and dirt from the white gold piece. Using an old toothbrush with a paste of baking soda and warm water, gently rub the toothbrush's bristles on the white gold piece to remove the dirt. Do not scrub hard or you may scratch the rhodium surface.
- Rinse the white gold piece in warm water. If you are rinsing your jewelry in the sink, be careful that it does not go down the drain. Be sure to rinse off all of the detergent and baking soda solution.
- Dry the white gold using a soft towel or jewelry polishing cloth. Get the white gold completely dry. Rub the jewelry with the towel or cloth to polish it. Be careful not to rub it too hard, though. Excessive rubbing can cause scratching.
- Use jewelry cleaning solution from a professional jeweler if your piece of white gold did not come clean. This cleaning solution should be made specifically for white gold. This solution is made to loosen dirt and shine your jewelry.
- See a jeweler if your piece of white gold did not come clean or appears to be dull. Sometimes white gold needs to be replated with the rhodium finish, especially if you notice yellowing on your jewelry. A professional jeweler can use an electroplating process to restore the shine and durability to your white gold piece.
Tips
- Remove all white gold jewelry before going swimming in a pool with chlorine. Chlorine can damage the rhodium plating on white gold and cause it to diminish, dull, yellow or come off altogether. Other harsh chemicals, such as bleach and ammonia, may also damage your white gold items.
Warnings
- Only use alcohol with diamonds, not with other precious stones
Things You'll Need
- Warm water
- Dish detergent
- Bowl
- Old toothbrush
- vinegar
- 20 spare minutes
- Baking soda
- Soft towel or jewelry polishing cloth
