How to clean & care for gold
If you own gold, it is important to care for it properly. Most people receive gold as a gift, so it is important to keep your gold clean and wear it well to show respect for the gift giver.
Gold is actually very easy to keep clean and if you want your gold to look great no matter how old it is here are some easy tips. It is important not to wear gold all the time. While most people wear a wedding ring for a lifetime occasionally taking it off to be cleaned, gold jewelry that is delicate and includes springs or clasps may weaken and break with much wear, so wear your special delicate pieces only on special occasions.
Gold can be cleaned easily with dish washing detergent and a very soft toothbrush, while this method sounds crude, it will usually be extremely effective. You can also purchase the many gold jewelry cleansers that include very mild and non abrasive detergents. Most gold cleaners include a very soft brush as well. Once you have removed dirt or make up, you can buff very gently with a lint free cotton cloth.
One of the best ways to store gold is in a velvet box or in tissue paper. Make sure the gold is dry and is stored in a cool, dry environment. Velvet or tissue paper is used so that other pieces of jewelry that have sharp edges or stones do not scratch or damage the jewelry.
How to care for Platinum
Platinum is an expensive, precious metal, so you will probably want to take care of it well and have it looking good whenever you wear it. Platinum is far less susceptible to tarnish than gold or silver. Platinum can be cleaned the same as gold, by using dish washing detergent and an extremely soft brush. Buff with a lint free cloth made from cotton.
You can store platinum in a velvet container in a cool dry place. Make sure it is protected from other pieces of jewelry that can scratch or damage your platinum.
It is important to note that if you have jewelry that includes platinum as well as other metals and stones, platinum will usually tarnish last, so make sure that your jeweler advises you on how to clean the many different parts of the jewelry piece in order to keep the entire item looking great
How to clean & care for silver.
Silver is a beautiful precious metal that is very durable; however it can tarnish or oxidize easily. Caring for and cleaning silver is very easy, you can clean silver with dishwashing detergent and an extremely soft brush, usually a very soft baby’s tooth brush will do the trick. Once the water beads up on the silver, pat dry with a lint free cloth. Do not use a harsh cloth, the fibers may scratch and damage the silver. For silver that has stubborn tarnish, there are products that your local jewelry or even hardware store sells to remove tarnish from antiques, silverware and your jewelry.
Caring for silver is very easy as well. You can easily store silver in a dry, dark place. Light can tarnish your silver, so usually a velvet box or a velvet bag is perfect. It is also important to note that chlorine and household chemicals can damage silver, so if you plan on swimming or cleaning your home, remove your silver jewelry.
