Do you know how to clean gold jewelry at home? It’s super easy!
Most people think of polishing silver, not gold. But gold can get dull too. Over time, gold loses its shine due to products we wear like lotion and perfume as well as oils and sweat from our skin. Like silver, it’s possible for gold to tarnish.
I used to never think about cleaning my gold pieces because I thought the dullness overtime was just the look of the jewelry. But it isn’t! Your gold should shine like it did when you first received it.
14k solid gold bracelets. Oval and Paperclip link, Paperclip link.
Your gold jewelry can sparkle like new again with a simple gold cleaning solution you can make at home. Simply mix salt, baking soda, and hot water together and soak your gold jewelry for 10 minutes. Can you believe it’s that easy? Yup, it is!
The following card (scroll below) outlines the step by step guidelines on how to clean gold jewelry at home. Note – this is for 14-18k gold, not gold filled or gold plated!
How to clean gold jewelry
Tarnished 14K gold earring I have had for 25 years.
Aluminum foil, baking soda, salt, clean cloth, and hot water are the supplies you need.
Finished product! Like new after sitting in gold cleaning solution for 10 minutes and wiped off with cloth.
How to clean gold jewelry
The salt, baking soda and aluminum foil together create ion transfers (a chemical exchange) that naturally help clean the metal.
Materials
- 1 tablespoon of salt (clears away dirt and debris)
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda (helps clean the metal)
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 dry cloth
Instructions
- Cover a small bowl with aluminum foil.
- Add salt.
- Add baking soda.
- Heat water in the microwave for 2 minutes.
- Add the water to the aluminum foil covered bowl with salt and baking soda.
- Soak jewelry for 10 minutes.
- Remove and rub excess debris/tarnish with a soft cloth.
- Rinse in warm water.
- Dry with soft cloth.
Notes
Don't forget to heat your water first!
Don't soak it for longer than 10 minutes, especially if you have any stones in the gold. Depending on the make and how the stones are attached, the solution may loosen them as it is cleaning the jewelry.
Visit my jewelry shop collection!
And if you found this post useful, see my posts
How to Clean Diamonds Quickly and Easily
The Differences between Gold, Solid, Vermeil and Filled
It worked!!!
I have an 18k medal of the Virgen Mary with 4 small diamonds. It’s 85 years old, given to me at birth.
Also a gold cross, 60 yrs. old.
I followed your instructions and was so happy to see how shiny they were!
I highly recommend this method.
Thank you!
❤️👏
Hi Anita! So happy it worked for your special piece. Cheers!
Thanks, Yes it really works my earrings had turned black and they look brand new . THANKS
Yay Im so happy to see this note! so glad it worked well for you!!
OMG..!🤩 Yes it works just fine. My daughter uses skin creams and some how tarnished her 14kt gold rope chain black .. I did this simple 3 steps and it look like a shiny new coin.. After taking it to jewelry store and he couldn’t get it back gold!! 🥺Thanks for sharing
So glad it worked to restore your daughter’s chain! Lotions and hairspray are so bad for our jewelry.
What if im not sure if its real
If not real, the cleaning will likely strip the color from the metal.
Hello will this cleaner work with 10k yellow gold as well?
It will! Let me know how it goes!
as mentioned above; it’s work between 14 – 18K
Works like magic! Thank you so much xxx
It worked! My ring was in my pocket and went through a bleach wash. Came out tarnished. I panicked and found this on Google. Just three simple ingredients already in my cupboards and it worked!!! Thank you!!!
OMG! I almost have given up on trying to clean it myself and was ready to send my forgotten 14kt Tutone diamond bracelet to the jeweler for professional help. Tried many combination similar to this but nothing worked. The hot water with the aluminum foil did the trick. My bracelet looked brand new again…..Thank You so so so much!
How amazing! Thanks so much for sharing this!
Will this work on pure gold coins? And does the foil cover the bottom of the bowl or the top?
Yes it will work on pure gold. Foil is for bottom of bowl. Good luck!
My ring is a byzantine ring .Doesn’t look much better.Should I try it again?
please check to make sure the stone won’t be damaged with these ingredients before trying again
Is it safe for emeralds?
Sooo effective 👌👏👍! Thank you so much!!!
Girl! I cannot believe how well this worked! I cleaned a name plate rope necklace I bought in 1996! It looks brand new! Thanks for the awesome recipe and the money you helped keep in my pocket! Thank you!
Worked great on my 18k gold necklace
Will it work with 22-24K gold as well?
Can you still use this method if the gold has diamonds like a tennis bracelet or diamond earrings?
I don’t have a microwave because I don’t use them. Could I heat water on a stove and add it to the Bowl?
Is this ok to use with diamonds I know it said be careful they may loosen but is that the only thing that can happen? There real diamonds and I I want to clean my rings but I’m afraid since they all have them in it.
Thank you so much! I was actually shocked when I pulled my bracelet out of the mixture. I had stopped wearing it months ago because it had turned black at the clasps, to the point that I thought my grandma had bought fake jewellery mistakenly (even though it has the 14k stamp). My earrings came out sparkling too! Thank you thank you thank you 🙏 My mum was surprised when I sent her the before and after pictures.
Thank you for this easy recipe! Is it safe to use with pearls?
Thank you for this brilliant hack.
My wedding ring was custom made by jeweller and for the past 15 years I returned to get it cleaned and remove light grazes.
My husband Mike also had the same issues as his wedding band was also custom made from the same jewellers so was double the fuss.
So again thank you 😊
James from UK
thanks, this worked so well will be using more often. So nice to be able to use ingredients that you have in your cupboards.
[…] How to Clean Gold Jewelry in 10 minutes – Ounce of Salt […]
[…] How to Clean Gold Jewelry in 10 minutes – Ounce of Salt […]
[…] How to Clean Gold Jewelry in 10 minutes – Ounce of Salt […]
To anyone doubting this……IT WORKS! Used this recipe on my grandmothers bangle bracelet she gave me and wowowowowowowowwwwwww the difference in color. It was almost brassy/black to look at and came out shiny and new and a lighter gold after only 10min. I’m super happy with the results. I don’t usually leave reviews but this deserved one. Thank you soo much!
[…] How to Clean Gold Jewelry in 10 minutes – Ounce of Salt […]
Hello from Neil, I have a large 24 ct. gold ring with 3 peridot stones set into it, do you recommend this salt soda and aluminium method to clean this, I know that ‘regular’ salt has one of four or five ‘free flowing’ agents included to stop caking, I don’t have this salt at home and only use Himalayan or ocean salt, also the household aluminium foil rolls used for baking can also have other products in their manufacture, is this detrimental to the desired cleaning process?
Thank you very much for your reply.
[…] How to Clean Gold Jewelry in 10 minutes – Ounce of Salt […]