How to Clean Gold Jewelry at Home with Baking Soda

Reading Time: 4 minutes

We all have our favorite jewelry pieces we never go out without. But the more you wear them, the more they lose their sparkle until you end up with tarnished gold jewelry. Let’s be honest, though. Going to a professional jeweler is only sometimes a practical option, especially when you’re short on time. But who said you have to jump through hoops to clean your jewelry?

All you need is baking soda and a couple of everyday household items. So, check out these easy, proven-and-tested DIYs to learn how to clean your gold jewelry at home. You can try proven methods yourself, even if you don’t have a jewelry cleaner.

Let’s dive in!

Using Baking Soda and Salt to Clean Gold Jewelry

This homemade jewelry cleaner method will only take you 10 minutes.

Things you’ll need

• Bowl
• Baking soda
• Warm water
• Salt
• Lint-free cloth
• A soft-bristled toothbrush or eyebrow brush
• Dishwash (optional)

Step 1: Mix Baking Soda and Salt with Water

Add one to two tablespoons of baking soda and mix it with equal salt. You can add a drop of dishwashing soap to the mix if your gold jewelry is highly tarnished.

After you prepare the mix, add it to a bowl full of warm (not hot) water.

Step 2: Soak Jewelry

Soak your gold jewelry in the bowl for no more than 10 minutes.

Step 3: Scrub Jewelry (if needed)

If you still find stains, gently scrub the jewelry with an eyebrow brush or a soft toothbrush. We prefer the former because it’s less harsh on gold jewelry. If you want to use a toothbrush, don’t scrub too hard! Otherwise, you may end up causing unnecessary damage and wear to your gold pieces.

Step 4: Rinse with Running Water

After removing all the tarnish, rinse the jewelry under cold running water. Doing this will remove any remnants of tarnish that you may find in the crevices of your gold jewelry.

Step 5: Dry Jewelry

Grab a soft cloth and gently pat the jewelry until it’s completely dry. If you leave any moisture, the gold jewelry will oxidize and become discolored.

Mixing Baking Soda with Boiling Water to Clean Gold Jewelry

Another quick but effective method is adding baking soda to boiling water. Use it if you want to clean several gold jewelry pieces.

Things you’ll need

• Pot of boiling water
• Baking soda
• Lint-free cloth
• A soft-bristled toothbrush or eyebrow brush

Step 1: Add Baking Soda to Boiling Water

Add water to a pot, just enough to cover the jewelry, and heat it on a stove. Once the water starts boiling, add one tablespoon of baking soda. Then, give the pot a quick stir.

Step 2: Add Jewelry to Water Pot

Add your gold jewelry to the pot and let it sit for a minute. Afterward, turn off the stove and let the pot cool for 5 minutes in a spot away from heat.

Step 3: Rinse, Scrub, and Dry Jewelry

Scrub your jewelry under running water with an eyebrow brush, then rinse it thoroughly. Again, dry the jewelry with a soft cloth until no moisture is left.

Mixing Baking Soda and Vinegar to Clean Gold Jewelry

The two methods we mentioned before are gentle on jewelry. However, if you feel your jewelry needs a more potent option, try baking soda with vinegar. Be careful and use this solution sparingly, though. Acidic vinegar is too harsh on gold jewelry when mixed with baking soda.

Things You’ll Need

• White distilled vinegar
• Baking soda
• Water
• Lint-free cloth
• Q-tip or soft brush
• Bowl

Step 1: Mix Baking Soda and Water

Add three teaspoons of baking soda to a teaspoon of water. Stir the mixture until it turns to a creamy-like consistency.

Step 2: Coat Jewelry with the Mixture

Apply the mixture to your gold jewelry, covering all the fine details and crevices. You can use a soft brush or q-tip for this. Once this step is over, place the jewelry in a bowl.

Step 3: Immerse Jewelry in Vinegar

Pour ½ cup of white distilled vinegar into the bowl and let the jewelry soak for 5 minutes.

Step 4: Rinse and Dry Gold Jewelry

Unlike the previous methods, avoid scrubbing the jewelry because vinegar is strong enough. Rinse it well under warm running water, then dry it with a lint-free cloth.

Essential Dos and Don’ts:

• Use a new baby-sized soft toothbrush instead of an old one. An old toothbrush is too abrasive on gold jewelry.
• Try not to keep gold jewelry wet for too long to prevent oxidation.
• Don’t try baking soda with vinegar on gold that contains gemstones, such as emeralds, opals, or pearls.

How to Take Care of Gold Jewelry

Knowing how to protect jewelry is as important as cleaning them, so check out these tips.

Keep Chemicals Away from Jewelry

Take off your jewelry when applying moisturizer, sunscreen, or other beauty products. Sweat creates a chemical reaction with jewelry, causing it to tarnish. Skip the jewelry if you plan to exercise or cook.

Avoid Chlorine and Cleaning Detergents Like the Plague

Try not to shower or swim with your gold jewelry on, especially if you have chlorine water. Also, avoid cleaning your jewelry with ammonia or cleaning detergents. Those are harsh on it.

Store Jewelry Safely

Store your jewelry in a safe box away from humidity and excessive heat. Take it up a notch by wrapping gold jewelry in a well-sealed plastic bag, and make sure no air is left inside.

Wrap-up

By now, you should know how to clean gold jewelry at home. We love how simple it is. Even plain water with baking soda can turn them back to brand new!

To recap, use baking soda with vinegar if you have extremely tarnished jewelry pieces. Yet, avoid this method if you have gold jewelry with gems. Instead, you can use either baking soda with salt or baking soda with boiling water.

And voilà! Now, go show off your bling-bling!