How to Clean White Gold? (Steps with Hints 2020)

From necklaces and bracelets to engagement rings and wedding bands, white gold is a stylish metal for different types of jewelry and has been on-trend for a while now.

If you have any special pieces of white gold, you’ll want to keep them in top condition. Careful cleaning can help your jewelry last longer and look as wonderful as it did on the day you bought it.

Jewelry made from different metals can’t all be cleaned in the same way, and you should take care to ensure the longevity of your lovely trinkets.

Read on to discover what materials you’ll need to clean your white gold, and how to clean in the most effective way.

In the Post

How is White Gold Different to Yellow Gold?
What You Need
How to Clean White Gold – Step by Step
What to Do If Your White Gold is Scratched
Handy Hints

How is White Gold Different to Yellow Gold?

White gold is a composite made up of yellow gold and white metals, as well as the plating on top which stops the yellow color showing through.

The resulting color and shine of the metal makes it beautiful and sought after, but it also means you have to take extra care when cleaning it.

Also remember that, like yellow gold, white gold is a soft metal. It can easy be scratched or dented, even by other jewelry in your jewelry box.

Don’t let your jewels get piled up on top of each other. To keep your precious items looking good for longer, store them appropriately and clean regularly.

What You Need

Small Bowl or Basin
Warm Water
Cloth
Soft Bristled Brush (toothbrush size)
Baking Soda
Jewelers Cloth, Chamois Cloth or Microfiber Cloth

How to Clean White Gold – Step by Step

Step 1

Before you start, carefully inspect your jewelry for any damage that might be made worse by the cleaning process. In particular, if your white gold jewelry has any gemstones such as diamonds, check that none of these are loose.

A stone that wiggles about might become dislodged and lost once submerged in water for cleaning, so always check first. Also, check any chain links or clasps for damage.

Broken or damaged jewelry should be fixed by a professional jeweler before cleaning can take place. But, leave yourself enough time to clean the jewelry properly.

Don’t rush the process – white gold needs to soak in warm water for around twenty minutes before the cleaning can take place, and you should never rush the clean or you risk scrubbing scratches into the metal’s soft surface.

For one or two pieces of jewelry, give yourself an hour to complete the task without any extra pressure.

Step 2

Prepare a bowl with some warm water and a little squirt of liquid dish soap – about 5 ml of dish soap to 2 cups of warm water.

Stir the water to make the dish soap bubbly, and then leave your jewelry to soak for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Caution

Don’t use hot or boiling water, just make it tepid. Overly hot water can damage the metal.

Don’t leave your jewelry to soak if it has either onyx stones or pearls. Instead, soak a cloth in the warm dish soap water and wrap around the metal parts of the jewelry – not the stones.

Step 3

Make a paste by combining the baking soda with a little water – it should be a thick paste and shouldn’t be too wet. Take the jewelry out of the water and gently shake any excess water off of it.

Using a soft bristled brush, scrub the paste onto the jewelry. This is why you should check the jewelry before you wash, as the scrubbing could dislodge a loose stone.

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Work slowly and carefully, making sure to work the bristles and paste into any small crevices. Jewelry might look clean, but there are tiny spaces that can get filled with sweat, skin particles, dirt and other grime.

Rinse the brush each time it starts getting dirty before applying new paste. If the jewelry is really grubby, mix the baking soda with white vinegar instead of water.

Step 4

Once the white gold jewelry has been thoroughly cleaned with the brush, rinse it under warm running water.

Make sure that the water can run easily through the clasp and all other nooks and crannies. It’s important to dry the jewelry carefully.

You can’t leave it to air dry as water spots could forms on the metal or stones, or cause a build-up of dirt. Make sure you dry the jewelry with the correct type of cloth.

Start by gently patting and never rub too hard. Just using an ordinary towel could easily allow fibers to catch on the jewelry and get stuck or cause damage.

Use a special jeweler’s cloth or a microfiber cloth that won’t damage your jewelry.

What to Do If Your White Gold is Scratched

Even when you take the utmost care to ensure gentle handling of your jewelry, sometimes it can become scratched.

If you notice a scratch in your white gold, don’t try to fix the problem yourself.

Always take it to a professional jeweler to be properly restored. This will be done by carefully polishing the scratch out.

However, bear in mind that if a piece is polished too often then it can cause the rhodium to wear away, so it’s always best to be on the safe side and avoid scratches as much as possible!

Handy Hints

Never in a Sink

Whenever you’re cleaning jewelry, always do it in a separate basin and not in a sink. Even with the plug in, it’s all too easy for precious pieces of jewelry to fall down the plughole and be lost forever.

Also, it’s much easier to see any loose stones that have fallen out during cleaning if you do so in a shallow basin.

Avoid Tangling

If you’re cleaning more than one piece at a time, be careful not to let jewelry get tangled up together. If possible, separate the pieces of jewelry, even when they’re soaking.

Also, remove all pieces from the soak after twenty-five minutes have passed. If you clean the pieces one by one and leave the others soaking, they will spend too much time in the water.

Ammonia Helps

If your jewelry is especially dirty, you can add a few drops of ammonia to the water when you leave your jewels to soak.

Do it Regularly

Remember to clean your jewelry regularly. If you have a jeweler’s cloth, just giving it a quick rub once a week will keep your jewelry intact and looking shiny, even when it doesn’t need a proper clean.

However, remember that excessive cleaning, especially if you use cleaning chemicals, can actually cause damage to your jewelry.

Soft and Gentle

Even with very dirty jewelry, don’t use anything abrasive like a scouring brush to clean it. White gold is a soft metal and can easily be scratched or dented.

Slow and gentle are the words to remember when cleaning your white gold jewelry.

If the white gold is still dirty after soaking and brushing with a soft bristled brush, repeat the process or buy a professional cleaning chemical.

Take it to Professionals

Sometimes, a simple clean just won’t do the job. White gold jewelry is usually plated with rhodium, which is lovely and shiny but can also wear away.

If your jewelry is starting to look yellow where the plating is coming off, you can take your jewels to a professional jeweler to be replated.

Keep Harsh Chmicals Away

To keep your jewelry in good condition for longer, take it off or cover it if it’s likely to come into contact with harsh chemicals.

For example, you should consider taking off your jewelry if you’re using a public swimming pool, as chlorine can damage what you’re wearing.

Make sure to leave it somewhere safe where it can’t be damaged or stolen. Jewelry can also get lost if not taken off for certain activities.

When doing the dishes, wear rubber gloves to protect your hands and rings, or take off any rings that you don’t want to get damaged.

Also, remove jewelry when swimming in the sea – particularly rings. Your fingers can shrink when they get cold and a ring can easily slip off into the ocean.

Please consider removing your white gold jewelry when you do housework that involves any harsh chemicals, or when you’re doing a task where items can easily be dropped – such as cleaning the toilet.

Get a Special Cleaner

Have a lot of white gold jewelry that needs to be cleaned often? Consider purchasing a special steam cleaner.

You can also buy ultrasonic cleaners which produce tiny bubbles which impact the jewelry to strip it of dirt.

Special dips, sprays and polishes are also good choices to clean your jewelry, but always read the label and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Special Pieces, Special Treats

If you have a special piece of white gold, perhaps a family heirloom or something very expensive, you might be nervous about cleaning it yourself. When this is the case, take your jewelry to a jewelry shop to be professionally cleaned.

The price will depend on the size and material of the jewelry and the pricing of the shop, but you can’t put a price on piece of mind when it comes to your favorite piece of jewelry.