Basic rules for cleaning gold plates
You cannot compare gold-plated products with silver or gold ones. Therefore, other cleaning methods must be chosen for such items. The sprayed surface easily deteriorates, so it must be properly prepared. The first stage involves removing surface dirt, dust and stains using alcohol or turpentine.
It is forbidden to carry out mechanical cleaning, because it may scratch or damage the surface. For home care, it is better to use suede fabric, because... it restores the shine of metal and fights stains. When processing gold-plated watches, it is enough to wipe them with suede. If you are cleaning gold-plated silverware, you must first remove any grease deposits.
It is also necessary to carry out the following activities:
- Wipe the gold plate with a dry cloth. It is better to use flannel, suede or wool for such purposes.
- Then you need to get rid of surface dirt.
There are several factors that contribute to the loss of the natural shade of gold-plated silver:
- Staying in an environment with high humidity.
- Interaction with chemical reagents and drugs.
- Interaction with cosmetic products that a person uses.
- Contact with sweat or certain foods: onions, egg whites, gas and rubber.
Despite its vulnerability to darkening, gold-plated silver continues to be in demand and does not lose its original properties. But to do this, you need to properly care for it, using effective methods and folk remedies.
Cleaning of gilding is carried out taking into account the following rules and recommendations:
- Use only compounds compatible with gold plating.
- Do not clean the surface with tooth powder or chalk. Due to the presence of abrasive particles in the composition, such products can damage the gold plating.
- Wipe the surface regularly with a suede cloth.
- Before you start cleaning, prepare your jewelry.
Soap, Vaseline and chalk
The procedure is simple.
- Take 1 tbsp. l. Vaseline, chalk, water and pre-grated laundry soap.
- Using a soft cloth, gold-plated products are carefully coated with this composition. You can’t rub it, you just need to apply the product to the surface.
- Wait 10 minutes.
- Rinse the items and rub them with suede.
If you strictly follow the recommendations, the method is completely safe. The chalk must be thoroughly crushed to a powdery state.
Methods for removing stains from gold plated
There are many ways to clean gold-plated silver at home. The main thing is that they act carefully and do not harm surfaces. If the stains are small, they can be polished with a soft cloth. If there are stubborn stains, you will have to choose other, more effective methods.
Wine spirit
To restore a gold-plated ring or earrings, you can use a proven folk remedy—wine alcohol. Place a soft sponge in a container with liquid and begin wiping the surfaces. If you don’t have access to alcohol, you can replace it with wine vinegar, which should be at the disposal of every housewife.
After cleaning, you will need to treat the surface with a suede cloth to restore its shine. This method is considered the most harmless, since it does not harm gold-plated items, but effectively removes stains.
Cleaning with beer
You can clean a gold-plated watch, chain, earrings or other coated silver items with beer. This alcoholic drink has a mild effect and effectively combats any darkening, with the exception of severe damage to the metal.
The required amount of drink is poured into the container, and then the gold-plated item is placed. After half an hour, you need to take it out, rinse it under running water and wipe it with a rag.
Soap solution
Caring for gold-plated silver is possible with a soap solution. To prepare this product, you will need warm water and laundry soap, grated and mixed with water until smooth. The resulting mass should be kept in a container with an airtight lid, and then the decoration should be lowered into it for a couple of minutes and shake thoroughly.
The soap solution will wash away any stains and dark spots well. If there are stubborn dirt, they will need to be removed with a soft brush. Then the surface is washed under running water and cleaned with suede.
Alcohol and turpentine
You can clean a gold-plated chain at home using alcohol or turpentine. The substance effectively removes greasy stains, darkening or dirt on products. Different types of alcohol base are suitable for processing:
- Medical.
- Ethyl.
- Denatured.
To clean the surface, you need to moisten a cotton swab or sponge in alcohol, and then begin to wipe the gold plate, washing away any remaining dirt under the influence of a water stream. At the end of the processing, the gilding should be polished with a soft cloth.
Table vinegar
You can wipe the surface of the gold plated with this substance or place the jewelry in it for a few minutes. Regardless of the processing method, it is important to use diluted vinegar with a 9% concentration.
If the first option is used - surface treatment of the product - 2 tbsp. l. acids need to be diluted in a glass of water, and then soak a sponge in the solution and begin wiping.
When carrying out the soaking procedure, you need to take a solution based on 2 tbsp. l. substances and 1 liter of water. The decoration is placed in the container for 15 minutes.
After cleaning the surface, rinse it thoroughly and dry it. If this is not done, the remaining aggressive substance will begin to damage the spraying. Under their influence, the gilding quickly wears off and the product loses its attractiveness.
Egg white against darkening
Break a chicken egg and separate the yolk from the white. To prepare the product, you only need the second, protein part. It is applied to a cotton pad and used for surface wiping.
By cleaning you can restore the shine and brightness of the coating. Add 1 tbsp to the solution. l. whiteness. When working with chemicals, you will need to take care to protect your hands and wear gloves.
Egg yolk and javel water
Javel water means a composition of potassium salts and hypochlorous acids. 1 tbsp. l. This solution is combined with raw, pre-beaten yolk and used to clean contaminants. After treatment, the surface must be washed and polished with a soft cloth.
Baking soda
To clean gold-plated spoons or watches, you can use a proven folk remedy: baking soda. The method is quite simple, but before using it you need to soak the items in a soapy solution. Next, you should prepare a soda solution from 50 g of soda and 1 liter of water. After the solution has cooled, take out the silver spoons and wipe them dry with a soft cloth.
You can also pour 15 g of baking soda into a glass and place the product there overnight. In the morning, the gilded item is rinsed and wiped dry.
If darkening appears, you will need to create a paste of baking soda and water, and then apply it with careful finger movements to the surface. After cleaning, the product must be wiped down.
Ammonia
You can clean gilded silver from blackness with ammonia. Mix 1 tbsp in a glass. l. water and 1 tbsp. l. ammonia. Then spoons or other decorations are placed there and kept for 15-20 minutes.
Often, ammonia is combined with chalk and applied to silver objects. After waiting for the mixture to dry, the metal must be cleaned under running water and wiped dry.
Spoons with green spots can be saved with a mixture based on ammonia and soap. Mix 1 tsp in a liter of warm water. crushed soap and 6 drops of ammonia. Then gilded silver is immersed in the container. The item will need to be removed after 30 minutes, rinsed with water and dried. It is necessary to monitor the duration of exposure of the gold-plated item so as not to damage the plating.
At home, you can use another popular stain removal method. It consists of combining ammonia with toothpaste. To do this, combine a small strip of toothpaste with 15 drops of ammonia and apply it to your toothbrush. Then you should start wiping the surface. This solution has a pungent and unpleasant odor, so it is better to perform the procedure in an open space.
Hydrogen peroxide
When using this product, you must be careful. Despite its high cleaning efficiency, hydrogen peroxide can react with and destroy other elements. Therefore, before using the method, you need to familiarize yourself with the composition of the product.
Ammonia and soap
This method helps to quickly get rid of greenish stains that can appear on gold-plated silver items. Let's consider the procedure.
- Add 1 tsp to a liter of warm water. soap (you can rub the bar on a fine grater or just take liquid).
- Add ammonia to the resulting soapy liquid - 6 drops.
- Mix the resulting solution.
- Immerse the products in it for half an hour.
- Rinse the silver.
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The final stage is to polish the gilding with a suede cloth.
This substance helps to quickly and effortlessly remove stains from a gold-plated item without spoiling it. How to proceed?
- Soak a sponge in alcohol.
- Rub the product until completely clean.
Finally, you can also use a piece of suede, then the products will shine like new.
How not to clean gold plate
To quickly and correctly clean a gold-plated silver item, you need to know which products are suitable for treatment and which are not. It is forbidden to use abrasive compounds for cleaning, because they can ruin the spraying. The use of the following means is also not permitted:
- Tooth powder or paste.
- Powdered chalk.
Gold jewelry can withstand such treatment normally, but gold-plated models are severely scratched or completely lose their plating.
If there are precious stones, cleaning should be carried out with extreme caution, avoiding methods that involve immersing objects in solutions. If you miss this moment, the fragile fastening or adhesive base holding the stone will be damaged.
Another requirement applies to products with fasteners. Cleaning should be as delicate as possible, because... fasteners are made of simple metals and are subject to rust.
If you do not have the skills to clean gold-plated silver, it is better to entrust the procedure to an experienced craftsman. Any careless actions can worsen the condition of the jewelry or completely erase the gilding.
Prevention and care rules
Any gold-plated surface is subject to abrasion. This is facilitated by simple wear and tear or non-compliance with maintenance rules. If a valuable item is constantly in contact with sweat, dust, dirt and water, the problem will only get worse. At the same time, frequent wet processing also negatively affects the “life” of the coating.
To make the product more durable, you need to adhere to the following rules and recommendations:
- If signs of dirt or stains appear, they should be wiped with a soft cloth. It is better to use a flannel or woolen cloth.
- The gold-plated surface must be isolated from moisture, perfume or household chemicals. You should not expose her to cosmetics yet.
- It is better to store gold-plated items in a safe place, wrapped in a soft cloth so that they do not come into contact with other jewelry with a similar coating. Gold-plated products should not be placed close to sharp objects.
- It is necessary to isolate gold plating from exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Otherwise, the surface will begin to fade and darken.
- Experts also do not recommend going for a swim in the sea or pool with jewelry. Finding itself in an aggressive environment, the gilding will begin to wear out and lose its shine.
After each wear, the jewelry item should be wiped with a suede cloth to remove any remaining grease and dirt. The more often such light cleaning is carried out, the longer the jewelry will last without losing its initial shine and beauty.
When problem areas appear, they will be easy to remove using folk methods and improvised means. If you properly care for gold-plated jewelry, it will be able to maintain its attractive appearance for a long time.
When starting cleaning at home, pay attention to the form factor of the item, its weight and workmanship. Thin chains and bracelets require careful handling and careful cleaning. The same should be done with products that are equipped with precious stones or decorative elements.
It is not difficult to restore the shine and attractiveness of a gold-plated surface. The main thing is to know about the basic cleaning rules and the best folk remedies that allow you to remove stains and dirt.
