How to clean a gold pendant
Adding a pendant to your outfit can be one of the easiest ways to achieve an elegant, glamorous – yet effortless – look. But if you want heads to turn, you’ll need to make sure your pendant is in tip top condition first!
If you’re wondering how to clean a gold pendant, we’ve got the answers! From gemstone pendants to pure gold pendants, we’ve created the ultimate guide on how to clean any pendant in your jewelry collection, without damaging the pendant nor the necklace chain. Let’s take a look!
HOW TO CLEAN A GOLD PENDANT, STEP BY STEP
Before giving you step by step instructions on how to clean a gold pendant, it’s first important to determine which types of gold pendants are suitable for this cleaning method. The below cleaning method is suitable for the following types of pendants:
A pendant that is made of gold alone (with no attached gem stones or pearls.)
A pendant that is made of gold with the following gemstones: diamonds, sapphires, and rubies. If your pendant contains emeralds or opals, scroll to the next section for further information.
So, without further ado, here’s how to clean a gold pendant at home:
GRAB A BOWL AND SOME DISH SOAP
We recommend cleaning all fine jewelry with dish soap – this is because it’s incredibly gentle, while still capable of killing germs and leaving your jewelry pieces in great condition. Avoid strong detergents and harsh cleaning agents, as these can end up harming your jewelry rather than helping.
CREATE A CLEANING MIX
Using your dish soap and some lukewarm water, create a soapy cleaning mix in your bowl. Make sure the water isn’t too hot – if you can’t leave your finger in it for more than a few seconds, it’s too hot.
LET YOUR PENDANT SOAK
Take your pendant and place it gently into the soapy mixture. Let it sit in the bowl for around 10-15 minutes, which is long enough to lift any grime and dirt. If you want to disinfect your pendant, you can leave it for slightly longer.
RINSE AND DRY
Once your pendant has soaked, you need to rinse off any lingering suds by rinsing your pendant under the tap. Make sure to use your sink’s plug while doing this! You should then dry it off quickly with a soft cloth or a towel, making sure not to scratch the surfaces.
BUFF
If you want to give your pendant that extra sheen, you can also buff it, using either a microfiber cloth or a soft-bristled toothbrush. Pro tip: microfiber cloths work better for buffing gold jewelry, as they’re designed to clean delicate items like eyewear and glass.
VOILA, YOUR PENDANT SHOULD BE CLEAN!
Once you’ve buffed your pendant, it should be shiny and brand new again – repeat this every week or so if you want to enjoy that like-new look all year round.
CLEANING GOLD PENDANTS WITH OPALS AND EMERALDS
If you have a gold pendant with an attached opal or emerald gemstone, it’s highly important that you don’t soak the pendant in soapy water. Emeralds and opals are both porous gemstones: this means that their surfaces contain microscopic holes, into which bacteria and other nasty stuff can settle.
Instead, you’ll want to follow the same instructions as above, but instead of soaking the pendant, simply brush it instead with the soapy mixture and a soft, baby toothbrush. This will protect the integrity of the gemstones, while also working away any grime or dirt that has accumulated over time.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU CLEAN GOLD JEWELRY?
Certain jewelry items are more prone to picking up dirt and grime than others, and thus cleaning frequencies vary. If you’re wearing a piece of gold jewelry every day (such as a wedding or engagement ring) you might want to clean it every couple of weeks to keep it in pristine condition.
On the other hand, costume gold jewelry that is only worn on special occasions – such as a 22k gold pendant – doesn’t need to be cleaned as much. So long as it’s kept in its jewelry box and protected from sunlight and dust, you can keep cleaning it once after every use.
