Wearing earrings is a great way to draw attention to your natural features and add a creative flair to your look – but how do you clean and disinfect gold earrings to prevent infection?

Ear piercing infections are incredibly common, and in most cases not serious. However, they can be unsightly and painful, and tend to occur when you wear a pair of earrings that have picked up some harmful bacteria in between uses. To avoid this, it’s a good idea to wash your earrings on a regular basis.

When it comes to different earrings metals, washing and disinfecting methods can vary. In this guide, we’re going to show you how to disinfect gold earrings, so you can enjoy wearing your favorite pair as often as you please, without the accompanying redness or a nasty infection. Let’s take a look!

CAN I DISINFECT GOLD EARRINGS WITH ALCOHOL?

If your gold earrings are made with a high gold karat, you can usually safely disinfect them using an alcohol solution. However, if your gold earrings have attached gem stones such as emeralds or opals, alcohol can end up causing long-lasting damage to the integrity of the stone. If you want to disinfect gold earrings, you’ll need to make sure that any attached stones or diamonds are suitable for cleaning with alcohol.

HOW TO DISINFECT GOLD EARRINGS

If you’ve recently had an infection in either of your ear piercings, it’s a good idea to disinfect all your earrings to prevent further re-infection. When it comes to disinfecting gold earrings, usually a simple dish soap will do the trick. However, if you want to ensure that there’s no lingering bacteria present on your earrings, you can use a very small isopropyl rubbing alcohol (provided, as mentioned above, that your earrings contain no precious gemstones.)

Here’s how to safely disinfect gold earrings with alcohol:

  1. Pour a small amount of isopropyl rubbing alcohol into a small bowl. Note that you’ll want to opt for a non-porous material for the bowl (such as steel, glass, silicone or hard plastic), as porous materials can harbor microscopic bacteria within their surfaces, even after cleaning.
  2. Gently place your gold earrings in the bowl and let them soak briefly. A couple of minutes will do the job.

When it comes to regular cleaning, you’ll want to opt for a more gentle method:

  1. Create a mixture of gentle dish soap and lukewarm water. To avoid damage, you must avoid hot water – test the mixture beforehand.
  2. Let your gold earrings sit for 5-10 minutes. This allows enough time for any grime or dirt to lift gently.
  3. Take a softly bristled toothbrush (a baby toothbrush should work) and gently buff the earrings where necessary.
  4. Rinse under cold water. This is to prevent any sud stains or streaks.
  5. Air dry naturally. And your earrings are clean!

Cleaning your earrings regularly can help prevent infections, and can even keep your gold jewelry in tip-top conditions! Elements such as sweat, dust, water, and chemicals can all impact a piece of gold jewelry’s sheen, so regular cleaning helps to prevent this type of grime buildup.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I WASH MY EARRINGS?

You should wash your earrings once a week to prevent bacteria transfers and grime build-up.

HOW TO PREVENT INFECTED EAR PIERCINGS

If you notice that your ear piercings are regularly becoming infected, here’s what we recommend to help prevent future infections:

  • Always have your piercings carried out in a professional establishment. Ideally, you should only get your ears pierced in a licensed jewelers.
  • NEVER pierce your own ears at home. This is one of the easiest ways to end up with a painful injury or a nasty infection.
  • Clean your piercings every day. If you’re prone to infection, clean your piercings every day with a safe alcohol solution.
  • Avoid cheap jewelry. A great way to avoid ear piercing infections is to opt for high-quality jewelry, such as 22 carat gold earrings. High-quality metals are easier to clean and disinfect regularly, making it easier for you to prevent infection.
  • Don’t share earrings. While it’s fine to share rings, bracelets, and necklaces, never share earrings amongst friends – this can lead to the transmission of bacterial infections.
  • Clean your earrings regularly. To avoid the transfer of bacteria, give your earrings a quick cleanse with a gentle soap at least once a week.