Why your gold jewellery loses its shine, and how to clean it

Gold does not rust, so when a favourite chain or bangle starts to look dull, the gold itself is usually not the problem. Very often it is a film on the surface, or fine scratches from the way the piece is stored. Both are easy to prevent, and a film comes off at home in a few minutes.

Our Instagram post put it in three habits: store separately, clean gently and avoid chemicals. Here they are in more detail, with the reasons behind them.

Why gold jewellery loses its shine

• A film on the surface. Skin oils, sweat, soap, lotion, sunscreen, perfume and dust build up into a thin film, especially between links and behind settings. It hides the shine without harming the gold.
• Fine scratches. Gold is a soft metal. Pieces that rub against each other, or against gemstones and harder metals, pick up tiny scratches that scatter the light. 916 (22K) gold is softer than 18K or 14K, so it marks a little more easily.
• Reactions in the alloy. Pure gold does not tarnish. 916 gold is 91.6% gold, and the rest is mostly silver and copper, added for strength. Those metals can react with sulphur and chlorine and slowly darken or discolour the surface. Because 916 is mostly gold, it is far less likely to tarnish than lower-karat gold, though it is not immune.

Store separately

Storing pieces loose in one pouch causes micro-scratches from friction: every time the pouch moves, the pieces rub together. Keep each piece in its own compartment, a soft pouch or its original box to protect the finish.

• Fasten chains and necklaces before you put them away, so they do not tangle or kink.
• Keep pieces set with diamonds or other hard stones away from plain gold. The stones can scratch it.
• Keep jewellery out of the bathroom, where steam, sprays and toiletries settle on it.

Clean gently

Skip abrasive scrubbing. To clean plain gold jewellery at home:

1. Mix warm water, not hot, with a few drops of mild dish soap in a small bowl.
2. Soak the piece for a few minutes to loosen the build-up.
3. Brush the links and any gaps gently with a very soft toothbrush.
4. Rinse it in a bowl of clean water, not under an open tap over the sink.
5. Pat it dry, then wipe it gently with a soft microfibre cloth.

Avoid toothpaste, baking soda and scouring powders: they are abrasive and leave fine scratches. Avoid bleach and chlorine-based cleaners, which can discolour gold alloys.

Pieces that need different care

• Hollow pieces. Keep the soak short and dry them thoroughly, because water can get inside.
• Matte or brushed finishes. Wipe them; do not polish them. A polishing cloth can leave shiny patches on a matte surface.
• Temple and antique finishes. The dark detail in temple and antique-finish pieces is intentional. Do not scrub or polish it, and ask your jeweller not to polish it off during repairs.
• Kundan and polki. Never soak them. The stones sit on a bed of lac, often over a reflective foil, and water can seep behind them and dull the foil. Wipe them with a soft, dry cloth.
• Pearls. Pearls are soft and porous, and cosmetics and perspiration harm them. Put them on last, wipe them after wearing, and do not soak strung pearls.
• Emeralds. Most emeralds are treated to fill tiny cracks. Avoid hot water, steam and ultrasonic cleaners; a quick wash in warm soapy water is fine, but do not leave them soaking.
• Enamel (meenakari). Enamel is glass fused onto the metal, so it can chip or crack. Keep it away from knocks, harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaning.
• Ultrasonic cleaners. They are not safe for pearls, emeralds, opals, kundan, polki or enamel, and they can loosen stones that are already cracked. If you are not sure a piece is safe in one, ask a jeweller first.

Avoid chemicals

Lotions, perfumes and swimming pool chlorine leave a dull film on gold. Always put your jewellery on last, after your skincare and fragrance have dried, and take it off first at the end of the day.

Take it off, too, before you:

• swim in a pool or the sea, or soak in a sulphur hot spring
• clean with bleach or other household cleaners
• go to the gym or do heavy work, where it can be knocked, bent or scratched

When to see a jeweller

Cleaning removes build-up, but it cannot remove scratches. A jeweller can polish them out. Each polish takes off a very thin layer of gold, so it is best done now and then, not as a routine. See a jeweller, too, if a clasp feels loose, a link has stretched or a stone moves in its setting: those are worth fixing before the piece is lost.

Looked after this way, good gold lasts for generations. For what the purity numbers mean, read 916 or 999? Gold purity explained, and for why some pieces need gentler handling, solid, hollow or gold-plated?

Visit us

You will find us at 142 Dunlop Street, inside Haniffa, in Little India, a few minutes from Little India (NE7, DT12) and Rochor (DT13) MRT stations. We are open every day from 10.30am to 9.30pm, and you can walk in without an appointment. Browse our 916 gold jewellery, check today's gold rate, or plan your visit.