While pure gold doesn't tarnish, almost all the gold jewelry pieces available today are made from an alloy rather than pure gold. This means you have to take care of them and clean your jewelry regularly in order to slow the eventual degradation process. Not only does tarnished jewelry look bad, it can lead to skin irritation and necessitate more extensive deep-cleaning methods (or worse, replacement).
Although cleaning and caring for your gold jewelry will help make it last, a product protection plan is just as important. Some jewelry retailers like Zales and Jared offer their own warranties, however these come with limited coverage and won't protect your gold jewelry to the fullest extent possible.
A jewelry extended warranty like MulberryCare will help ensure your jewelry is covered in the event of an accident, damage, or loss. MulberryCare will even cover lost diamonds and center stones! Shop with the Mulberry extension and get alerts while you shop when jewelry items are eligible for MulberryCare.
How to extend the life of your gold jewelry
There are several ways you can extend the life of your gold jewelry to keep it in great condition, many of which can be done right at home. Here are some of the best tips:
- Polish your gold jewelry regularly with a polishing solution and a soft jewelry cloth to delay it from tarnishing.
- Protect gold jewelry from high temperatures, high levels of sunlight, and exposure to chemicals (even some ingredients in beauty products) that can cause damage, especially avoiding contact with chlorine.
- Take your gold jewelry off before sleeping and showering.
- When storing gold, gold-plated, or gold filled jewelry, wrap each item in individual cloths or baggies to limit their exposure to moisture, humidity, and other jewelry pieces.
- Allow any perfumes, lotions, or scented body products to fully dry before putting on your gold jewelry.
- Adopt a routine cleaning practice to maintain the luster of your pieces.
How to clean gold jewelry at home
Part of caring properly for your jewelry involves regular cleaning. It's important to use jewelry cloths or brushes designed to clean jewelry - paper towels, rags, or tough-bristled toothbrushes can scratch pieces. Keep in mind that over-cleaning can damage jewelry as well, so only clean when your items need refreshing.
How to clean gold jewelry with dish soap
- Using mild dish soap, such as blue Dawn dish soap, make a solution with warm water in a bowl.
- Soak your jewelry for 15-30 minutes.
- Scrub each part of your item carefully with a clean, non-abrasive cloth or a jewelry/soft-bristled brush, removing all dirt, stains, grime, etc.
- Rinse your gold piece with cool water.
- Let it dry fully before returning it to storage.
To clean gold jewelry with jewelry cleaner, you can follow these same steps, except instead of using dish soap, use a solution specifically approved for gold jewelry. To clean gold-plated jewelry, follow the same steps as above, but avoid the soaking step.
Consider an extended warranty like MulberryCare
If you want to get the most out of your gold jewelry and ensure it receives the best care possible, it might be worth opting for a jewelry extended warranty plan. Investing in product protection for your beloved gold jewelry is the most effective method for protecting against the unexpected.
Investing in extended warranty coverage for your gold jewelry pieces is always worth it. Shop with Mulberry’s free browser extension to view all the extended warranty plans available to you while you shop, and to help make sure the plan you choose is the best one for you.
