"Cleaning My Gold Ring"

Dear S.,
I got this from a trusted jeweler and use it on my own gold and diamonds, 1/2 Cup Hot Water (microwave water for 40 sec), add 1 cap full of Liquid dish soap (I use Dawn), and 1/2 Cap of Ammonia. Let it soak, and brush it with an old toothbrush... (I use a strainer over a bowl so I won't drop it down the sink). It also works on pearls and coral or any ocean gem but WITHOUT THE AMMONIA! Ammonia will ruin the pearl or coral jewelry. Just use the Dawn and Hot water for them. any questions, feel free to email me!;-) Just remember Ammonia for gold and diamonds, and NO AMMONIA for pearls and coral! Good Luck! Sorry I am so late with this, I have been offline for a bit.

Hi S.,

Sorry, I would have answered this sooner, but your question just showed up in my email today after you had already gotten responses to it. I worked as a bench jeweler and metalsmith for over 15 years before I had my daughter and I've seen a fair amount of that type of oxidation in 10K gold, particularly around solder joints and sizing bars. It likely did occur as a reaction to contact with minerals or chemicals in water. The good news is, it's on the surface and should easily be buffed out by a jeweler. You really won't ever be able to return the color to normal on your own at home. Toothpaste is mildly abrasive, so while you may have managed to strip some of the oxide off, you probably scratched and dulled the surface of your ring, making it look dingy. A professional jeweler can return it to its original shine. If there are only diamonds in the ring, and no other stones, it's impossible to damage those with any household cleaning products. Once you've had a jeweler buff your ring for you, always take it off before doing dishes, laundry or swimming in a chlorinated pool. The chlorine in detergents and pool water will break down the copper alloy in gold jewelry, eventually making pieces very brittle and will cause stress fractures that will make it irreparable. (10K yellow gold is only 41.7% gold metal, 14K yellow gold is only 58.3% gold metal. The rest is a mixture of copper & silver.) Anyway, I leave a little dish next to my sink that I put my rings in while I'm cleaning house. In future, if you want to clean your fine jewelry at home, warm up a little Windex and dilute it with some water, soak your jewelry for about an hour, then rinse it under warm water and wipe clean with a paper towel. It won't polish anything, but it will strip off the cosmetics or hair products that have a tendency to stick to and discolor fine jewelry. Jewelry cleaner is just a mixture of ammonia and metal neutral detergents. I used it in my ultrasonic cleaner for years and it's safe to use on almost any gemstone but pearls, opals or cameos. I would offer to polish your ring for you, but I'm all the way in South Florida. :) I hope this info helps.

I had an experience like that and what I did was soak it in vinegar for a day and then brushed it with Ultra Brite toothpaste and it went back to its original color. Good Luck. D.

I know Helzburgs will clean your jewelry for free. While you wait.. I just had my wedding ring and necklace cleaned there...

I worked at a jewelry store for 2 years. Water, ammonia and a drop of dishwashing soap is all that is in jewelry cleaner. It is safe for most things, but not pearls, opals and other soft stones. I put the ingred. together, zap it in the microwave for a few seconds and when it is hot I put my jewelry in it.

What actually helps is soaking the ring in dishwahser liquid and a bit of water.

Greetings S.: I have a special gold ring that was a gift from my husband. I went into a jewler in San Leandro ,Ca. Alphin,Jewlers. He did such a wonderful job and really it took only a short time for the deep cleaning that he did. It really looks wonderful and I am so grateful that it shines lovely again. He also checked all the prongs and stones to be sure they are secure.
I don't believe this is an expensive thing to do at any jewler but I would tke it to someone that is good. Often you can take it back to where you purchased the ring and they will do it for you for free or resonable. Home remedies are not always the best thing fir favorite and dear items. Nana G

I took my rings to Eternal Jewelers in the Orland Square Mall to have my rings sized and cleaned. I think it was $80. They did a great job and are a family owned store.