How to Get Tarnish Off of a Gold Necklace
KIMBRY PARKER
LIFE
If your favorite gold chain is starting to look a little gunky, tarnish is likely the culprit. Gold jewelry is very soft and usually mixed with other metals to make it more durable. While gold itself does not tarnish, the other metals it is mixed with, like copper and silver, will become discolored. But you do not have to toss your tarnished gold necklace in the back of your jewelry box just because of a little tarnish. You can spruce it up nicely with simple home remedies.
Mix 1 cup of club soda and a couple drops of gentle dish soap into a bowl. Put the gold necklace into a small strainer and sit the strainer in the bowl.
Leave the necklace to soak for five minutes. Pull the strainer out of the water and scrub the necklace gently with a soft toothbrush to remove the tarnish. Continue scrubbing until all the tarnish is gone.
Leave the necklace in the strainer and rinse it under warm tap water. Wipe it with a soft cloth to dry.
- Avoid using abrasive products that are commonly used to clean jewelry like toothpaste or baking soda. Gold is a soft metal, and these products can easily damage the necklace.
- Do not dry your gold necklace with paper towels or napkins. These products can scratch the gold.
- Some soft gemstones like pearls and crystals cannot tolerate soaking in water. If your gold necklace contains gems, take it to a professional jeweler for cleaning.
- Make sure the necklace is completely dry before storing it. Let it lay flat on a cloth overnight before putting it in a jewelry box.
- If the necklace appears dull, rub with a jewelry polishing cloth once dry. This will restore the shine to the necklace.
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