How to Safely Clean White Gold Chains
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1 hours
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Beginner
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White gold can become dull and yellow over time. The lustre of this gold can be brought back by cleaning it properly. There are a few necessary steps to follow to ensure you both clean the gold and prevent any damage to it.
Step 1 - Soak Your White Gold
Pour a cup of warm water into another bowl. Add a cup of ammonia to the water. Mix well. Place the white gold items into the solution. Allow the gold to soak for about 15 minutes. Do not leave the items in the solution any longer than 15 minutes. Do not soak any white gold items that contain any gems. Rinse the ammonia off with cool, clear water.
Step 2 - Clean Your White Gold
Fill a bowl with warm water. Add some detergent-free soap to the water. Dip your toothbrush into the warm, soapy water. Be sure to use a soft bristled toothbrush. Use the brush to gently scrub your white gold. Rinse the gold items with cool, clear water.
Step 3 - Dry Your White Gold
Use a soft, lint-free cloth to dry the items completely. Be sure to remove any water in order to prevent the development of water spots. Lay the items on another cloth to dry overnight. If possible, use a hairdryer to dry the items. Be sure to use the dryer on a low setting.
Step 4 - Polish Your White Gold
Use a soft, lint-free cloth to polish your gold items. Buff the gold in small circular motions with the cloth. Continue buffing until you have achieved the best polished finish possible.
Step 5 - Store Your White Gold
Store your white gold separately from other items. Gold scratches easily and white gold can also lose its plating. Place the items in a separate storage container to prevent as much scratching as possible and to reduce the chances of plating loss.
Step 6 - Prevent the Exposure to Chemicals
Many white gold items contain nickel alloy. Household chemicals can negatively affect the nickel. The gold will become dull and change color. Remove any white gold items you are wearing whenever you are using household cleaners and chemicals. You should also remove these items when you are applying hand creams and perfumes.
Step 7 - Replate Your White Gold
If possible, take your white gold items to be replated about every eighteen months. Most white gold is plated with rhodium. It is the rhodium that creates the white gold appearance rather than a yellow or brown gold cast. The process of replating your white gold is generally an inexpensive service, costing as little as twenty dollars.
Step 8 - Platinum Plate Your White Gold
White gold can be plated with a thin coating of platinum. This process costs about $100 and will last about five years. The plating of platinum will provide your white gold with even more protection.
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![Laura Bloomfield]()
As an educator and professional freelance writer, Laurie Bloomfield holds a Master's Degree in Language Education. Her publication portfolio contains hundreds of articles on a variety of subjects including home improvement, do it yourself projects and landscaping, as well as finance, parenting and education. She provides high quality articles ranging from traditional to contemporary topics in both print and digital formats.![H.R. Helm]()
H.R. Helm is an accomplished DIY craftsman. He has been DIY since childhood and is now a septuagenarian. He is experienced in wood and metal construction, having designed and built several houses and metal buildings. He built every permanent building on his current homestead and did all the plumbing and electrical work. He has several years experience as a professional cabinet builder, and he is an accomplished auto repairman, having operated an auto repair business for many years. He currently has a home shop where he sharpens and rebuilds saws, repairs lawn mowers, mobility scooters, hydraulic jacks, and anything else that comes along. He also builds custom tools for metal working. Invention prototypes are another of his many accomplishments. He owned and operated a manufacturing business building Compact Utility Vehicles for homeowner use. H.R. enjoys making jams and jellies during fruit season along with cooking meals. He is committed to outdoor cooking in a Bar-B-Q pit he welded together several years ago. He maintains fruit and nut trees along with helping his wife with a vegetable garden. He farmed commercial garden produce for several years. It helps to have over 50 years of farming and ranching experience. Employment/Education Highlights ASE Certified Master Auto Technician Certified Welder Cross country truck driver -- over dimensional freight Design Engineer/Project Manager for injection molded plastic company Bus Driver/Substitute Teacher Inventor with two patents (weight training – anti-rollback for manual wheelchair) BS in Industrial Technology
