Lemon has proven to be the king of all home remedies. Yes, it can be used as a brass and gold cleaner.
You can use some vinegar to increase the shine of the jewelry. Since the gold is fake, you don't have to worry as much about possible damage to the metal. Lemon juice can also do the trick. Dry with a soft cloth after rinsing in lukewarm water.
Finally, we suggest both for silver and gold plated items, not to use abrasive substances such as lemon, vinegar, salt, parmesan, cola, because they tend to corrode the surfaces.
“Gold will always be gold and nothing will happen to it except it will lose its luster over time if not polished,” he explains. “But when you use [an] acidic like lemon juice, it can damage the pieces.” For example, pearls can disintegrate due to the citric acid in the juice.
Vinegar. Cleaning your gold and gemstone jewelry couldn't be easier with white vinegar. Simply drop the jewelry into a jar of vinegar and let sit for 10 to15 minutes, agitating occasionally. Remove and scrub with a soft-bristled toothbrush, if necessary.
Vinegar and gold jewelry—the perfect pair! Who knew that a simple ingredient like vinegar could make your jewelry sparkle and shine just as brilliantly as it did when you first brought it home?
Lemon juice is incredibly acidic. While this might be okay for sturdier jewelry, for anything soft or plated, you're asking for trouble. It's too abrasive for your delicate jewelry and you'll end up with chips, scratches, and discoloration. Don't weaken your jewelry with lemon juice.
Lemon juice.
Place item in the bowl for 10-15 minutes. The magic element in this household hack is the acid from the lemon juice, however, if you find it hasn't eaten all of the dirt and grime away, give your jewelry a quick rinse and place it back in the mixture for a few additional minutes.
Never use toothpaste, baking soda, or a commercial metal cleaner on gold. If you use these abrasives, you may scratch the gold.
Chlorine can damage and discolor metals (like gold and platinum) and can slowly erode the finish and polish of gemstones. Before playing in the sand (or gardening.) Dirt and small rocks are abrasive. If not cleaned right away, your jewelry can be permanently damaged.
It is a common myth that toothpaste is a good way to clean your jewellery. This is actually false. Toothpaste can damage your diamonds, gemstones, gold and silver. Toothpaste is abrasive and has a hardness of around 3/4 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness.
Cleaning jewelry with lemon and baking soda
Thanks to its natural acidity, using lemon helps remove the oxide layer which forms on metals over time, causing it to darken. By simply applying lemon juice all over your jewels and rubbing the pieces with a dry cloth, the lemon will naturally brighten up your pieces.
Lemons. Besides being an excellent remedy against bad smells and the ideal way to clean an oven, you can also use lemons to clean your jewelry. Dip a toothbrush in lemon juice and gently scrub your silver. It will quickly regain its natural shine.
CITRIC ACID SILVER CLEANING:
Cleaning silver with citric acid is not always possible. For example, you shouldn't use acidic lemon juice to clean opaque gemstones because the citric acid in lemon juice can damage these dark gems. Also, you shouldn't use acidic lemon juice to clean delicate jewels.
Dish Detergent & Warm Water
The best homemade jewelry cleaning solution is a mixture of a few drops of Dawn dish detergent in warm, not hot, water. Let the piece sit in the solution for a few minutes, longer if it's very dirty, then gently scrub with a new, baby-size, soft toothbrush.
Cleaning and polishing of aluminum, chrome, stainless steel, and copper pots can be achieved using the natural acidity of lemons. To brighten dull aluminum pans, cut a lemon in half and rub the cut side over both the inside and outside of the pan without rinsing. Buff with a soft cloth for additional shine.
Vinegar is incredibly corrosive. So, if your gold jewelry is made of a different metal or alloy, the vinegar will cause it to tarnish. Gold is a non-reactive metal, so it will not react to vinegar.
Vinegar Test
Once you have some vinegar, clean your piece of jewelry with a rag or cloth to remove any dirt so you don't get faulty results. Then, place your jewelry into a bowl and add a few drops of your vinegar into the bowl. Real gold will not change color, but fake gold will turn either black or green.
Mild Clean
The mildest method of cleaning gold—and it's also the easiest and most economical—is to mix a bowl of warm water and a little dishwashing liquid into a sudsy solution. Soak the gold jewellery briefly and then gently scrub crevices and design details using a soft toothbrush or eyebrow brush.