The Boiling Water Method If you're aiming to clean heavily soiled jewelry that's made completely from gold, or gold jewelry that contains “strong” gemstones like diamonds, boiling is a good way to go.
Cleaning your ring by dropping into a bath of boiling water can cause the metal to expand and contract which can loosen gemstones. The boiling water can also cause cracks and fractures to form in gemstones.
How to Clean Gold Jewelry. Gold jewelry can be cleaned with dish soap, ammonia glass cleaner, or even just hot water. As with silver, you can give it a good scrub when necessary, but be sure to use a soft toothbrush or other small brush designed specifically for jewelry.
But it's also harsh on your jewelry. The intense temp of boiling water is no friend to soft crystals and it can actually weaken some metals, causing them to bend or lose shape. Steam is perfectly fine for most jewelry, but placing pieces in boiling water is a no-go.
Submerging gold jewelry into hot, boiling water will safely remove oils, buildup and grime. Leave your items in the hot water until it cools down to room temperature. Then, gently scrub with a soft brush or cloth.
Chlorine is gold's worst enemy: with repeated exposure, chlorine will weaken your gold jewelry's structure and eventually lead to it breaking. Make sure to take your jewelry off before getting in a pool or spa. Cover or remove while cleaning: household cleaners with acids or abrasives will damage your jewelry's finish.
If you have gold in your diamond ring, the ideal method to clean it is by using boiling water, as it does not contain any chemicals. However, be reminded of the fact that cleaning jewelry using boiling water is not a good option if it contains gemstones other than diamonds.
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.
Place jewelry in boiling water.
If you don't want to use soap, or you already did and the piece needs further cleaning, boil a small pot of water and place your jewelry in it for about 5 minutes. This acts both to loosen any dirt or debris on the piece and kill bacteria and sanitize the piece.
Real gold does not burn or get dark under heat. It simply melts: this is why it can be molded and shaped into different forms without losing its luster and beautiful yellow gold color. On the other hand, other metals like copper, iron, and brass will change color and get darker when exposed to flame.
Basically, gold won't react to nitric acid, but all other metals will turn greenish. Don't douse your jewelry in the acid—just put it in a stainless-steel dish and use a dropper to drop or Q-tip to test a tiny section. If your jewel doesn't react to the nitric acid, you have a real gold piece (14k or higher).
Many are unsure if boiling a diamond ring is an acceptable cleaning method, but it is! At-home cleaning with boiling water is a safe and effective way to clean it.
Cleaning gold jewelry doesn't require much--boiling water alone will do the job. Place your jewelry into a bowl of boiling water and let it soak for 10-15 minutes. Then remove leftover grime by brushing it with a soft toothbrush.
The temperature required to melt gold is 1,948 degrees Fahrenheit. To make gold stronger, because it is naturally too soft to be used practically, other alloy metals like copper, zinc and silver are added during the melting process. The boiling point of gold occurs at 5,173 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pure gold is virtually indestructible. It will not corrode, rust or tarnish, and fire cannot destroy it. This is why all of the gold extracted from the earth is still melted, re-melted and used over and over again.
Never use toothpaste, baking soda, or a commercial metal cleaner on gold. If you use these abrasives, you may scratch the gold. Never use bleach.
Remember that the solutions we offered for solid gold and silver jewelry do not transfer to diamonds. Baking soda and vinegar can seriously damage your gemstones and should never be used with these pieces.
For that reason, it is recommended that you not attempt to clean your diamond by boiling it. Boiling is no more effective than other methods of cleaning and carries a greater risk of damage to the stone and to the jewelry's metal parts.
Boiling diamonds can help remove any build-up of dirt and grime that may be stuck to the stone's surface, restoring its natural shine and sparkle. Boiling diamonds is also a safe and natural way to clean them, as it doesn't involve the use of harsh chemicals or abrasive materials that can scratch or damage the stone.
Tarnish is a thin layer of corrosion on metals, resulting from a reaction to moisture, air or chemical compounds with the metal in your jewellery. This will appear as a dark surface discolouration to your jewellery.
Gold is one of the least reactive elements on the Periodic Table. It doesn't react with oxygen, so it never rusts or corrodes. Gold is unaffected by air, water, alkalis and all acids except aqua regia (a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid) which can dissolve gold.
Additional Health Benefits
Gold contact with the skin helps reduce rheumatoid arthritis symptoms in some people. It also promotes blood circulation, oxygen flow to all parts of your body and temperature regulation. It also boosts immunity. Arthritis causes painful and swollen joints.