Gold products tend to tarnish. The appearance deteriorates under certain conditions, for example, when they are exposed to an aggressive environment. However, this does not mean that the service life of the jewelry has expired. It is permissible to consider available means to restore the properties of the metal. One option is ammonia. It is used diluted or mixed with other components. You just need to choose an effective and fairly safe way to clean gold with ammonia. In order not to spoil the product, you should correctly determine the concentration of the product.
Ammonia and ammonia: what is the difference and what is the strength
It is a mistake to believe that ammonia and ammonia are synonyms, names of the same chemical substance. They have similar properties, but different intensity of impact on precious metals. Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen in gaseous form. It can turn into liquid at room temperature and a pressure of 8.5 atmospheres.
Ammonia in gaseous form participates in the biological cycle, but a pure substance of high concentration is toxic, has a poisonous, suffocating and even neurotropic effect. In comparison, ammonia is used much more widely. It is distinguished by a slightly aggressive effect on humans. The full name is ammonia.
This is an aqueous solution of ammonia, or more precisely, ammonium hydrate obtained from it (concentration - 10-25%).
Ammonia and ammonia for cleaning gold products
Home care for gold jewelry and accessories
It is recommended to store jewelry in a dark, dry place.
To maintain the spectacular shine of gold jewelry and prevent the appearance of plaque:
- Do not allow the product to come into contact with alkali-containing substances and various acids.
- When cleaning, wear protective gloves or remove jewelry first.
- Do not expose products to solvents or other aggressive substances, including nail polish remover.
- Protect gold from paints and abrasives.
- Do not expose to high temperatures or ultraviolet radiation.
If accessories become wet, they must be dried thoroughly with a soft cloth. After bathing in sea water, the jewelry is washed with fresh water. It is not recommended to keep jewelry en masse in a box: friction creates microcracks, which quickly absorb dirt.
Gold refining is required not only for decorative purposes. Dirt on jewelry is harmful to health. It can cause inflammatory and allergic reactions.
Is it possible to clean gold using ammonia, is ammonia safe: advantages and disadvantages of the method
Considering the difference in properties and level of aggressiveness when exposed to materials and living beings, it is best to clean gold with ammonia, which has been further diluted. In this case, the original color of the metal is restored and other properties of the product are preserved. Pure ammonia is not used in everyday life - it is a gas. If it is dissolved in water, after some time the substance will lose its properties. What will remain is just technical fluid. For this reason, different recipes are used specifically based on ammonia.
Lipstick
This method is practically unknown and little used among the people, so everyone is very surprised when they hear about it for the first time. At first it is not entirely clear how this is possible, and people are skeptical about it. But there are people who have tested it on themselves and done it quite effectively.
Women often accumulate a large amount of used or outdated lipsticks, and these can be used to great advantage for jewelry.
Many people ask why lipstick and what is it about it that helps clean gold from dirt. This is because it contains titanium dioxide, which is what copes with dirt.
To clean, you need to take the lipstick and rub it on earrings, gold chain rings and other items, then wipe with a regular dry cloth and rinse under the tap. The result will appear immediately. This is one of the fastest and easiest ways to restore your jewelry to its original condition.
Safety precautions when working with ammonia and ammonia at home
When choosing a method for cleaning gold with ammonia, safety measures are also studied:
- prepare gloves made of impermeable material (rubber), prepare a respirator or mask, and, if possible, wear safety glasses;
- the room should be well ventilated when handling alcohol;
- Do not allow the product to come into contact with the skin or mucous membranes.
It is not recommended to manipulate ammonia for people with impaired vascular function (for example, diagnosed with VSD). They are especially susceptible to volatile components in the vapor.
The main causes of contamination of gold items
Due to the impurities contained in the composition, jewelry fades and oxidizes over time.
There are many reasons why a noble metal loses its luster and natural beauty. The main ones:
- Copper, cadmium, zinc, silver, found in a gold alloy, make jewelry more resistant to external influences, but lead to oxidation and tarnishing. Unsightly dark spots appear on expensive things, especially when exposed to sea water.
- The human sebaceous glands constantly secrete secretions to soften the epidermis. When particles of this substance fall on the surface of jewelry, the gold becomes “washed out.” And if dirt sticks, it also gets darker.
- Particles of smog, exhaust fumes and street dust settle on the shiny surface and stick, giving the jewelry a cheap look.
Jewelry can also be contaminated with body care products. Fatty creams, makeup bases and decorative cosmetics are especially harmful.
TOP 8 recipes with ammonia for gold shine
The cleansing effect is obtained by using ammonia of different concentrations with different components. Due to this, the properties of the resulting solution change, as well as the level of aggressive action.
Refined gold diamond ring
Cleaning with pure ammonia
Sometimes you can use undiluted ammonia (take a ready-made solution). Features of using this tool:
- prepare the container: glass or ceramics are suitable, plastic is the most neutral materials, they do not react with active compounds that can be formed when ammonia interacts with metal;
- they immerse gold jewelry in ammonia that needs to be restored to attractiveness;
- the products are left for several minutes or hours (depending on the complexity of the contamination), possibly from evening to morning;
- Remains of the substance from the surface of the jewelry are removed with water;
- clean with felt.
Important! Pure ammonia can be considered as a means for cleaning gold items that do not contain stones, without matte coating, with a minimum amount of impurities.
Cleaning gold jewelry
Recipe with water
Cleaning gold at home with ammonia is most often done using a less concentrated product. This method is suitable for cases where the contamination is weak or moderate. Brief instructions:
- Take dishes: made of glass, polymer material.
- Prepare a solution. The proportions of ammonia and water, respectively: 1 tsp, 250 ml.
- The gold is left in the working solution for 30 minutes.
- The products are washed and then dried with a lint-free cloth.
How to Polish Gold
In some cases, it is better to entrust the polishing of jewelry with complex designs to professionals, but you can handle simple jewelry yourself. To make a gold ring shine like new, use the following techniques:
- Soak the jewelry in hot water with shampoo or soap for 7-8 hours, and then polish with a soft toothbrush. The method is suitable for both shiny and matte gold.
- Soaking for 10 hours in an ammonia solution (25%), which can be purchased at a pharmacy, will help to add shine to gold.
- Polishing gold from scratches is done using a cleaning paste for gold items - factory-made or homemade from Vaseline, powdered white chalk, water and soap shavings. Buff with a soft toothbrush without applying pressure.
- Apply GOI paste to the felt, wipe the product with unidirectional movements without pressure: this will help restore shine and effectively polish scuffs and scratches.
Remember: do not use baking soda or tooth powder for polishing - the abrasive particles of these products can only worsen the situation.
The cost of home polishing of gold jewelry is several times lower than professional polishing. But when polishing yourself, it is important to take into account the characteristics of the metal: dullness, color and quality of gold, the presence of jewelry inserts, blackened or rhodium-plated coating.
The concentration of ammonia in solution and its dependence on the gold standard
To increase the hardness of gold, various additives are used, since this metal is quite soft in its primary form. Often, among the auxiliary components, silver and copper are considered the main ones. Their concentration can be different, which determines the shade of the patina when the finished product comes into contact with an aggressive environment (cosmetics, biological fluids).
Abrasive agents are not used to clean high-grade gold. The risk of damage is higher. For jewelry made from different types of gold, the appropriate recommendations are used.
Concentration of aqueous solution of ammonia for red gold:
- sample 375 – the upper limit is 15%;
- sample 585 – average 13%;
- sample 750 – the weakest possible, less than 5%.
How to clean white gold
Not all classical methods are suitable for cleaning jewelry made of white gold, which is an alloy of precious metal with copper, palladium or nickel - in particular, any vinegar is contraindicated.
White gold cleaning
White gold can be cleaned with soapy water, ammonia, liquid detergent, paste or baking soda solution
White gold with inlay cannot be boiled
: High temperature will weaken and even deform the places where the stones are attached. For glued stones, cleaning with immersion in aqueous solutions is not used. White gold with diamonds can be cleaned without contact with the stones: simply wipe them with a soft cloth - this is often enough to restore the shine. If the shine has not returned, use the standard toothpaste cleaning described above, then wipe the product dry.
Ammonia for gentle, effective cleaning of tough stains
When deciding whether ammonia is suitable for cleaning precious metals, you need to be aware of its effect on some items. For example, you cannot use aggressive substances to clean pearls, as well as other jewelry with organic stones. They will simply dissolve.
The ban also applies to products with a matte finish, since the surface layer is damaged. Ammonia cleans all other jewelry gently and in a short time.
Moreover, this product is used to eliminate the most complex contaminants.
Summarizing
You should absolutely not mechanically remove dirt yourself, use abrasive cleaning powders, sharp tools, hard cloths and brushes - this can scratch the surface. Microdamages will become clogged with dirty particles, and the top layer will become dull, the shine will be lost forever.
Cleaning on your own and with improvised means cannot provide an ideal result. If the product is expensive, antique, with precious crystals, then you cannot save money, you need to contact a jewelry maker. Only a professional jeweler can polish and shine jewelry with high quality and safety.
Reviews
When I was getting ready to clean gold, I learned that jewelry with stones on it can be ruined. I began to look for a method that suits them. It turned out that “Fairy”, salt and ammonia can solve the problem. The components are taken in a 1:1 ratio. But just don't leave the gold in the mixture. It is applied to a ring or bracelet, and then cleaned with a soft brush, perhaps a toothbrush, for example. Moreover, salt is needed with small particles.
Angela Gusina, Krasnodar
Maria Ivanova, Moscow
I don’t bring my jewelry to such a state that it requires using “heavy artillery” means. From time to time I use peroxide and ammonia and add hot water. The result is good, most importantly, the reaction is fast.
I found an old ring, long lost at home. It had darkened and it was impossible to wear it. To clean, I took ammonia and shampoo - everything I found at home. The remedy works, but not quickly enough. I decided to also try a peroxide-based solution. This option removed the darkening in a shorter period of time.
Nadezhda Rimskaya, Leningrad
Cleaning medical gold
Medical gold is an alloy of brass, silver, copper, titanium and zinc, but there may be no gold in it at all: the alloy already has a noble “golden” luster. Products made from medical gold are durable, not subject to external mechanical influences, and due to the special technology of polishing and sputtering, they practically do not darken, do not lose shine, and do not change color.
- If it is necessary to clean such jewelry from contamination, the following methods are used:
- Rinse in a solution (2 drops of shampoo or liquid soap per 0.5 cup of water) and clean the product with a soft brush.
- To remove dust, wipe the product with a cotton swab soaked in beer; there is no need to rinse with water after this.
- Wipe the decoration with table vinegar, and then be sure to rinse in running water.
