Many women prefer jewelry made from precious metals. However, such products require careful handling and careful maintenance. For example, a drop of iodine can greatly spoil the appearance of your favorite gold ring. When iodine reacts with gold, it forms dark spots on the surface of the product. Unfortunately, cleaning with soapy water will not help here. We have to figure out how to purify gold from iodine.
Gold jewelry
Reasons for iodine getting into gold
Iodine can get onto a gold surface completely by accident. When treating a small cut on your hand, it is easy to drip the solution onto the ring.
Expert opinion
Vsevolod Kozlovsky
6 years in jewelry making. Knows everything about samples and can identify a fake in 12 seconds
By the way, iodine is used as an indicator of the authenticity of the metal. Samples 585 and 583 are checked more often, since the alloy contains a high concentration of alloy - the surface acquires a reddish tint. A cotton swab soaked in iodine is brought to the inside of the ring.
In addition to iodine, vinegar, a magnet, ceramics and even bread are used to authenticate.
Using Hydrogen Peroxide
- prepare the solution. The hottest water possible is poured into a glass container and the remaining ingredients of the product are added. For one glass of water you need one teaspoon of ammonia and one tablespoon of soap.
- the mixture is thoroughly mixed until completely dissolved.
- gold chains are immersed for 1…2 hours.
- after this, the gold needs to be taken out and washed in clean water.
- Dry the chain with a soft cloth.
In this way, you can dissolve gold without having hydrochloric and nitric acid or hydrogen peroxide at your disposal.
What happens if you drop iodine on gold?
If the solution gets on a precious item, bluish stains will form. The volume depends on the amount of iodine. Gold is considered an inert substance that does not react when interacting with the environment or aggressive environments. The metal does not react to acids unless it is “regia vodka” (a concentrated compound of hydrochloric and sulfuric acids). However, there are exceptions to this rule.
Gold reacts to substances:
- mercury;
- bromine;
- liquid cyanide;
- iodine.
Iodine is one of the halogens, an exclusive group of substances with which gold reacts. White gold is a soft metal that requires different care.
Why does the gold chain on my neck turn black?
Gold from the chemical table, that is, in its pure form, is practically not used today for the production of jewelry. The reason for this is very simple: the alloy without impurities is very soft and cannot be used for everyday wear. To achieve the required level of hardness and strength, aurum is mixed with various metals
:
The more impurities in the base gold alloy, the less resistant to the environment the product will be.
The more nickel and copper impurities in gold jewelry, the faster the jewelry blackens and oxidizes.
From what has been said
It becomes obvious that one of the main reasons for the darkening or greening of a gold chain is
the low standard of the metal
. The optimal proportion of gold in the alloy is 58.5%. If the percentage of aurum is higher, then the metal has a very beautiful shiny surface, but at the same time becomes more fragile. It is possible to make a custom-made item from gold with a purity higher than 585, but usually these are unique chains that are worn only on special occasions.
Low standard
less than 585 means a high content of copper (Cu), which readily oxidizes when in contact with various substances. Cuprum actively reacts with multiple chemistry that exists in our environment:
As for our beloved ladies, they should be warned: remove gold jewelry and do not put it on until the cosmetics are completely absorbed into the skin
. The fact is that low-grade gold actively reacts with components in cosmetics or perfumes, and dark spots appear on its surface.
20 ways to remove iodine from linoleum, carpet, furniture, clothes and even your face
With the electrolysis method, gold from radio components or any other gold exposed to sulfuric or hydrochloric acid is deposited on the cathode when an electric current passes through the solution.
Expert opinion
Ekaterina Korneva, expert in the field of care, cleanliness and beauty
I will help you understand all the intricacies.
You should start cleaning with the weakest solution, and if it is ineffective, then gradually increase the concentration so as not to completely ruin the item. You can make a small scratch on an inconspicuous area of the product if another metal is visible under the coating layer, the decoration is clearly not real. How to test gold for authenticity at home with vinegar, iodine, magnet, acid reviews For any questions, please contact me, I will be happy to answer!
Cleaning methods
The first way is time. You will have to wait a long time, but the result will not disappoint. If you need to solve the problem quickly, soap or washing powder will be powerless.
Kitchen method
The “old-fashioned” method allows you to prepare a solution using improvised means, which in an hour and a half will return gold to its rightful, even shine. Mix (one tablespoon at a time) into a liter of water: soda, salt and lime. The jewelry is then placed in the solution until completely clean.
Ammonia
Ammonia helps in cleaning silver from blackening. To do this, use a mixture of the substance with hydrogen peroxide or tooth powder. When working with gold, results are not guaranteed.
Hyposulfite cleaning
Another way to effectively clean a gold ring is to place it in a solution used to develop photographic film. It is called a “fixer”, the scientific name is “hyposulfite”. It is sold at the pharmacy. The solution in which the product is placed is prepared in the following proportions: one tablespoon of the substance per 250 ml of heated water. After an hour and a half, the gold is cleared to a shine.
Which way is better?
Hyposulfite is an affordable and effective way to purify gold from iodine. It will not leave a specific smell for three days, like ammonia, and guarantees a renewed appearance of the jewelry. If you use the “kitchen” method, the effect may not appear the first time. Then the jewelry is placed in the solution again. Abrasives and mechanical stress will leave scratches on the product.
Silver
Silver jewelry also needs cleaning. There are several methods that are used for this metal.
Starch will save your item. You just need to fill the decoration with it, and if there is none, finely chop the potatoes, put the product there and leave it for a while. It will not be possible to remove the stain - it will only be disguised, the dirt will acquire a bluish tint.
Toothpaste and baking soda work well for cleaning.
You can get rid of iodine stains using peroxide and soap. You need to mix soap with peroxide and place the jewelry there for at least 30 minutes. Afterwards you need to rinse the product.
How to properly purify gold from iodine at home
Cleaning gold is a simple process, but it also has its own nuances. The procedure will be completed successfully if you follow the step-by-step instructions.
Preparing Jewelry for Cleaning
At home, metal is coated with thin layers of substances that prevent the removal of contamination or delay the cleaning process. Therefore, the surface is degreased. To do this, wipe it with alcohol or acetone. If there is foreign dirt on the gold, it is removed.
Cleaning process
With rough mechanical action of abrasives or needles, there is an increased risk of damaging the smooth surface of the jewelry. Therefore, it is customary to clean products in solutions.
The cleaning process itself is limited to placing the jewelry in a container with a cleaner. After removal, wipe it with a soft cloth. The described means remove the first microlayer of metal with a stain that does not penetrate deeper.
Keeping up with the times: applying chemical reagents
In jewelry stores, as well as in the departments of chemical reagents and laboratory supplies, you can purchase special kits that are used to identify fakes and low-quality products. Such preparations allow you to quickly check gold for authenticity using nitric and other acids with which the precious metal does not react. Just apply the product to the product and evaluate the result.
If the color has not changed, the jewelry is gold; if it has changed slightly, the alloy contains a certain amount of impurities, and the fake will immediately become covered with noticeable stains. Modern fraudsters can be incredibly skillful, so even passing all home tests does not guarantee that the item is valuable.
Jewelers claim that it is impossible to reliably determine the authenticity of a metal using iodine, brilliant green and other folk methods. Only a professional can accurately check whether gold is real, using a touchstone or modern equipment that is equipped in banks and jewelry stores with a good reputation.
From furniture
Acetone, baking soda with vinegar, and potatoes will help remove iodine stains from carpet. Methods of application are described above.
Expert opinion
Ekaterina Korneva, expert in the field of care, cleanliness and beauty
I will help you understand all the intricacies.
Leather can become damaged if treated with turpentine, solvents, or household chemicals containing strong acids or chlorine. If the chain has simply darkened in several places, perhaps it just needs to be thoroughly cleaned with a toothbrush in the same solution. How to properly purify gold from iodine at home If you have any questions, please contact me, I will be happy to answer!
How to clean jewelry with stones
Cleaning inlaid gold is a process that takes into account the type of stone and the method of its attachment. There are soft stones: amber, pearls. And hard ones - diamonds, sapphires, topazes.
Soft stones cannot withstand the aggressive environment created by ammonia and vinegar. The best cleaning option is water and alcohol. After exposure, wipe the product dry, because soft stones are hydrophobic.
If the inlay is held on by glue, the acidic environment will corrode it. In this case, wipe the contaminated area with a cloth soaked in the solution. Gloves must be used here. Products with hard stones can more easily withstand aggressive environments, so you don’t have to be “gentle” with them.
Step-by-step instructions for extracting metal from radio components and microcircuits
- pour 0.5 liters of water into the container;
- add a tablespoon of liquid soap or soap shavings to the liquid;
- stir all the products;
- soak your chain and leave it alone for 10...20 minutes - this is necessary so that the soap gets into all the narrowest places of the decoration;
- then take a piece of cloth and lightly wipe all the links from beginning to end;
- drain the liquid and wash the container;
- rinse the chain in clean water until the liquid stops foaming;
- wipe the decoration dry;
- can be worn.
A drop in current is a signal that the dissolution process is complete. This method is also effective and therefore quite common.
Rules for wearing, caring for and storing gold jewelry
Gold jewelry should be worn carefully. Accessories designed to decorate the external image are recommended to be removed if there is likely exposure to foreign objects or kitchen fumes. A negative factor will be sudden temperature changes. In addition, the danger to jewelry is posed by:
- eau de toilette and deodorants;
- humid environment;
- contact with cutting, abrasive objects.
Places where jewelry is taken off:
- gyms;
- spa centers, beauty salons;
- baths and saunas, etc.
It is better to store your personal jewelry collection separately. When they come into contact, they leave scratches and become deformed. For this purpose, special velvet bags and cases have been created, similar to those found in jewelry stores. Jewelry accessories do not interact well in plastic, so it is better to avoid cases made of this material.
Excessive exposure to direct sunlight spoils jewelry. Therefore, they must be kept in a closed, dark space.
Some useful tips
- The washing up. Prepare a soap solution from water and detergent. Regular powder is ineffective; it is better to use traditional laundry or tar soap. The soap is grated and dissolved in very hot water. Dip the contaminated product into the resulting solution and leave for 2-3 hours.
- Mechanical cleaning. If the chain has simply darkened in several places, perhaps it just needs to be thoroughly cleaned with a toothbrush in the same solution. You will still have to tinker with jewelry that has been damaged by iodine.
Of course, after such an experience, the resulting stain will remain in place. You will have to spend some time to get it out, or even turn to a specialist for help. Therefore, before conducting such experiments, it is better to think about whether it is worth it or not. And you can find out whether the gold is genuine in the same workshop.
