Are you confused about how to clean white gold rings and where to start? We’ve got you covered.
Be it a wedding, engagement, fashion, or statement rings, one cannot deny the fact that white gold rings are very admirable and sought after. However, to keep your white gold rings top-notch and shiny, you’ll have to maintain and keep it clean.
Here, we’ll guide you through the top 12 tips on how to clean your white gold rings that are easy-breezy to follow through.
1. Identify the problem:
First of all, check the condition of your ring. Besides oil, dirt collection, there could be many other problems with your ring, especially if the ring is old or if you’ve not been maintaining it properly.
Check for any abrasions or nicks meticulously. If you find such a problem, do not proceed further on cleaning the ring yourself, since it does more damage to the ring.
White gold is not completely white and almost all of the credits for its white and lustrous appearance go to rhodium plating. So, to clean your white gold ring that has turned yellow on your own is not possible since the outer rhodium plating has worn-out.
Both of these problems are not feasible to solve at home, you must seek for professional help.
2. Get your white gold ring buffed or polished professionally:
Buffing or polishing removes scratches from white gold rings. Keep in mind that these procedures remove a fine layer of your rhodium plating, and if the plating is already worn out, you might be removing a fine layer of your white gold instead.
It is recommended that you get your ring buffed or polished only when your ring has collected plenty of such scratches and nicks. Note that polishing your ring is harsher than buffing your ring.
Buffing or polishing might require you to re-plate your ring with rhodium once the process is complete. Polishing your ring might cost you $50-$100 per ring and takes a couple of days to be done.
3. Get your white gold ring rhodium plated:
When your ring has turned yellow, you can have your ring re-plated to bring back the shine and luster.
Depending upon your lifestyle, your initial rhodium plating quality, and maintenance, you might need to re-plate your white gold ring anywhere from every 6 months to every 4 years.
The average price range for rhodium plating is around $30-$50, but it can also reach up to $100, depending upon the jeweler, and the quality of the plating.
4. Always check if any stone is loose:
Now that you’ve ruled out or major problems and concluded that your ring requires simple at-home cleaning, you might want to check if there’s any loose stone or gems in the ring which you might later lose while you’re busy cleaning the ring.
Don’t clean the ring yourself if you find any worrisome problems such as wiggling pieces, broken pieces, or loose gems until you get the problem fixed.
5. Clean your white gold rings using soap and baking powder:
It might be the easiest way you can clean your white gold rings at home. All you need is mild dish soap, baking soda, warm water, a soft-bristled toothbrush, and a microfiber cloth.
If you have all these ingredients ready at home, you can get started right away and follow along with us.
- Add 1 teaspoon (around 5ml) of mild wish soap to a bowl with 1-2 cups of warm water.
Bubble up the water and add your white gold ring to the solution. Never boil your rings on the stove since you might burn them.
Hot water can be used to clean white gold in itself, but it might not be favorable for weaker gems such as pearls or opals present on the ring.
- You might consider adding 3-4 drops of ammonia but opt-for this option only if your ring is extremely dirty.
- Soak your ring for about 20-25 minutes. If your rings consist of soft gems such as pearls, onyx, and opals, do not soak your ring. Instead, soak a soft cloth with soapy water and wrap the metal parts of your white gold ring with it.
- Now, create a thick paste of baking soda and water. 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1-2 tablespoons of water mixture might do the job.
- If your ring is very dirty, you can consider using vinegar instead of water while making paste.
- Take a soft-bristled toothbrush and clean the soaked piece of the ring with the paste softy.
- Once you notice the shine coming through and that the oils and dirt have been scrubbed away, wash your ring with warm water.
- Finally, use a microfiber cloth or jeweler’s cloth, if you have any, to dry your ring completely. Reach every tiny crevice such that no water remains trapped inside.
- You can clean your white gold ring once a few months following this procedure.
6. Never rub abrasively:
In case of cleaning white gold rings, or any jewelry in common, the softer the better. If the dirt or impurities are removable, you can easily remove them with softer strokes. Else, your abrasive strokes will only damage your ring further.
On top of that, ingredients used in DIY white gold cleaning procedures such as baking soda is mildly abrasive in itself. So, keep your motion gentle and slow while you’re handling the brush.
7. Use dish soap, baking soda, or vinegar on their own:
You don’t have to add heaps of ingredients every time you clean your white gold rings. Mild dish soap, baking soda, or vinegar will perfectly clean your white gold ring and brings back the shine in case your rings are mildly dirty.
Use these ingredients on their own for 5-10 mins followed by a soft-bristled brush strokes and you’re good to go!
8. Invest in an ultrasonic cleaner:
If you’re a white gold fanatic, it will be a tedious job to clean your ring one by one every time. Instead, you can invest in a good quality ultrasonic cleaner.
Magnasonic Professional Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner has numerous positive reviews on Amazon and claims to use ultrasonic waves for powerful yet gentle cleaning.
On average, ultrasonic cleaner costs you about $30-$70 depending upon the quality and the range of functions it can operate. It seems quite an affordable option considering the fact that you might have to pay $25-$50 for getting your rings cleaned professionally.
However, you’ll have to carefully read the guide that comes with the ultrasonic cleaner since it might crack softer gems such as opals and pearls.
9. White gold cleaning sprays:
There are many jewelry cleaning sprays available in the market. However, you have to make sure that the spray you buy is effective and non-damaging on white gold.
If you want an affordable option that you can use regularly, Sparkle Sparkle Everyday Jewelry Cleaner Kit is one such cleaning spray which has many customers vouching for it in the review section.
These sprays are comparatively a safer option if you have softer stones embedded in your white gold rings.
10. Use polishing or cleansing cloth:
You can also use commercial polishing cloth such as this Connoisseurs Gold Polishing Cloth to polish your white gold ring yourself. This amazon recommended product, however, comes in two cloth pieces; one which cleanses the ring and the other to polish it.
Though not recommended for frequent use, you can remove fine scratches on your white gold using these types of polishing cloth.
However, if your ring lacks luster and looks dirty, you can use Connoisseurs Jewelry Wipes to clean your white gold ring and bring back the shine without actually polishing it.
11. Do not use toothpaste to clean white gold rings:
The one ingredient you’ll want to steer clear of is toothpaste.
Many people in the online community claim that they’ve seen excellent results when using toothpaste as a white gold ring cleaner.
However, they’re not aware of the fact that particles in toothpaste being way harder than gold, can leave minor scratches on your metal surface. On prolonged use, you can see visible scratches on your ring surface and you might find yourself re-plating your ring every few months.
12. Maintain your white gold rings:
Besides using DIY ingredients or commercial cleansers for cleaning, you must also learn how to maintain your white gold rings.
To keep your ring safe and clean, take note of three main mistakes most ring-wearers make; putting lotions on your hand without taking your ring off, sleeping with a ring on, and exposing the ring to chlorine in pools and spas. Steer clear of these three habits!
With these tips on how to clean white gold rings, you can now easily clean your beloved rings without any damage.
But remember, if there’s any significant problem with your ring, you must seek a jeweler’s help rather than slathering some DIY ingredients or trying to fix the problem on your own which will probably worsen it more.
