How to Clean Gold Earrings

Co-authored by Edward Lewand

Last Updated: October 20, 2020 References

Gold earrings – whether yellow, white, or set with gemstones – can start to look dull when oils, dirt, and dead skin cells build up. Luckily, you can remove this dirt and restore the metallic shine with a few household materials. Just prepare a dish of boiling water with optional dish soap and leave your earrings and backings in the water to soak for a while. An old soft-bristled toothbrush is the perfect tool for scrubbing dirt out the crevices. Finish off by blotting away the moisture and buffing the gold with an absorbent towel. Your gold earrings will look like new in no time!

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Soaking Your Earrings

1
Place your gold earrings and backings in a small strainer. Remove the backings from the earrings first. If they're also gold, place them along with the earrings into a small sieve or mesh strainer.
- This way, you won't have to worry about dropping the earrings or backings into your sink!^{[1]
  X
  Research source}
- A loose tea strainer or a powdered sugar sieve would work well for tiny earrings and backings.
2
Soak the earrings and backings in just-boiled water for 5 to 10 minutes. Boil roughly 1 c (240 mL) of water and pour it into a heat-safe dish or mug. Lower the strainer into the mug to completely cover the jewelry.^{[2]
X
Expert Source

Edward Lewand
Graduate Gemologist & Accredited Appraiser
Expert Interview. 6 August 2019.} Jostle the earrings and backings around for a few moments, then let them soak for at least 5 minutes. ^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Boiling hot water will lift off natural oils, lotions, and built-up dead skin cells from the gold and will help restore its shine.
- Unlike hot tap water, boiled water will be softened and purified, making it better for cleaning your gold.
Advertisement
3
Add mild dish soap to the hot water for a deeper clean. Instead of using plain water, try adding a drop of mild dish soap to hot or boiling water in a heat-safe mug or dish. Place the strainer into the soapy liquid until the earrings and backings are completely covered.^{[4]
X
Expert Source

Edward Lewand
Graduate Gemologist & Accredited Appraiser
Expert Interview. 6 August 2019.}
- Slosh the strainer around a few times to help get the soap into the nooks and crannies of the earrings.
- Let the earrings and backings soak for about 5 to 10 minutes.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
4
Avoid soaking gold earrings set with porous gemstones. Earrings containing porous materials like opal, turquoise, pearls, and coral should not be soaked in water. Instead, purchase a specialty jewelry cleaning solution or polishing wipes that are designed for use with your porous gemstones.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- If your earrings are set with faceted precious or semi-precious stones like diamonds or sapphires, they're safe to soak and scrub at home.
- When in doubt, ask a jeweler for their recommended cleaning methods.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Scrubbing and Drying Your Earrings

1
Lay out the soaked earrings and backings on an absorbent towel. Lay out a piece of paper towel, a lint-free microfiber cloth, or a soft washcloth onto your work surface. Lift the strainer out of the cleaning solution and gently tip the earrings and backings out onto the towel.
- Don't rinse them off just yet; it's okay if they're still sudsy and damp.
2
Buff the gold clean using a clean, soft-bristled brush or toothbrush. Set aside an old but clean soft-bristled toothbrush for jewelry cleaning, or use a jewelry cleaning brush if you have one. Gently scrub the front, back, and inside of each earring and backing by moving the brush in small circular motions.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- Gold is a soft metal so don't scrub too vigorously.^{[8]
  X
  Research source}
- Try dampening the brush in the hot or soapy water before scrubbing.
3
Spend 2 to 3 minutes scrubbing dirt out of small crevices with the brush. Especially for earrings set with gemstones, spend at least 2 minutes gently scrubbing the back and insides of the earring. A lot of dirt gets trapped back there, which causes the gemstones and gold to look dull.^{[9]
X
Research source} Do the same for the backings where dead skin cells can quickly build up.
- Poke the bristles in between the crevices and use them to lift off the dirt.
- If you notice the bristles are picking up specks of dirt, wipe them off on the towel so you don't just spread the dirt around the earrings.
- This process can take a while! Be patient and thorough, and aim to remove as much dirt as possible.
4
Return the jewelry to the strainer and rinse it off under warm water. Once you've scrubbed off as much of the dirt as possible, place the earrings and backings back in the strainer. Rinse them off under a gentle stream of warm running water. Jostle the pieces around to rinse off all sides.^{[10]
X
Expert Source

Edward Lewand
Graduate Gemologist & Accredited Appraiser
Expert Interview. 6 August 2019.}
- If the earrings started out really dirty, repeat the soaking and scrubbing process 1 more time.
5
Buff the gold dry with a soft towel. Carefully tip the rinsed-off earrings and backings out onto the absorbent washcloth or paper towel. Then, use the dry corners of the towel to buff the gold in small circular motions. This will help restore its shine while wicking off any remaining moisture.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Pinch each piece from behind the towel to hold it in place. This way, you won't get your fingerprints all over the newly cleaned jewelry.