How to Clean Gold Jewelry With Vinegar

Vinegar is one of the most searched home remedies for dirty jewelry, and for good reason: it is cheap, it is already in the kitchen cupboard, and on the right piece it works. White vinegar is a mild solution of acetic acid, usually around 5%, which dissolves mineral deposits, soap scum and the greasy film that dulls gold. Used on the wrong piece, though, that same acid can etch a pearl, dull an opal or strip plating in minutes. This guide explains how to clean gold jewelry with vinegar step by step, how to use it on other jewelry, and, just as important, which pieces should never go near it.

Why Vinegar Works on Gold

Pure gold does not react with vinegar. Solid gold jewelry in 10k, 14k, 18k or 22k is an alloy of gold with metals such as silver, copper and zinc, and these alloys also stand up well to a short soak in household vinegar. What makes gold look dull is not the metal itself but what sits on top of it: skin oil, hand cream, soap residue, hard water deposits and dust packed into engraving and settings. The mild acid loosens that layer so it can be brushed and rinsed away.

This is also why vinegar does little for silver tarnish on its own. Tarnish is silver sulfide, a chemical change in the surface of the metal, and it needs a different approach.

What You Need

• A small glass or ceramic bowl
• Plain white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• Baking soda (optional, for stubborn grime on plain gold)
• A very soft toothbrush
• Warm water and a lint free or microfibre cloth

How to Clean Gold Jewelry With Vinegar, Step by Step

1. Check the piece first. This method is for solid gold, and for gold set only with hard, untreated stones such as diamonds and most sapphires. Read the section below on what not to clean with vinegar before you start.
2. Soak. Pour enough vinegar into the bowl to cover the jewelry and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes. There is no benefit in leaving it for hours.
3. Brush. Lift the piece out and brush gently, working into chain links, clasps, engraving and the back of settings where grime collects.
4. For heavier build up, use a paste. Mix about a quarter cup of baking soda with a couple of tablespoons of warm water to make a soft paste. Apply it to plain gold only and brush lightly. Baking soda is mildly abrasive, so do not scrub hard or use it on high polish surfaces every time.
5. Rinse thoroughly. Rinse under warm running water, with the sink plugged or over a bowl, until no vinegar smell or paste remains. Leftover acid or paste in crevices is what causes problems later.
6. Dry completely. Pat dry with a lint free cloth and let the piece air dry before putting it back in your jewelry box.

Once or twice a month is plenty for gold you wear every day. In between, a wipe with a soft cloth after wearing keeps the build up from returning.

Using Vinegar on Other Jewelry

Diamonds

Diamonds themselves are not affected by vinegar, so a diamond set in solid gold or platinum can be cleaned this way. For most diamond rings, though, warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap do the same job with no risk, and are the better daily choice. Skip the vinegar entirely for fracture filled or clarity enhanced diamonds.

Silver

Vinegar mixed with baking soda can lift light tarnish from solid sterling silver, but it is not the most effective method and it can remove the intentional darkening in oxidized designs. A silver polishing cloth or the baking soda and aluminium foil method usually gives a better result.

Costume jewelry

Fashion jewelry is usually plated over base metal and often has glued stones. A brief dab of vinegar on a cotton bud can remove green corrosion from contacts, but soaking can loosen the glue and lift the plating. Our guide to cleaning cheap jewelry covers the gentler options.

What NOT to Clean With Vinegar

This is the part most vinegar tips leave out. Acid of any strength can permanently damage the following:

• Pearls. Pearls are made of calcium carbonate, which dissolves in acid. Even a short soak can dull the lustre and eat into the surface. Wipe pearls with a soft, damp cloth only.
• Opals. Opals contain water, are relatively soft and are sensitive to chemicals and temperature changes. Doublets and triplets are also glued together, and liquids can get between the layers.
• Emeralds. Most emeralds are treated with oil or resin to fill fractures. Acids and soaks can draw that filler out and make inclusions suddenly visible.
• Turquoise, coral, amber, lapis lazuli and malachite. These are soft, porous or carbonate based materials that absorb liquids and can be etched or discoloured.
• Treated rubies. Some lower priced rubies are filled with lead glass, which can be damaged by acids, including mild household ones.
• Gold plated, gold filled and vermeil pieces. The gold is only a layer, and acid combined with brushing wears it away faster. Clean these with mild soapy water only.
• Enamel. Pieces with enamel details can lose their shine or be damaged if left in acid.
• Glued settings and antique pieces. Acid can weaken adhesives, and antique finishes and patina are often part of the value.

If a gold piece is set with any of these stones, skip the soak and clean the metal around the stone carefully with a damp cloth, or take it to a jeweler.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Soaking too long. Ten to fifteen minutes is enough. Overnight soaks do not clean better and increase the risk to settings and stones.
• Mixing vinegar with bleach or other cleaners. Vinegar and chlorine bleach together release toxic chlorine gas. Never combine cleaning products.
• Using hot vinegar. Heat speeds up any reaction and can shock some gemstones. Room temperature is fine.
• Scrubbing hard. Gold is soft, especially 22k and 18k. Use gentle strokes and a soft brush.
• Skipping the rinse. Residue left behind clasps and under stones keeps working on the piece long after you finish.

When to See a Jeweler

If a gold piece is still dull after cleaning, the problem may be fine scratches rather than dirt, and those need professional polishing. It is also worth having rings checked every six months or so for worn prongs and loose stones, especially if you clean at home regularly and handle the settings. For antiques, heirlooms and pieces with valuable or delicate gems, a professional clean is the safer choice.

Summer heat, sunscreen and pool water are hard on jewelry too, and a few habits reduce how often you need to clean at all. See our tips on protecting your jewelry in the summer months.

Quick Summary

Vinegar is safe and effective on solid gold and on gold set with hard, untreated stones: soak for 10 to 15 minutes, brush gently, rinse well and dry. Keep it away from pearls, opals, emeralds, turquoise, coral, amber, treated rubies, enamel and any plated or gold filled piece. When in doubt, warm water with mild dish soap is the safest cleaner for almost any jewelry.