We clean gold to a shine at home. How to tidy up a gold or gold-plated watch

Quite often one has to face the idea that no matter how high quality your mechanical watch is, it is still subject to negative external influences. Therefore, in this article we will tell you how to clean your watch at home, because not everyone wants to spend time and money on a regular trip to the repair shop.

Why clean your watch?

Dirt, dust, high humidity, drying out, wear of parts - these are the factors that have to be dealt with in order to maintain mechanical watches and time accuracy. It depends on them with what precision they will show the time, and this directly affects the quality of your life.

In some cases, it is enough to clean the watch without disassembling the mechanism. But such an option as alcohol is not suitable in all cases. Sometimes you need to resort to complete or partial disassembly in order to clean a mechanical watch at home. A few of our useful tips will come in handy in this painstaking task.

How to clean your watch at home?

Dusting the surface of your handheld accessory or home walkers is just a small part of what can be done. But even if you perform a similar procedure with enviable regularity, this will not be enough. Over time, you will have to set aside time and thoroughly clean the clock at home, or to be more precise, individual parts of the item. The following parts of the mechanism require constant care:

The case, and it is not particularly important what material it is made of.
The strap, if it is a wristwatch, is the same situation.
An internal mechanism that we actually need for a clear understanding of the flow of time.

Cleaning will take place in three stages - we will deal with each of them in more detail.

Stage 1. Mechanism:

Open the case and carefully remove the mechanism. To do this, you need to remove the crown screw that holds the movement in the case.
If the contamination is large and visible to the naked eye, you can use a clean toothpick. Use it to remove contaminants in easily accessible places.

If you are the owner of electronic time control devices, then you will find useful information about.

Important! Manipulation must be carried out with extreme caution so as not to break the tip of the toothpick. If it gets stuck inside, this can cause you new problems with getting the torn off part and a new question - how to repair a mechanical watch at home, due to the fact that this same toothpick damaged important structural elements.

Use compressed air to clean the entire mechanism. Only apply light pressure so as not to damage the delicate joints of all watch parts.
Carry out the same procedure with the body. In this case, you can increase the air pressure for better cleaning.
Take a thin brush and wet it in pure gasoline or alcohol. With gentle, smooth movements, you process all the details of your mechanical watch.
Wiping with a cloth or napkin if there are rough streaks on the parts.
Let the entire mechanism dry completely.

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Stage 2. Body:

Alcohol and gasoline will very well remove all greasy and unnecessary things from your watch. Moisten a cloth or cotton pad, swab and wipe the case.
Corrosive dirt inside and out is removed with a brush dipped in one of these solutions. You can use a toothbrush.
After carrying out these manipulations, wipe all surfaces dry with a napkin.

Important! If you are not sure about the quality of your watch, then be careful when processing the front of the glass. If it is of low quality, then gasoline or alcohol can adversely affect its transparency.

Stage 3. Strap:

Use a medium-soft bristle toothbrush to clean the hard material strap, and apply soap or toothpaste to clean any dirt.
If the dirt is corrosive, then you will need a brush soaked in gasoline or alcohol to clean the watch at home.
For a gold-plated or silver-plated strap, use a cloth or swab instead of a brush.
If the strap is made of leather or a substitute, then a swab moistened with a special solution for cleaning such material will help remove dirt. Just wipe the strap thoroughly on both sides. For small dirt, you can use an express solution - arm yourself with a damp antiseptic wipe and wipe all the material thoroughly.
Wipe with a dry cloth and dry in a warm, ventilated area.

Important! If your watch has a leather strap, do not use alcohol or gasoline. When using toxic materials, the skin will be damaged and lose its original appearance.

Powerful watch cleaner and restorer

Not everyone can afford luxurious expensive watch models, because in fact, the main thing is that they clearly display the passage of time. Everything else is just a tribute to fashion and the desire to prove their social status. If your mechanical watch is of poor quality and the glass is damaged, then there is an easy way to clean them at home.
To do this, you will need felt cloth and Goya paste. Take this tool, apply it on the fabric and carefully rub the glass until all mechanical damage is removed. After the procedure, wipe with a damp cloth.

Watches are a stylish accessory that is held in high esteem by both women and men. But even with careful use, particles of skin, sweat and other contaminants remain on it. Aggressive personal environment, weather conditions - all this has a negative impact not only on the case and the strap, but also on the internal elements. Therefore, any, even the most expensive, watches need regular care. Of course, you can take your favorite accessory to the workshop and entrust it to the hands of a professional master, but even at home, it’s enough just to put your watch in order. How to clean your watch with your own hands? First of all, you need to clean the external parts: we wipe the strap, the case, and clean out the old dirt. Then we move on to cleaning the internal parts. But let's talk about everything in order and in more detail.

Cleaning the bracelet

The cleaning method depends on the material from which the strap itself is made.

Important! If possible, you need to separate the strap from the case. Then it will be more convenient to clean, as there will be no risk of water or detergents getting into the mechanism.

So how can you clean your watch?

Metal strap:

The easiest way is warm water with shampoo or dishwashing liquid diluted in it. Pour the mixture into a shallow container and put the bracelet there, leave for half an hour. After the time has elapsed, remove the bracelet, wipe it with a soft cloth. Clean the most difficult and hard-to-reach places with a toothpick. Air dry the bracelet well.
If the strap cannot be separated from the case, clean it with a toothbrush dipped in soapy water.
If the watch has lost its luster, then you can clean the strap with soda. Shape the aluminum foil into a bowl, place a metal strap in it, sprinkle it with baking soda, and pour hot water over it. Leave for half an hour, then remove and wipe with a cloth so that there are no streaks.
The same effect will be obtained if ammonia is used instead of soda.
You can prepare a special mixture for wiping watches: mix equal parts baking soda and vinegar.

Important! Such a paste can be used to wipe both metal straps and bracelets made of precious metals.

Leather belt

Such straps are very popular, because if you take care of them regularly, they will retain their attractive appearance for a long time. Let's figure out what is suitable in this case, how to clean the watch:

A soapy solution is also suitable here, in which you can add a little ammonia to enhance the effect. Apply this mixture to a cotton pad and wipe the strap. To wash off the product, you can use wet wipes. Then you need to dry the strap. You can use a towel.
To keep the skin soft, it should be periodically lubricated with a small amount of olive oil.

Important! To clean a white leather bracelet, you can use a mixture of egg and milk. Egg white is added to the milk, stirred, this mixture is applied to a cotton pad or swab and the strap is treated. In such a simple way, you can remove dirt and restore the shining look to the bracelet.

Gold-plated strap

The cost of gold is quite high, so most often they buy watches with a gold-plated bracelet. When purchasing such an accessory, it is important to clean it properly so as not to damage the surface. In addition, the following rules must be observed:

It is better not to wear such a product at home, or, in any case, take it off while doing household chores, as well as cosmetic or water procedures.
Clean it regularly.
After removing the jewelry, you need to wipe it gently with a soft cloth or napkin and put it in the box.
Do not leave jewelry in the bathroom, where there is high humidity and in the sun.

In order for your favorite jewelry to serve you for a long time and faithfully, you need to take care, care for them and take care of them.

How to clean gold plated watches at home? First of all, they must be cleaned of dust. The following can be used as cleansers:

Turpentine.
Wine alcohol.
Wine vinegar.
Soap solution with ammonia.
Egg white is perfect for cleaning gilded items. For a better effect, you can add a little javelin water to the protein.
Alcohol enhances the shine of gilding and is antistatic. Wipe the strap with alcohol and then with a damp cloth and dry.
You can clean the bracelet with toothpaste. When cleaning, the foam may darken, which means that the dirt comes off. After cleaning, the remaining toothpaste must be removed.

Other types of straps:

Titanium watches are lightweight, look very stylish, and therefore are very popular. But there are often small scratches on the watch. They can be removed with a regular school eraser. Just run it over the strap in the same direction a few times and you will notice how the look of the watch has improved.
The ceramic bracelet is easy to clean - just wipe it with a soapy cloth and it will return to its original appearance. You can also use glass cleaner.
A fabric bracelet can simply be washed in soapy water, and especially dirty places can be rubbed with a toothbrush.
Silver watches can be cleaned with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. After cleaning, the jewelry should not be washed or wiped. It should dry on its own.

We clean the body

The case also requires appropriate care, and given the fact that it contains the working mechanism, it is necessary to properly clean the watch. For this:

All greasy and unnecessary from your watch will be removed with alcohol or refined gasoline. Soak a cotton swab in one of these products and wipe the case.
If there are particularly stubborn stains, they can be removed with a toothbrush or brush dipped again in alcohol or gasoline.
After cleaning, wipe all surfaces dry with a cloth.

Important! When cleaning the front of the glass, be careful, especially if you are not sure of the good quality of your watch. If the glass is not of very high quality, after all the cleaning manipulations, it may become opaque.

We clean the internal mechanism

This process consists of several stages and is the most difficult. Therefore, be very careful and careful in your work:

Find a small container and pour alcohol or refined gasoline into it.
Carefully remove the cover from the mechanism. To do this, you need the smallest screwdriver with a magnetized tip.
Remove all parts one by one. Lay them in the order in which you will later collect them.
Start cleaning with a balance: take it by the rim with tweezers, lower it into a container with a cleaning agent and rinse. Shake the item in the air a little to dry it, then lay it to dry on a napkin. Wood chips are good for this purpose. They quickly absorb liquid.
All parts are cleaned in a similar way, large ones are dried on a napkin or in sawdust, small ones dry on a sheet of paper.
After all parts are cleaned, they must be left for a few minutes to dry well. If large dirt remains, we clean them with a brush or a toothbrush soaked in a cleaning agent.
Then you need to assemble the mechanism. Do not pull for a long time so that the dust does not settle again on the parts.
When the mechanism is fully assembled, it must be lubricated with oil. It is better to use a pipette and carefully drip oil on the parts.
It remains only to insert the movement into the case of the product and complete the assembly of the watch.

Important! If you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to use the services of specialists, because internal parts need to be cleaned only once every 3-4 years, and if you assemble the parts incorrectly, the clock will not work, and you still have to go to the workshop.

Any wrist watch needs regular maintenance. Aggressive outdoor environment, dust, rain - all this affects not only the watch case, but also its internal elements. Therefore, even the most expensive watches need regular cleaning. You can clean the watch yourself at home, without contacting a watchmaker. You just need to follow a few simple rules.
How to clean a watch?
How can you clean a watch - the question is quite natural. We hasten to please you: for accurate and thorough cleaning, you do not need to purchase special expensive cleaning products.

To clean a leather strap, you need a cloth with a leather cleaner applied to it. A stainless steel bracelet can simply be cleaned with a toothbrush (expensive, with soft bristles so as not to scratch the case) dipped in soapy water. A bracelet made of silver or gilded should be carefully cleaned with a napkin.
The outside of the case and the dial can be wiped with a flannel cloth coated with glass cleaner. Wipes for cleaning office equipment or optics are well suited for these purposes.
If you find ingrained dirt on the bracelet or case that soft products “do not take”, you will have to resort to harder ones. For example, clean it with a toothpick with a soft tip or with a cotton swab wound around the tip.
The same toothpick is quite suitable for cleaning the mechanism. The main thing is to make sure that its tip does not break off and does not get stuck inside. It is also convenient to use tweezers for work.

How to properly clean a watch?
First of all, we clean the external parts: we wipe the strap or bracelet, the back wall and the cover, we scrape out the old dirt. It is important to remember, especially if your watch is not waterproof, that you must carefully protect it from drops of water and cleaning agent. Then, we move on to cleaning the internal parts - the watch mechanism.
This process takes place in several stages:
- carefully remove the cover from the mechanism. To do this, you will need either tweezers or the smallest screwdriver with a magnetized tip, which is usually used when repairing tablets and laptops;
- we disassemble sequentially all the details, laying them with tweezers in the order in which you will collect them;
- prepare a container with alcohol: 2 centimeters of liquid are enough;
- First of all, we clean the balance. We hook it with tweezers and gently rinse in alcohol. After that, you need to shake the part a little in the air so that it dries out and put it on a lint-free cloth;
- next to clean the bridge of the anchor fork and engagement and the anchor fork itself. The cleaning process is similar to that described in the previous paragraph, only after drying in air, the parts should be laid on a sheet of smooth paper;
- then the rest of the details are cleaned in turn: large ones are placed on a napkin, small ones - on a sheet of paper;

After washing all the parts, we wait about 10 minutes until they dry;
- Once again, before assembling, carefully inspect the parts so that they are free of lint and dust. If we find any - brush off with a soft brush;
- We try to assemble as quickly as possible so that dust does not get on the mechanism again.

Watch Cleaning Tips
In order for your watch to take on the same appearance after cleaning as immediately after purchase, be sure to lubricate it. To lubricate watches, only ultra-refined liquid oil marked “for watches” is used. You should not use any other mechanism oil, as it can interact with the material of the watch mechanism. You need to drip oil from the tip of the toothpick, because an excessive amount of lubricant is just as harmful to the mechanism as its lack.
After fully assembling the watch, you can use a dry microfiber cloth to final clean the case and apply gloss.

The thorough cleaning of your wristwatch, which is discussed in our review, does not need to be done too often. It is enough to carry it out every three to four years, not forgetting to lubricate the mechanism. And then your watch will delight you for decades.

Gold has always been one of the most expensive metals. Even now, when almost every family has gold jewelry, wearing gold remains a sign of solidity and a successful financial position.

It is not uncommon to meet people who love gold jewelry for no reason. Not because of their value, but because of their appearance. Someone believes that gold items are better for them, while someone, on the contrary, insists that it is better to wear silver and other metals.

Gold pollution

But both of them face the same problem - pollution. No matter how carefully people try to wear jewelry, they often get dirty. Most often, there are several types of pollution that you can get rid of at home:

metal contamination;
metal oxidation;

metal contamination

The most common type of contamination among jewelry. Since most gold items are made in a complex structure, they often have hard-to-reach places where dirt can easily get into. Rings are the most common problem. When working with hands, earth, dust, sand can get into them.

metal oxidation

Another common pollution that men face more often. If a man wears a gold cross or chain, and also engages in an active lifestyle, then when sweating, sweat falls on the gold surface, and in most cases the process of oxidation takes place.

How to clean gold jewelry at home

Many do not know how to quickly clean gold at home. But this is not difficult, and no professional skills are required. To do this, add one of the cleaning agents to hot water. It can be dishwashing detergent, shampoo or just grated soap. Soap is usually used laundry.

If your jewelry does not have any stones, then the product can be placed in the prepared solution. But do not leave the decoration for a long time, 5-7 minutes will be enough. After that, remove the product, take a toothbrush and apply the solution on it. Here again, it is worth paying attention to whether the jewelry has precious stones. If they are not there, then the intensity of brushing can be increased. But if stones are present, you need to be extremely careful.

If everything worked out and the dirt is no longer observed, then after such procedures, the gold may stop shining. This is not a reason to panic, as the shine can be restored with a sugar solution. It is enough to put 2 tablespoons of sugar in a glass of warm water, stir and leave the decoration there until the morning.

Folk remedies

Gold is a fairly old precious metal worn by our ancestors. Based on this, many folk methods have developed on how to clean or polish gold jewelry and gilding.

Ammonia

Cleaning rings, earrings or other jewelry with this method is very risky. Alcohol has a structure that can corrode certain types of metal. Here it is enough to dip the gold into the solution for 2-3 minutes and then clean it with a brush or polish it. If your product does not consist of gold, but is simply gilded, then it is better not to use this type of cleaning.

Ammonia

As with alcohol, this method is very risky, and is best used if your jewelry is old or has not been worn for a long time. If the jewelry has a large layer of oxidation and corrosion, then this method can help you. You should dip the product in the solution for 2-3 minutes, leave it to dry and then clean it with a brush.

Hydrogen peroxide

This method is suitable for jewelry that is not heavily oxidized. Peroxide does not corrode the metal in structure, so the product can be left in solution for a longer time. Usually left for an hour or more, then cleaned. If this time was not enough, the procedure can be repeated.

Vinegar

A solution of vinegar for cleaning gold has a structure between alcohol and peroxide. Therefore, it is suitable for cleaning medium metal oxidations. It is also not recommended to clean gold-plated products with vinegar, as they may darken.

If your jewelry or product has a material such as cubic zirconia, then it is better not to use vinegar, alcohol and ammonia. This material is quite brittle and can react differently to such strong solutions.

No matter how safe you may think cleaning gold at home, be sure to wash the product well so that the remains of the solution do not get on the skin.

Attention, only TODAY!

Gold jewelry is the pride of their owner. In order to maintain their attractive appearance, it is necessary to carry out cleaning, as in the process of use, the products become covered with plaque and lose their luster.

For many people, the question is how to clean gold at home in order to get a good and durable result. Achieving high results will help knowing what composition gold jewelry has.

Pure gold without the addition of other substances is not used, since this metal is very soft, therefore, jewelry contains a number of substances that improve physical and chemical parameters.

The appearance of plaque contribute to:

When interacting with ambient air or water, including sea water, oxidation occurs. It is necessary to purify gold, since pollution not only spoils the appearance, but also harms health: plaque can cause inflammatory and allergic reactions.

In order for gold to shine spectacularly, and plaque does not form, it is necessary:

avoid contact of the product with alkalis and various acids (housework should be carried out with gloves);
avoid exposure to solvents and other aggressive substances (including nail polish removers);
protect from exposure to paints and abrasives (remove or work with gloves);
do not expose to high temperatures and ultraviolet radiation.

To prevent contamination, the cleaning process should be carried out regularly, even if these recommendations are followed.

The nuances of the cleaning process

Before you start cleaning, there are some important things to consider.

Many pieces of jewelry have complex shapes and places that are hard to reach for self-cleaning, for example, places where stones are inserted, bends, and joints.
The container for the preparation of the cleaning mixture must be chosen so that the product can be completely accommodated in it.

If you take into account these nuances, then the work will be faster, and the result will be of better quality.

Cleaning process: preparation of a solution with ammonia

We clean gold correctly using ammonia and ordinary washing powder. It is necessary to give preference to containers made of glass or plastic in order to exclude the possibility of oxidation. To obtain a cleaning solution with ammonia, you will need:

boiled water - 250 ml;
ammonia - 4 ml;
washing powder (without coloring additives) - 1 tbsp.

If there is no powder, then you can safely use dishwashing detergent.

The mixture is stirred, the powder should completely dissolve, leaving no lumps.

Products are placed in the solution for 2-2.5 hours, after which they must be rinsed with clean running water and wiped dry using a soft towel without lint and three-dimensional pictures or the same cloth.

If it was not possible to buy ammonia, then you can use other recipes that will effectively clean yellow or red gold at home.

1. Use dishwashing detergent as the main component. To do this, you need to take:

water - 1 glass;
dishwashing detergent (preferably with a softening effect) - 1 tsp.

The container that should be used for the cleaning process should be chosen taking into account that the composition will be heated for several minutes. A soft cloth should be placed on the bottom, then the decorations that need to be cleaned, and then all the components to create the solution are added to the container. The heating process lasts 10 minutes. Then the products should be removed and washed under running water, wiped with a soft towel. The method is suitable for cleaning jewelry and jewelry made of yellow, as the most popular, and red, which is gaining popularity, gold.

2. Liquid soap and hydrogen peroxide are also used when there is a need to clean the gold from dirt and plaque. Need to mix:

water -250 ml;
hydrogen peroxide - 40 ml;
liquid soap (it is better to choose soft, without unnecessary additives) - 1 tsp;
ammonia - 1 tsp

The water needs to be heated, but not boiled - it should be warm, about 37 degrees, then add all the other components and mix. Then put jewelry in need of cleaning into the container. The exposure time is 20 minutes. At the end, gold items should be washed with plain water and wiped using a lint-free cloth.

3. Salt, which is likely to be found in every home, is also used to clean gold from dark deposits. An effective way for those who wish to achieve a good and durable result includes the following components in the solution:

water - 160 ml;
salt - 3 tbsp.

The ingredients should be mixed until the salt is completely dissolved. Jewelry is placed in the solution for 12 hours, then washed under running water.

4. Another easy way to clean gold is to use foil. Products will shine and sparkle. Would need:

water -1 glass;
soda - 2 tbsp.
foil.

At the bottom of the selected container, foil should be laid so that it completely covers the surface. It is required to mix water and soda, pour into a container and put decoration into a solution. The cleaning process also continues for 12 hours, after which the gold should be washed and dried with a soft cloth towel.

Cleaning gold with a matte surface requires special attention.

5. The number of jewelry made using this type of metal is increasing every day. Therefore, the question of how to clean gold at home and not damage the surface is especially relevant. Accuracy, slowness and delicacy are important here. Powders, brushes can not be used.

You can use the following solution - ammonia (25% solution). The product is placed in it for 2 hours, then washed with water and wiped dry with a soft cloth.

Lime mixed with water is also suitable for cleaning dull gold items. Lime (3-4 g) must be mixed with water, put a little soda (1 g), mix. The mixture should be infused for 3 days. Then the products are placed in it for 4 hours. At the end, the gold, as usual, is washed and dried with a soft towel.

Mechanical cleaning of yellow and red gold items

In some cases, this method is necessary. For example, if none of the proposed methods had any effect and pollution remained, mechanical action is indispensable. It is important to consider that abrasive pastes are not used in this process, especially if the products are with cubic zirkonia, since the surface of jewelry and stones is very easily scratched.

toothpaste (without additional elements);
petrolatum;
crushed chalk;
laundry soap;
water.

All components should be mixed well. Soap should be grated beforehand. The proportions of each substance should be the same. The resulting paste is applied to the product with a soft cloth. Then you need to rinse the gold thing to get rid of the Vaseline. At the end, the product is additionally rinsed under water and dried.