The Jewellery Cleaning and Care Guide, Part One: Gold, Platinum and Silver

by Alice Suttle July 15, 2026

Knowing how to properly clean and care for your jewellery can be daunting, especially if it's antique or vintage - what if I damage it? How often should I clean it? Should I take it to a professional? Let's take a look at what you can safely do (and not do) at home without breaking the bank!

In this guide I will cover plain gold, platinum and silver jewellery without stones - check out part two of this blog (coming soon) to find out how to clean and care for gemstone jewellery.

Hagerty Silver Clean and Hagerty Jewel Clean solution pots

GENERAL CLEANING TIPS

Plain gold, silver and platinum jewellery is actually easy to clean yourself in the comfort of your own home. There are a few different tools and techniques you can use to get your jewellery looking shiny and shimmery again. From rings to earrings to chains, give these a try!

Soapy water and a soft-bristled toothbrush: Yep, it's that simple! Grab a toothbrush and a bowl, or plug up your sink (we don't want anything slipping down the drain), then squeeze a bit of washing-up liquid into some warm water and mix until soapy. Make sure the brush isn't too firm to avoid causing inadvertent scratches. Scrub your jewellery with the brush in small concentric circles. This is great for removing dirt, dust and debris. Focus on small holes and crevices where it's easy for dirt to hide. For very dirty pieces, try soaking the item in warm soapy water for 15-20 minutes before scrubbing to loosen up any material.
Jewellery cleaning dip: If you find the above ineffective, you can buy a small tub of jewellery cleaning solution. I use this Hagerty Jewel Clean for gold and platinum, and this one for silver, but various brands exist and they all do much of the same. It comes with a brush, and the pot has a small basket in which you can submerge your jewellery. For larger items such as bulky necklaces, see the final tip.
Polishing cloth: To remove tarnish and give your jewellery a quick buff, a polishing cloth is a great item to keep on hand. There's a special type of cloth for silver. Grab yourself a pair of cotton gloves to wear during use to avoid getting black fingers!
Ultrasonic cleaner: If the piece you have feels too complicated to clean by hand, treat yourself to a mini ultrasonic cleaner. These jewellery baths are great at shaking free ingrained dirt and grime by oscillating the liquid inside at a high frequency. You can clean multiple items at a time, and you can use it for other items such as reading glasses and make-up brushes. A very handy tool to have around the house!

GOLD JEWELLERY

To understand how to look after your gold pieces, let's remind ourselves of what type of gold jewellery exists.

Gold Fineness	What Does It Mean?
8 Carat Gold	The lowest standard of gold, most commonly seen in European countries such as Germany. It contains 33.3% gold, or 333 parts out of 1000 (333/1000).
9 Carat Gold	The minimum standard of gold in the UK, introduced in the year 1854. It consists of 37.5% gold or 375 parts out of 1000 (375/1000).
10 Carat Gold	The minimum standard of gold in North America, 10 carat gold is not used commercially in the UK. Made up of 41.7% gold, or 417 parts out of 1000 (417/1000).
12 Carat Gold	A rare and not often seen fineness, and no longer used. In the UK, 12 carat gold was replaced in the year 1932 in favour of 9 carat gold. It contains 50% gold, or 500 parts out of 1000 (500/1000, sometimes stamped ".5").
14 Carat Gold	Most often used in North American jewellery, 14 carat gold is made up of 58.5% gold, or 585 parts out of 1000 (585/1000).
15 Carat Gold	15 carat gold is no longer used, and was made obsolete in the UK in 1932 (like 12 carat gold). Therefore it is only seen in jewellery made between 1854 and 1932. It consist of 62.5% gold, or 625 parts out of 1000 (625/1000).
18 Carat Gold	18 carat gold is commonly used in fine jewellery, as it contains a high gold content but also enough of other alloys to make it hard, long-lasting and durable. It contains 75% gold, or 750 parts out of 1000 (750/1000).
20-21 Carat Gold	20 and 21 carat gold is not often used, but some jewellery is made in this fineness. It is made up of 83.3% and 87.5% gold respectively, or 833/1000 and 875/1000.
22 Carat Gold	22 carat gold is the highest form of gold used commercially in the UK. Wedding rings were and are often made using it. It consists of 91.6% gold, or 916 parts out of 1000 (916/1000).
24 Carat Gold	24 carat gold is known as pure gold and is made up of 99.9% gold, or 999 parts out of 1000 (999/1000). It is most often found in the form of bullion bars, or jewellery from Asia or the Middle East. Because there are no other metals or alloys mixed in, it is very soft and not suitable for dainty or delicate jewellery.

Side note: In the UK we spell it "carat" with a C, whereas it's spelt "karat" in American English. The more you know!

Gold is a soft metal, so it is mixed with other alloys to create hard-wearing jewellery. The more gold in an item, the more yellow it will be, and the more it will shine when given a good clean and polish.

You will notice that the lower the carat of gold, the more it tarnishes. This is due to the other metals and alloys mixed in with the gold.

If your jewellery is white gold, it is most likely rhodium plated on top to give it that bright silvery finish. Rhodium plating will naturally wear away over time, making an item look a bit dull, but it can be re-plated by a jeweller. Brace yourself for how much it may cost due to the current high metal prices - eek!

Gold cloths can be used for yellow gold, white gold and rose gold

SILVER JEWELLERY

We took a look at gold fineness, so let's check out silver as well.

Silver Fineness	What Does It Mean?
800 Silver	Also known as continental silver as it was used in countries such as Germany, it consists of 80% silver, or 800 parts out of 1000 (800/1000).
830 and 835 Silver	These too were used in European countries, namely Scandinavia, and are made of 83% and 83.5% silver respectively, or 830/1000 and 835/1000.
900 Silver	Sometimes referred to as coin silver, 900 silver is used in many countries including in Europe and South America. It contains 90% silver, or 900 parts out of 1000 (900/1000).
Sterling Silver	The most common standard of silver used in jewellery today, it consists of 92.5% silver or 925 parts out of 1000 (925/1000).
Britannia Silver	A high fineness known as Britannia silver, introduced in 1697 in England, most often used in silverware and coins rather than jewellery. It consists of 95.8% silver, or 958 parts out of 1000 (958/1000).
999 Silver	Reserved for coins, mostly, as pure silver jewellery would be too soft. It's 99.9% silver, or 999 parts out of 1000 (999/1000).

This list isn't exhaustive as there are some finenesses rarely seen, such as 916 and 947 fineness from Russia and 720 fineness from The Netherlands.

Silver is highly prone to tarnishing and can turn black over time. Silver reacts to sulphur which is found naturally in the air, so you're not doing anything wrong if you find your silver tarnishing - and yes, it can tarnish even if it's sealed away in a jewellery box!

Dealing with tarnish is part and parcel of owning silver pieces, so get used to using a silver polishing cloth with a pair of gloves to remove it. For heavily tarnished pieces, silver polish liquid might be necessary - just make sure you use it in a ventilated space as it is rather smelly...

An art deco butterfly wing brooch in silver, held in a hand, before and after being cleaned

Before and after using a silver polishing cloth - Goldcrest Antique & Vintage

PLATINUM JEWELLERY

Platinum is bit more straightforward than gold and silver when it comes to fineness, so this should be quick!

Platinum Fineness	What Does It Mean?
850 Platinum	The lowest grade of platinum available, it contains 85% platinum or 850 parts out of 1000 (850/1000).
900 Platinum	Japan and other parts of Asia use 900 platinum as standard; it is made of 90% platinum or 900 parts out of 1000 (900/1000).
950 Platinum	The standard fineness for most platinum jewellery produced today, it consists of 95% platinum or 950 parts out of 1000 (950/1000).
999 Platinum	Pure platinum, used for coins and bullion bars. Consisting of 99.9% platinum, or 999 parts out of 1000 (999/1000).

Platinum is a hard metal, and is recommended for jewellery that needs to be durable such as wedding and engagement rings. It is also naturally white in colour (well, silver) and therefore won't need rhodium plating like white gold will.

Platinum doesn't tarnish, so a light polish with an impregnated cloth is usually enough to keep it looking shiny. Scratches to the metal over time will dull it; a professional polish by a jeweller will make it look like new again.

A platinum and yellow gold band ring, viewed from the side

Platinum will scratch over time, but it won't tarnish - Goldcrest Antique & Vintage

THINGS TO AVOID

Be ultra careful with antique items, or items with delicate parts. Hard brushing or vigorous cleaning can cause damage. Consult a jeweller for their opinion beforehand if you are unsure.
If cleaning items with gemstones, be sure to research which gemstones are safe to get wet - not all of them are. Stay tuned for part two of this blog for more information.
Be wary of micro claw-set gemstone pieces, items with stones precariously held in place or, worse, glued in. Cleaning can displace these stones.
Do not submerge butterfly wing jewellery in water or cleaning solution. It will destroy the butterfly wing irreversibly. Use a simple polishing cloth instead.
Do not attempt to clean closed-back paste pieces with water or solution. If the paste is foil-backed, you risk damaging or disintegrating the foil.
Do not scrub enamel pieces vigorously or submerge them in silver dip - take care when cleaning to avoid damage.

I have gold plated and silver plated items. Can I still clean them?

Yes! The techniques shared above apply to gold plated and silver plated items as well. Just be aware that the more you rub and scrub at plated items the more the plating is being worn away, so try to limit your cleaning and polishing to when it's absolutely necessary.

I've tried all of these and nothing is working. What now?

It might be that your jewellery needs a professional clean. Commercial jewellers will usually have a large and powerful ultrasonic cleaner and, if they have their own workshop, access to polishing mops to give your gold, silver and platinum that "brand new" look. Take your jewellery along to your local jeweller for a quote.