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When wearing jewellery, your gold pieces are exposed to everyday grime like dust, skin oils, perspiration and makeup. This can cause dullness and tarnish over time, so it's important to keep up with routine cleaning and care.

While there are many jewellery cleaners available on the market, it's safe and simple to clean your gold pieces with soap and water at home. In a small basin, mix warm water and mild soap or detergents, add your piece of gold jewellery and let it soak for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse it thoroughly with cool water.

"When you use water alone, it's a good way to remove most of the dirt and grime," says Gwen Beloti, owner of London-based gold jewelry brand Gwen Beloti Collection. This method is ideal for removing mild stains and tarnish, but it may not be strong enough to tackle more stubborn issues.

Beloti also suggests a gentle scrub with a new, baby-size soft toothbrush to help get rid of any embedded dirt in nooks and crannies. Avoid toothpaste and abrasive scrub brushes as they can damage the surface of your jewellery.

For the toughest tarnish, use a mixture of baking soda and aluminium foil, says Beloti. "The acid in the foil and the heat from the baking soda will eat away at any tarnish." This method is best for higher-karat gold pieces as lower-karat pieces tarnish more easily. You can also use regular glass cleaner if you're in a pinch, but be sure to read the label carefully and test the cleaner on an inconspicuous spot before applying it to your jewellery. how to clean gold jewellery