Gold has been a part of human culture down through the ages. In fact, the oldest gold objects were made around 4000 BC, according to the American Museum of Natural History. In modern times, most gold is made into jewelry. You must be careful with gold jewelry, however, because of scratches on its precious surface. Luckily, jewelers have machines that fix scratches in gold, but minor surface scratches can be treated at home.
Soak your gold jewelry in a small bowl of warm water and a couple of drops of a mild dish detergent. Allow the gold to soak for about five minutes to loosen any dirt and oils.
Brush the gold with a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove any remaining dirt and oils. Be gentle because you don't want to create more scratches.
Rinse the gold jewelry under warm running water to remove soap residue and dry it with a clean cloth.
Polish the scratches with a polishing cloth. You can buy this at jewelry stores. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and polish the gold gently. This will remove very light surface scratches.
Tip
Remove your gold jewelry before putting on makeup or hairspray. Remove your jewelry if you are working around the house. Wear gloves when doing dishes to protect your gold jewelry. Store your gold jewelry in a clean cloth or a fabric jewelry bag.
Warning
Never wear gold jewelry in pools or hot tubs. The chlorine can weaken the gold and possibly cause it to break with repeated exposure.
References
Writer Bio
Melissa Morang began writing professionally in 2002. She has created sales scripts for telemarketing companies and contributes to online publications. Morang has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Minnesota.