Jewelry Guide
How do I clean my gold bracelets?
Rinse with warm water and a little mild soap, then pat dry with a soft cloth. That is all a bonded gold finish needs. Skip polishing cloths, jewelry dips and ultrasonic cleaners — they are made for solid gold and can damage a bonded finish or the elastic.
Bonded gold does not tarnish, so cleaning is about removing build-up rather than restoring shine. Lotion, sunscreen and body oil collect between beads and dull the surface. Warm water, a drop of mild soap and a gentle rub with your fingers lifts it.
Pat dry rather than rubbing, and let the elastic air out fully before wearing again.
What to avoid matters more than what to use. Polishing cloths are impregnated with mild abrasives intended to remove tarnish from solid gold — on a bonded finish they simply abrade the surface. Jewelry dips are formulated for silver. Ultrasonic cleaners stress strung elastic.
If the shine has genuinely gone rather than being dulled by residue, that is a warranty question, not a cleaning one.