How to Clean a Gold Chain the Right Way

Fill a bowl with warm water and add three or four drops of plain dish soap. Coil the chain loosely into the bowl so the links are not twisted against each other, and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes. That loosens the mix of sweat, skin oil, cologne and sunscreen that turns a bright chain flat and slightly brown.

Plain gold handles this easily. Gold itself does not rust or corrode; the film you see is residue sitting on top. Our chains are 10K solid gold, 41.7 percent pure gold alloyed with metals like silver, copper and zinc, and soap and water is all they need. Read the gold karat guide for what each karat contains.

Use a soft toothbrush and work with the direction of the links, not against them. How you brush depends on the pattern:

A heavy Cuban like the Miami Cuban Chain 5mm (37.8 g listed, from $4,260) collects the most buildup because its links sit tight against each other and against the skin. Give it a second short soak if the inner faces still look dark.

Rinse in a second bowl of clean warm water, swishing the chain until no suds come off it. Then dry it fully. This step matters more than people think: soap left in the links dries into a dull film, and water trapped inside hollow links can sit there for days. Lay the chain on a soft towel, pat it, then run it slowly through a dry microfiber cloth. Leave it flat for 15 minutes before you put it away.

Hollow chains, like our Hollow Cuban Chain 7.5mm (25.37 g, from $2,870), are cleaned the same way but should never be squeezed or wrung in the cloth. Hollow links dent under pressure, and dents in hollow gold are usually permanent.

The clasp is where dirt causes real problems, because buildup inside a lobster or box clasp slows the spring that keeps it closed. While the chain soaks, open and close the clasp a few times underwater. Brush the inside of a box clasp and the gate of a lobster clasp. After drying, test it: a lobster gate should snap shut on its own, and a box tongue should click in firmly. If it does not, read our guide to chain clasp types for what a worn clasp looks like.

• Bleach, chlorine pools and hot tubs. Chlorine attacks the copper and silver in gold alloys, can cause pitting and weakens solder joints over time.
• Toothpaste and baking soda paste. Both are mild abrasives that leave fine scratches on a high polish.
• Vinegar, lemon and acid cleaners. Not needed for gold, and harmful to any stones or plated parts.
• Silver dips and tarnish removers. Made for silver, not gold alloys.
• Paper towels. The fibers catch in links and clasps.

Gold that has darkened slightly at the back of the neck is usually reacting to sweat and products, not losing gold. See does 14K gold tarnish for why.

The method is identical for all three colors, but each alloy behaves a little differently over time:

Most of our chains come in more than one color. The Cable Chain 3mm (20 g, from $2,280) is offered in yellow, white and rose, so the cleaning routine works the same whichever you choose. More on white gold finishes in white gold and rhodium.

Between cleans, wipe the chain with a dry cloth when you take it off at night. It takes ten seconds and doubles the time between soaks. If you shower in it, read can you shower with a gold chain first.

Take a chain to a jeweler with a bench when a link is stretched or kinked, when the clasp no longer holds, when the chain is iced and the stones look loose, or when you want a professional polish that removes fine scratches. Polishing removes a little metal each time, so it is something to do occasionally, not every month. You can compare gram weights and link styles on all of our chains, from the Curb Chain 1.5mm (from $300) to the Rope Chain 5mm (48.48 g, from $4,960), in the chain collection.