Ammonia and White Gold

[Bella_mezzo]

Can someone please clarify if an ammonia solution can be used to clean white gold? There are conflicting opinions all over PS and I don''t know who to believe

I don''t have an ultrasonic (gasp, I know

) and need to clean my white gold three stone sapphire and diamond engagement ring.

Thanks!
Bella

 

[risingsun]

Use a little Mr. Clean and water. No ammonia for white gold

 

[Michael_E]

Most of the cleaning solutions that we jewelers used to use were very high in ammonia and they never affected gold in any way. Anything with chlorine is a no-no however, so leave anything with chlorine in it alone. Ammonia does smell pretty bad though so I use Mr. Clean or some other strong detergent in my ultrasound now that my shop is smaller with less ventilation.

 

[newenglandgemlab]

For years ammonia was part of the preferred cleaning solution for most bench jewelers. We used to use a concentrated version with spic and span! It was the best cleaner ever! But ammonia has been found to be more harmful to the users than the jewelry. The fumes are known to be toxic....so things have changed. We are all more aware of the effects of what we become exposed to.....but I have to be honest, I will use it on really tough cleaning jobs but if I had an employee I would not allow them to use it for safety and health reasons....Cindy

 

[Bella_mezzo]

Thank you all so much!!! I''m going to get some Mr. Clean tomorrow and get my ring all sparkly

 

[marcy]

I like Windex the best to clean my jewelry and it has ammonia in it.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Srubbing bubbles! Gentle enough to clean the Akron Ohio Civic Theater during it''s renovation. It makes diamonds and gemstones sparkle in seconds!

 

[Todd Gray]

Date: 1/12/2010 9:08:28 PM
Author: newenglandgemlab
For years ammonia was part of the preferred cleaning solution for most bench jewelers. We used to use a concentrated version with spic and span! It was the best cleaner ever! But ammonia has been found to be more harmful to the users than the jewelry. The fumes are known to be toxic....so things have changed. We are all more aware of the effects of what we become exposed to.....but I have to be honest, I will use it on really tough cleaning jobs but if I had an employee I would not allow them to use it for safety and health reasons....Cindy

Ditto that! The best jewelry cleaner that I''ve found "around the house" is the old fashioned "original formula" blue colored 409 which I believe has an ammonia-like base... but in the old days, before the safe and sane jewelry solvents that we use now were available, it was good old fashioned ammonia and water in a 50/50 ratio.

 

[artdecogirl]

I use dawn dish soap and a soft baby toothbrush, works great to cut greasy lotion ! By the way Bella, lovely wedding pics! What a beautiful day! Congratulations!

Lea

 

[Bella_mezzo]

thanks for the info everyone!!! (and thanks Lea for the compliment re the wedding pics. We had such a wonderful day!!!)

I feel much more prepared to clean my sparklies now

 

[LGK]

Just out of curiousity, anybody happen to know what *is* the conflict between white gold and ammonia? Is it just the wear to the rhodium plate? Or a bad interaction with one of the alloy metals, like nickel or something?

Dawn & hot water is my favorite cleaning solution for sure. That and Gemcare if I'm not too lazy to buy it from Wink.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I do not believe the mild acidity of ammonia solutions are any where near that required to attack any nickel or copper in any white golds. It certainly will not attack and disolve gold or palladium compnents of white gold.

Ammonia at the strength you are likely to use it is relatively safe in a well ventilated environment for short exposure. It is not toxic (which means it builds up and can not be deleted from your body), but this warning from Wikjipedia is important - Caution should be used that the chemical is never mixed into any liquid containing bleach, or a poisonous gas may result.

excerpts from Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amonia#Safety_precautions

The U. S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a 15-minute exposure limit for gaseous ammonia of 35 ppm by volume in the environmental air and an 8-hour exposure limit of 25 ppm by volume.[64] NIOSH recently reduced the IDLH from 500 to 300 based on recent more conservative interpretations of original research in 1943. IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health) is the level to which a healthy worker can be exposed for 30 minutes without suffering irreversible health effects. Other organizations have varying exposure levels. U.S. Navy Standards [U.S. Bureau of Ships 1962] Maximum allowable concentrations(MACs):Continuous exposure (60 days): 25 ppm / 1 hour: 400 ppm [65] Ammonia vapour has a sharp, irritating, pungent odour that acts as a warning of potentially dangerous exposure. The average odour threshold is 5 ppm, well below any danger or damage. Exposure to very high concentrations of gaseous ammonia can result in lung damage and death.[64]

and

The toxicity of ammonia solutions does not usually cause problems for humans and other mammals, as a specific mechanism exists to prevent its build-up in the bloodstream. Ammonia is converted to carbamoyl phosphate by the enzyme carbamoyl phosphate synthetase, and then enters the urea cycle to be either incorporated into amino acids or excreted in the urine.

I continue to believe that it is worth while using with care for people who want really clean diamonds

 

[stone-cold11]

Garry, ammonia is alkaline.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 1/13/2010 6:18:55 PM
Author: Stone-cold11
Garry, ammonia is alkaline.

Correct SC, but it acts as an acid on a small group of metals

 

[stone-cold11]

ok, thought you were saying it is acid on the pH scale.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

You are of course correct, but the only way the metals in white gold could be attacked by ammonia would be by acidic reaction. I should have made myself less cloudy

 

[Bella_mezzo]

windex+warm water+a toothbrush=very sparkly rings and very happy Bella.

Thanks!

 

[icekid]

Date: 1/13/2010 9:38:11 PM
Author: Bella_mezzo
windex+warm water+a toothbrush=very sparkly rings and very happy Bella.


Thanks!

This is what I do as well; works like a charm!