Can You Wear Gold Vermeil in the Shower?

Gold vermeil is one of the most sought-after pieces of jewelry today.

Most costume designers and fashion designers are adding gold vermeil to their jewelry collections.

Vermeil doesn’t just look like gold; it’s also quite pricey and highly durable.

But one of its few limitations is that it tarnishes faster than pure gold, especially when it’s not adequately maintained or exposed to chemicals.

Hence many people wonder whether it is safe to wear gold vermeil jewelry in the shower.

Let’s dive in and learn how to care for your gold vermeil jewelry while keeping it sparkling even after showering.

Can Gold Vermeil Get Wet?

Gold vermeil can withstand some exposure to water, such as washing your hands or showering, but it should not be submerged in water for long periods of time, such as swimming or bathing.

This is because water can cause the gold layer to wear off faster, especially if it contains chlorine, salt or other chemicals.

Does Gold Vermeil Tarnish in Water?

There is a reaction between oxygen and the metal base (silver) of gold vermeil which causes it to tarnish. The metal can also tarnish as a result of elements like humidity, sweat, and perfume. ^[1]

The purity and thickness of the gold layer also affect how fast it tarnishes. The higher the purity and the thinner the layer, the softer and more prone to damage it is.

Can You Shower With Gold Vermeil Jewelry?

If your water is pure and your shower gel isn’t too harsh, you can shower with gold vermeil jewelry, but the coating can wear off if exposed to many chemicals.

If you shower wearing gold vermeil, it might not tarnish, but it will wear off significantly faster if you constantly expose it to water.

Most shower gels are made of chemicals that can allow the gold coating to tarnish quickly because of the jewelry’s materials.

Experts advise that you remove gold vermeil jewelry before you shower. ^[2]

If you are using a mild shower gel, it can remove tarnish residues forming on the gold vermeil.

In other cases, it depends on the pure gold karats present in your vermeil.

The pure gold content ranges from 24K (99.9% gold content), 18K (75% pure gold content), 14K (58.3 pure gold content), and lastly, 10K (41.7% pure gold content).

You should ask the dealer for information about the pure gold content in the vermeil before buying.

For instance, if you are buying or have already purchased the 18K karat vermeil, don’t expose it to water or any other liquid.

Water and chemicals can ruin your jewelry’s color, so be careful not to expose them.

If you’re buying plated gold of higher Karat, don’t wear it to the shower or bring it in contact with water.

The durability of plated gold decreases with increasing pure gold content.

You can shower with a 14k vermeil because it’s more durable than its higher counterparts.

How to Keep Your Gold Vermeil Jewelry from Tarnishing

As stated above, it’s not always advisable to shower with gold vermeil.

Even though it won’t wear off immediately, showering with your jewelry on can reduce its lifespan.

Here are five tips you can consider to help maintain your gold vermeil and prevent it from tarnishing.

1. Clean gold vermeil items with a dry cloth and liquid soap

If you’ve been wearing a plated gold for some time, you should clean it to retain its luster, and always remember to put it off after each wear.

Here’s how to clean gold vermeil using this method:

1. Soak your jewelry inside a solution containing mild soap
2. Avoid using harsh chemicals or detergents that can quickly scratch the gold surface
3. Use a soft cloth (cotton) to dry the jewelry after washing

2. Invest in safety boxes

As with any other piece of jewelry, if you don’t store your gold vermeil properly, it can lose its quality over time.

Remember that it is made of plated gold. Therefore any exposure to chemicals, sweat, or moisture can taint its surface.

Instead, invest in safe jewelry boxes that can keep your vermeil dry and free from accidents. These boxes come in various sizes and designs.

You can also use anti-tarnish pouches, which are very affordable and can maintain your vermeil’s quality.

3. Use baking soda 

If you’ve used your plated gold in the shower and you’re beginning to notice dark spots, no worries.

You can quickly restore the color of your gold vermeil using water, baking soda, and mild liquid soap.

Here’s how to use baking soda to restore the color of your gold vermeil: 

1. After boiling a little water in a small bowl, put the gold vermeil inside the water
2. Add half a teaspoon of baking soda and leave for a few minutes
3. Use a brush with soft bristles and mild liquid soap to wash off the dark areas
4. Dry with a soft cloth

This method is very effective as it restores the initial color of the vermeil without using expensive jewelry cleaning services.

4. Use gold expert cleaning services

Sometimes, we get overwhelmed with the volume of information on the internet.

If you’re still not sure of how to maintain your gold vermeil, you can hire the services of an expert.

With a few bucks, they will help polish all the areas that are dark or tarnished.

Some can re-plate it for you with gold, making your vermeil look new, like when you first purchased it.

5. Keep your gold vermeil dry

Water and liquids such as perfume, lotions, hand washes, and sweat can quickly cause your gold vermeil items to tarnish. That is why you need to keep them dry.

Experts advise that you remove your gold plated jewelry first before applying perfume, lotions, or other chemicals to your skin.

Why?

Because these chemicals can cause your gold vermeil to tarnish faster.

Gold vermeil can last up to 20 years if it is adequately maintained.

Still, if you continually expose it to chemicals such as those mentioned above, it might dissolve the golden layer of your jewelry.

So instead of spritzing exquisite perfume on your skin and dashing out of your home, you should use the perfume before wearing your gold vermeil jewelry.

Chemicals can take a few minutes to get absorbed into the skin, so wait for 3 minutes before wearing your jewelry.

During exercises, you should take your gold vermeil off before you start.

The PH level of your sweat can cause them to tarnish.

Also, avoid entering chlorinated pools, hot baths, or water that contains harsh chemicals wearing vermeil.