Yes, you can wear 14K gold in the shower, but there are a few things to consider. If your 14K gold jewelry has not been treated with any protective coating, then it is best to avoid exposing it to water or other liquids.
Gold can be damaged by liquids and cause allergic reactions in some people. However, if your jewelry has been coated in rhodium – as most 14k earrings usually are – you can safely use it while showering without damage or allergic reactions.
You can wear 14K gold in the shower once in a while. Frequent exposure to wet conditions can damage the other elements in 14K gold leading to discoloration in the long term. To retain its shine, keep all types of gold away from the water in the shower, pool, or sea.
Pure gold is 24 karats (K). 14K gold means that it has 14 parts gold, and 10 parts of other substances. Since pure gold is quite soft and easily damaged, 14K is often the ideal mix of gold and substances that stabilize and strengthen it.
Can you shower with 14k gold?
You can wear your 14K gold chain and other jewelry in the shower, but it may affect how long they last. While you can enjoy wearing them every day without worrying about chemicals or water ruining them, this is not a good idea for everyday use if you are regularly taking hot showers.
Gold metal contains sulfur and other elements that make it tarnish over time when exposed to heat and moisture (humidity). This includes sweat from your body which makes up most of our natural humidity.
Hot water speeds up the process significantly more than cold water does because of its higher temperature. The same is true for steamy bathroom conditions such as after a bath or shower with excessively warm air blowing out of vents. This is why you need to remove all jewelry when you go to the sauna.
If you choose to wear a piece of gold jewelry in the shower, make sure it is thoroughly air-dried before putting on anything else and storing it. 14K gold has a good balance of gold and stabilizing metals such as rhodium which ensure that it doesn’t rust on one hand, and it’s still hard enough to be worn every day (unlike pure 24K gold which is quite soft).
At times, 14K gold may not be affected by the water in the shower but may develop a film from the chemicals in the shower which makes it shine less.
What jewelry can you wear in the shower?
A complete guide of the jewelry you can wear and not wear to the shower is as follows:
| Jewelry | Wear or not? |
| Can I shower with stainless steel jewelry? | YES. It depends on the quality of the stainless steel. Poor quality still rusts in water. |
| Can I wear stainless steel in the ocean? | NO. Stainless still will be discolored in salty water. |
| Can I wear stainless steel in the pool? | NO. Stainless steel gets discolored in chlorinated water. |
| Can I wear diamond in water? | NO. Diamonds can get discolored in water. |
| Can I wear sterling silver in the shower? | NO. Like other types of silver, sterling silver will be discolored by the water. |
| Can I wear silver-plated jewelry in the shower? | NO. Silver gets discolored by the water. |
| Can I shower with platinum jewelry? | NO. Platinum will lose its shine when exposed to water for long. |
| Can I shower with gold jewelry? | YES. However, it may reduce the shower in the long term. |
| Can you wear gold-filled jewelry to the shower? | YES. It may lose shine with time. |
| Can you wear gold-plated jewelry to the shower? | NO. It will get damaged with long-term exposure to water. |
| Can you wear 14k gold in the shower? | YES. Long-term exposure will still affect it. |
| Can you wear 18k gold in the shower? | NO. It will get damaged due to softness. |
| Can I wear pearls to the shower? | NO. Pearls are affected by chemicals in soap, oils, and shampoos. |
| Can you wear cubic zirconia jewelry to the shower? | NO. It’ll be damaged by the water and chemicals in soap. |
| Can I wear rhodium-plated jewelry to the shower? | NO. It will be tarnished by the chemicals in soap and shampoos. |
| YES. Long-term exposure to water can discolor it. | YES. Longterm exposure to water can discolor it. |
Occasional exposure of your jewelry to water isn’t a problem. It’s the long-term exposure that has negative effects on it.
Can you shower with gold?
You should not wear any jewelry in the shower. However, you can wear solid gold at 14 karats but not any other level of gold purity in the shower. You can also wear gold-filled jewelry in the shower but never wear gold-plated or gold vermeil in the shower since they have metals that react with the water and damage their looks.
Can I wear gold in the swimming pool?
You should not wear gold or other jewelry in the swimming pool given the high amount of chlorine in swimming pools. The chlorine can damage the jewelry and remove the gold plating.
Can I wear gold in the sea?
It’s not a good idea to wear gold in salty water since it can get damaged. While the gold itself won’t be affected, the other elements in it, such as copper, will be damaged by the salty water.
If you’re just chilling on the beach without getting into the water, you can rock your gold jewelry. If you plan on getting into the water, remove the jewelry and keep it in a safe and dry place.
Will 14K gold turn my skin green?
14K gold has stabilizing metals such as copper, nickel, and zinc which can become oxidized causing a green hue on the skin in some people. While pure gold at 24 karats doesn’t react with anything, lower-karat gold such as 14k has other metals that can react with elements in the environment leading to a change in color to green or black.
Copper, one of the most common metals added to gold, will turn green when exposed to oxygen and moisture especially when it comes into contact with the skin. This isn’t mold and shouldn’t make you think you’re developing mold on your body.
While white vinegar doesn’t harm gold, don’t use it to clean jewelry since it affects steel and other metals often combined with gold. You can clean a shower head with white vinegar, but not your jewelry.
In some people, the reaction to gold may be momentary depending on their chemical composition. For example, you may have a skin reaction to gold when stressed and not when you’re okay.
Even when the gold jewelry turns green, the gold metal in it won’t be affected since it’s the other elements that change color and not gold. Gold doesn’t react to most elements and even heat will only melt it without affecting its inherent quality.
Can I shower with gold-filled jewelry?
You can shower with gold-filled jewelry given how well it’s made. The gold will not scratch or get any thinner. Gold-filled jewelry can be worn all day long, including showering with it.
Gold-filled jewelry is made of a base metal covered with a thick layer of gold. This means that water or other elements won’t get to the base metal to affect the quality of the jewelry.
However, a film of dirt can still form on the gold-filled jewelry hence the need to remove it before going to the shower.
Can I shower with vermeil gold jewelry?
You should not shower with vermeil gold jewelry since it can be affected by the water to lose its shine. Vermeil gold is made up of stainless steel coated with a thin layer of gold.
While both metals don’t rust, layers of dirt or chemicals might affect them leading to a lackluster result. Long-term exposure of stainless steel to the elements often leads to a loss of its shine although steel stainless won’t rust as seen in shower rods.
Can you wear gold-plated jewelry in the shower?
You should not shower with gold-plated jewelry since it’ll be damaged by the water. Gold-plated jewelry is made up of a base metal such as copper, brass, or nickel with a thin layer of gold. When subjected to abuse such as in the shower, the thin layer of gold will peel off and expose the metal underneath to damage.
Can you wear 18K gold in the shower?
You should not wear 18K gold in the shower since it’s prone to damage as it’s softer than 14K gold. With gold, the purer it is, the softer it is too. As such, gold that’s purer than 14K is generally more delicate and hence needs to be protected from scratches and bending. The heat, scrubbing, and other conditions in the shower will be too much for 18K gold.
How often should I take my jewelry off?
If you want to wear your 14K gold-filled jewelry only occasionally, then the best way to care for it is just like you would a regular piece of costume jewelry. Remove it before sleeping, swimming, and bathing. I recommend this since water can damage the delicate surface of the metal over time.
How to care for gold jewelry (and other types of jewelry)
You can keep your gold jewelry looking great in the following ways:
- Keep them dry by avoiding exposure to sweat and water.
- Wear synthetic gloves when washing dishes, gardening, or using household cleaning products that might be harsh on gold.
- Avoid wearing it while cooking to avoid damage from hot oils, acids, and food particles.
- Don’t wear your jewelry in the shower as this can cause a buildup of bacteria which will tarnish the metal over time.
- Clean it with a damp cloth after each occasion you have worn it so any dust is wiped off before storing it at night for example. Use an anti-tarnish product like Nevr Dull if needed.
- Store the jewelry in cool and dry places away from any chemicals that may tarnish them.
- Rotate the jewelry to reduce the level of exposure each piece has to the air and other elements.
These care tips also apply to jewelry made from other metals as well. You should not wear 14K gold to the shower or any other jewelry for that matter. While the gold won’t be affected, the other elements in the jewelry can be affected by the water. Without proper care, your jewels will easily pass for knockoffs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it OK to shower with a 14K gold chain?
Pure gold (24K) won’t be affected by water. 10K, 14K, 18K, and 22K gold won’t also be affected by water if you shower with it occasionally. Frequent exposure to non-pure gold (below 24K) might affect the other minerals in the chain and make it lose its shine.
Can you shower with a 14K ring?
You can shower with a 14K ring, bracelet, chain, or other piece of jewelry. After the shower, wipe it clean with a soft piece of cloth. However, limit the number of times you expose it to the water.
Can 14K gold tarnish?
Gold from 14K and above exhibits very little tarnishing even when exposed to harsh conditions. However, gold below 14K will often tarnish.