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Process
Although gold can often be found in dusty, clay areas and can be easier to spot that way, it can also be found in stubborn clumps of dirt, clay balls and moss. When you have these in your gold pan, you need to carefully break them up with your hands to make sure there is no gold hiding inside.
Method
You need to create a watery mixture by submerging your gold pan into the water and then raising it to, or above, the surface. Some people choose to then shake the pan side to side or mix the sediment inside by hand to start washing the clay away from larger particulates.
Considerations
When you have washed all the sediment away, you will be left with about a tablespoon of material in your pan; however, any pieces of gold may have collected along the edges of the pan. You will want to tap the edges of your pan slightly to dislodge those pieces and make them more visible.
Maintenance
If you plan on using your gold pan more than once, you need to properly clean and stow it to prolong it effectiveness. Metal gold pans can rust if not stored properly which will decrease their effectiveness; plastic pans can develop a thin film which also prevents gold from settling on them.