How to Clean Diamond Rings

Diamond is the hardest natural substance on Earth. It can cut any kind of rock or metal, but only another diamond can cut a diamond. In fact, to burn a diamond, it must be heated to between 1290-1650 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet the oil deposited from the mere touch of a human finger can cause dirt to collect and make this nearly indestructible gemstone quickly lose its sparkling appeal.

So how can you keep your diamond ring looking its best? Here are some tips on how to clean diamond rings and keep your diamond sparkling.

How to Clean Diamond Rings

To keep your diamond jewelry clean and sparkling, try the following:

1. Soak it in a gentle de-greasing solution, such as water with a few drops of mild dish soap, once or twice a week.
2. Remove the diamond ring from the cleaning solution.
3. Use a soft, clean toothbrush to remove any remaining dirt.
4. The toothbrush should be new and reserved exclusively for cleaning your jewelry. Use it to clean hard-to-reach places like the back of the diamond, which tends to collect the most oil and dirt.
5. Scrubbing your jewelry with a soft, clean toothbrush helps remove leftover dirt. Just be sure not to use on jewelry that is too fragile, such as estate jewelry, to avoid any potential damage.

Handle Your Ring Gently

Fragile settings, like older prongs in antique jewelry or a tension setting where the diamond is held in place by pressure from the shank, shouldn’t be vigorously scrubbed, so be gentle with the toothbrush. Then, just rinse your diamond jewelry with water and dry with a soft, lint-free cloth. If you’re working over a sink, make sure to close the drain.
Lint-free cloths, such as this gem cloth, are ideal for removing oily film and dirt.

Do Not Use Harmful Chemicals

Chlorine bleach or abrasives (such as household cleansers or toothpaste) should never be used when cleaning diamond jewelry. Chemicals like chlorine can damage some of the metals used to alloy gold for diamond settings and abrasives can scratch gold and other metals.

Use Ultrasonic Cleaners to Clean Diamonds

Sometimes an ultrasonic cleaner is necessary to remove encrusted dirt on diamonds. By sending low frequency sound waves through a solution, ultrasonic cleaners cause vibrating fluid to remove accumulated dirt and grime.You can buy affordable ultrasonic jewelry cleaners on Amazon..

But they can also shake loose stones from their mountings or chip the girdles of diamonds that are set next to each other. Proceed cautiously if the diamond contains feathers or is included, and avoid ultrasonics if the diamond has been treated by fracture filling.

Tips for Using Ultrasonic Cleaners to Clean Diamond Rings

Ultrasonic cleaners are used to remove heavy dirt and grime, but could cause damage depending on the stone, treatment or setting. It’s best to have your jeweler clean your jewelry using these machines to avoid any damage.

Before placing your diamond in an ultrasonic cleaner, it’s best to refer to the diamond’s grading report, which clearly discloses whether the diamond has been treated. You should also consult a professional jeweler who can determine if your jewelry needs repair, such as checking for loose stones and tightening them, before it is cleaned.

How to Care for Your Diamond Engagement Ring

Diamonds are natural magnets for grease, so they’re not easy to keep clean. When a diamond is handled, the oils from your fingers adhere to the diamond’s surface and affect its brilliance and fire.

Handle Your Diamond Sparingly

Although you may not want to, there are certain times when it is best to take your engagement ring off and store it in a safe place.

When washing hands, keep in mind that soaps or sanitizers may be harmful to certain stones and metals. In addition, cool water can cause your fingers to shrink, creating room for your ring to slip off. In general, rings and open drains are a risky combo which is why it’s best to remove the ring before washing.

When to Take Your Engagement Ring Off

The activities below can cause damage to the band or stone of your ring or unnecessarily subject your piece to loss or theft.

Gardening

Dirt and small rocks are abrasive. If not cleaned right away, your jewelry can be permanently damaged. Beware the dangers of gardening gloves too.

Cleaning

Bleach and other heavy-duty cleaners can wear away at precious metals.

Exercise

Any exercise that requires you to hold something, like dumbbells, a tennis racket or golf clubs, is a jewelry wearing no-no. Sweat in general can also be damaging to sterling silver.

Swimming or Hot Tubbing

Salt water and chlorine can damage your jewelry. Chlorine can discolor metals (like gold and platinum) and can slowly erode the finish and polish of gemstones. It can even corrode your prongs enough for them to break off entirely. Plus, the cold water could make your fingers constrict, causing the ring to become loose and fall off.

Cooking

Things get messy in the kitchen. Take off your ring to avoid coating it with sauce or nicking it with a knife.

Applying Lotions or Sprays

Lotion can get into the crevices of chains and prongs, and both lotions and sprays create a film on your jewelry, making it dull and dingy.

Make it a habit to always remove your ring when doing something potentially damaging. When in doubt, take it off – just be sure to designate safe storage spaces both home and on-the-go.

The Bottom Line

The key to a diamond’s sparkle lies in its facets – which work like a series of many tiny mirrors reflecting light in and out of the stone. Regularly cleaning the facets will keep your diamond sparkling and your diamond jewelry in gleaming condition, ready to shine for your next special occasion.

Resourdes: GIA

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Last Updated on March 19, 2023 by JewelryNStyle