How To Clean A Diamond Ring
"Is this my diamond?!?!"
Everyone has heard the horror stories about their friend's cousin's mother's sister's hair stylist having her diamond switched out during a routine cleaning - one bad apple ruins the barrel right? This doesn't happen as much as people like to think. We've never met anyone that has had their stone switched, but the best way to keep your mind at ease, in our opinion, is to simply clean your diamond ring at home. We'll show you just how easy and safe it is.
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WHY YOU SHOULD CLEAN YOUR OWN RING
- Quick and easy
- Peace of mind
- Low cost
- Great looking jewelry everyday
Handling your jewelry frequently can lead to a very dirty and dingy ring very quickly. No one wants that. Although diamonds are one of the hardest substances on the earth they're naturel magnets to dirt and grease. Just touching your stone with a bare finger can transfer oils to the diamond surface effectively dampening the stone's sparkle. If you want to keep your jewelry looking as beautiful as it can we recommend at-home cleaning. The benefits include:
**Disclaimer** If the jewelry store you purchased your ring from has an inspection or cleaning policy required to honor a warranty we do not suggest you skip it. You can still clean your ring at home but make sure you make the required upkeep appointments.
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WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
- Toothbrush. New but nothing fancy
- Clean soft cloth
- Dish soap or jewelry cleaning soap
- Rubber Gloves (optional)
- Hair Dryer (optional)
- Ultrasonic cleaner (optional)
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GET TO CLEANING!
SOAK YOUR RING
Leave your ring overnight or at least for 30 minutes in a glass of clean water with just a dash of dishwashing soap. We like to use Dawn. If it works to safely clean oil from little animals, then it'll help breakup the grease and dirt on your diamond without hurting it.
We recommend not working over a sink if at all possible or at a minimum ensuring that the drain is closed and covered.
GENTLE BRUSHING
Using a soft bristled toothbrush very gently scrub your ring. Soft in-between bristled teeth cleaners work great for the tight spaces in your jewelry. You can get them here. You're being gentle not because you might harm your diamond (one of the hardest substances on earth remember) but because you don't want to loosen any prongs or get a bristle stuck in your ring. Use a new, clean, toothbrush so you can insure there are no left over toothpaste abrasives and store the brush somewhere for the next diamond cleaning.
Repeat as necessary.
RINSE & DRY
Simply rinse your ring under running clear water and dry with an untreated lint free towel or microfiber cloth. Treated cloths sometimes have cleaning compounds you don't need or want already in the fibers.
PRO TIP: To keep your ring looking it's best in between cleanings we highly recommend taking your ring off and placing it somewhere safe while you lotion your hands. Lotion is one of the fastest ways to gunk up your jewelry.
WHAT NOT TO DO
In our last post Jewelry Cleaning Myths we covered some of the main "don'ts" when it comes to cleaning your jewelry, like not using harsh chemicals or boiling water. Check it out for a more in depth guide of what to avoid and how to keep your diamonds safe.PRO TIP: To keep your ring looking it's best in between cleanings we highly recommend taking your ring off and placing it somewhere safe while you lotion your hands. Lotion is one of the fastest ways to gunk up your jewelry.