A diamond ring is endearing to a woman for so many reasons. It can be an engagement or a wedding ring which represents true love, an inherited heirloom ring with sentimental value, a piece of jewellery she gifted herself outside of any relationship, or just an elegant high-fashion statement that will not remain un-flaunted.
If diamonds are your best friends, then why let grime, dirt and cracks happen to them?
Those who wear their diamond rings on a regular basis, know that their rings sparkle a little less over a period of time. They stop looking as shiny as they did when you first bought them.
Does that mean you should wear your diamond rings less frequently or only on super special occasions? Absolutely not. Wear them as much you like, just have a regular cleaning routine for them. Cleaning a diamond ring at home is nothing a girl can’t do on her own. Besides, if you’re not keeping your precious stones sparkling, you’re not doing them justice.
Why Should Diamond Rings Be Cleaned
Murphy’s Law states ‘whatever can happen, will happen.’ Sadly, your diamond rings are not exempt from the law.
Although diamond is one of the strongest & the hardest stones found in nature, your diamond rings can and will be damaged, fractured, chipped or turn dull and lacklustre, if not properly cleaned or cared for.
4 Reasons Why Your Diamond Rings Lose Their Sheen or Get Damaged
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- Everyday dust particles and grime settle on it forming a thin film of grime. Eventually, this grime settles on the back of the diamond or in and around the crevices of the ring.
- Using chlorine while scrubbing & other household chores can bring certain harmful particles in contact with your diamond rings.
- Use of hairspray, gel, lotions, sunscreen, makeup, perfume while wearing your diamond rings. Even if you’re careful to wear your diamond rings after using any of the above, the residual grease on your skin can slide through easily.
- Improperly stored diamond jewellery can break and it’s a well-known fact that diamond cuts diamond. So if your rings are not individually stored, there may be chipping or hairline cracks.
Easy DIY Methods To Clean Diamond Rings At Home
It has been generally agreed that cleaning your diamond rings regularly, like once every two weeks, can do wonders to its dazzle and bling. Also, the more you wear your diamond rings, the more you should clean them. Check out some home-based cleaning techniques.
Soap + Water (works on diamond rings with all metals, e.g. silver, gold, platinum & other gemstones)
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- Pour warm water in a bowl and add some mediumly dense soap water to it.
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- You can use a soap that is made of natural ingredients, or even gentle handwash or shampoo. Do not use anything with moisturiser in it.
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- Alternatively, you can use a mild dishwashing liquid instead of soap.
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- Place your diamond rings in the liquid and leave it there for 15 minutes. This will soften the grime in your diamond rings.
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- Remove the rings and use a small soft-bristled toothbrush to scrub them gently. You can use a toothpick for reaching the inner crevices.
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- Place your diamond rings in cold water and rinse them off thoroughly.
- Put your cleaned diamond rings on top of a tissue or a soft cloth and let them dry completely.
Vinegar (for the diamond on silver)
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- Take a bowl and add half a cup of vinegar in it.
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- Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda in the bowl.
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- Mix the baking soda with the vinegar.
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- Soak your diamond ring in the solution for two hours.
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- Rinse it thoroughly with cold water and lay in on a tissue or a cloth to let it dry.
- The technique works to fight off the tarnish on the silver while it doesn’t damage the diamond.
Hydrogen Peroxide (for the diamond on gold – rose gold, white gold, yellow gold & silver)
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- Pour some hydrogen peroxide in a bowl.
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- Take the same amount of window & hard surface cleaner (Windex) & add it to hydrogen peroxide.
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- Leave your diamond rings to soak in the solution for 10 to 15 minutes.
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- Remove the rings and gently scrub off the dirt using a soft-bristled toothbrush and rinse with lukewarm water.
- Lay it out on a cloth and let it dry completely.
The window cleaner helps remove the grime and hydrogen peroxide helps to disinfect the ring and stops any fungal growth, both restoring the shine back to your rings.
Ammonia (for highly dull & bacteria/fungus infected diamond rings) – Use this option rarely
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- Add a few drops of ammonia in lukewarm water (1 part of ammonia in six parts water).
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- Soak your diamond rings in the solution for 10 minutes.
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- Remove the rings from the solution and clean them softly using a soft-bristled toothbrush.
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- Rinse them in cold water and place them on a dry lint-free cloth. Leave them to dry.
- Repeat the process if the tarnish and the grime have not come off.
This is not the ‘save the best for the last’ method, rather it’s to be used rarely, only when the diamond rings have lost all their sheen and/or are infected with bacteria or fungus. Wear gloves while handling the ammonia.
Vodka (for light to medium grime on gold, platinum & silver diamond rings)
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- Pour a little vodka on a lint-free cloth.
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- Use it as a polishing cloth to rub the dirt off your diamond rings.
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- If the grime is hard set, soak the rings in vodka for 10 minutes.
- Use a toothpick to get to the back and the crevices.
Toothpaste
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- Squeeze a little toothpaste onto a small plate.
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- Add a little water to make a paste, but don’t make it too runny.
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- Dip a small, soft-bristled toothbrush in the paste.
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- Brush it gently all over your diamond rings.
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- Use a toothpick or a q-tip to get inside the crevices.
- Rinse in cold water and dry it with a clean, lint-free cloth.
Jewellery Cleaner Kits
Precious jewellery cleaners (like Brilliant Jewellery Cleaner) come equipped with a cleaning basket and brush. They can be used to clean silver, gold, diamond, pearls and other gemstones.
Just follow the instructions in the guide provided with the jewellery cleaner. Invest in this, as convenient, easy-to-use, professionally made cleaning solutions require very little of your time and get the job done well. But make sure you research online or by consulting jewel experts as to which jewellery cleaner you should buy. It should be non-abrasive and devoid of any harmful chemicals. Buy a recommended, good quality brand and not just any off-the-shelf brand.
A Special Note On Using Ultrasonic Cleaner
A lot of people use ultrasonic cleaners to clean the encrusted crud on their jewellery. But be careful not to clean your diamond or precious gemstone jewellery using an ultrasonic cleaner. They use sound waves to clean off the grime and dirt on your jewellery. As a rule, the more your diamond rings have inclusions (natural imperfections or lower clarity grade), the more will be the risk of them getting magnified by an ultrasonic cleaner, leading to further damage. Even high clarity diamonds are made using special laser drilling techniques which may make them fragile, thus the ultrasonic cleanser might end up damaging it anyhow.
If you see that there is excessive discolouration on the metal or a prong is loose, or if you foresee any damage, it’s best to take it to the jeweller’s and get your diamond rings restored professionally.
How To Care & Store Your Diamond Rings – 12 Tips and Tricks
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- Your rings may have hairline cracks or loose prongs. Once every six months take your diamond rings for inspection at a jewellery store.
- Even infrequently worn diamond jewellery should be taken for inspection once a year.
- Get insurance for your precious jewels.
- Don’t wear your diamond rings when you go swimming in a sea, or in a hot tub or a swimming pool.
- While using any of the cleaning methods we’ve shown, don’t directly hold your diamond rings under the sink tap for rinsing them, you might drop them down the drain and lose them. Or make sure you plug in a kitchen sink stopper without any holes.
- Don’t wear your diamond rings while you’re exercising at the gym, engaging in outdoor sports or adventure activities.
- While handling bleach and other harsh chemicals, do remove your diamond rings.
- Don’t remove your diamond rings in public places and don’t leave them around randomly in any part of the house.
- Get a few ring dishes and place them in your bedroom and bathroom.
- If it’s not a wedding or an engagement ring that you must always have on, leave your diamond rings safely in a locker or a jewellery box.
- Store all your diamond rings separately, either in jewellery pouches, fabric-lined jewellery boxes or little Ziploc bags inside your closet drawers, lest they brush against each other and get chipped.
- Keep your diamond rings in a clean and dry place.
The more your diamonds shine, the more you do. A few careful, preventative measures and a regular cleaning routine will keep your diamond rings as good as new. If you have any more suggestions or DIY diamond ring cleaning hacks, let us know in the comments section.