Over time jewelry can suffer from discoloration, dullness, and more. Being able to accurately clean your jewelry can extend its long-term use and illuminate its beauty. However, incorrectly cleaning jewelry can result in discoloration or permanent damage. This blog explains a multitude of ways to correctly clean your jewelry so that you can extend its long-term use and shine.

Have you cleaned your engagement ring in a while?

An engagement is an exciting and life-changing moment. While engagement rings can come in all shapes and sizes with a variety of stones, the diamond ring is always a classic favorite in today’s world. After wearing your ring for a while, you may notice discoloration, cloudiness, or a dull shine–these are signs that say it may be time to clean your diamond ring. There are several methods used on how to clean a diamond ring, and we’re going to cover how you can safely do so in this article.

How to Clean Your Diamond Ring

If your diamond ring is in need in cleaning, here are a few methods you can use to bring back its sparkle and shine.

• Method 1: Use dish soap. Cleaning your diamond ring with dish soap is a common household cleaning method. Make sure to put one to two drops of dish soap in a small bowl filled with warm water. Then put your diamond ring in this bowl and swish it around. Use a soft bristled brush to gently remove any dirt and grime. Then rinse in cool water and dry with a soft cloth.
• Method 2: Use jewelry cleaner. You can also purchase jewelry cleaner to clean your diamond ring. Make sure to check the label on the jewelry cleaner you purchase to be sure it can be used on diamonds. Each jewelry cleaner contains chemicals that if used on the wrong stone, could lead to discoloration or loss of durability.
• Method 3: Use an ultrasonic cleaning machine. There is a professional way of cleaning diamond rings if you don’t want to do it yourself. It’s best to find a reputable, local jeweler to perform a professional ultrasonic cleaning for you. We recommend not doing this sort of cleaning of your own since improper use of an ultrasonic cleaning machine could lead to loose stones, missing stones, or even damage.

How often should you clean your diamond ring?

The cleaning method you choose will determine how often you need to clean your diamond ring.

If you decide to clean your ring with dish soap, then you should clean your diamond ring regularly. Lotions, sweat, cooking oils all build up quickly when you wear your ring on a daily basis. To avoid discoloration or build up, you’ll want to use the dish soap cleaning method at least every two weeks.

If you choose to go with a reliable jewelry cleaning solution, then you’ll need to clean your ring about once a month. This gives you a more thorough cleaning than dish soap. Make sure to pay attention to your ring’s setting, metal type, and stones before using any jewelry solution. Choosing the wrong solution can lead to ring damage so it’s best to do your research or ask a professional jeweler beforehand.

If you decide to go with a professional ultrasonic cleaning, then we recommended visiting your local jeweler (or dropping it off for cleaning) every 6 months. That way you can be sure a professional will check for any loose stones or discoloration, and they will be able to thoroughly clean it with tools such as ultrasonic equipment that you wouldn’t have at home.

Tips on How to Maintain Your Pearl’s Beauty Over the Long-term

To keep your pearl jewelry shiny and full of life, the following tips will help ensure years of enjoyment:

•  Make sure to put on your pearl jewelry last when dressing. Hair sprays, lotions, perfumes, and makeup can expose your pearls to damaging chemicals that can lead to dullness or even permanent damage depending on the chemical.
• Since pearls are organic, their color can yellow overtime. To avoid this, you should store your pearls in non-abrasive fabric or in a jewelry box lined with fabric. Make sure to move the pearls away from heat sources, and you can even place a damp cloth in with the pearls to keep them hydrated.Suggested Read: How to Clean Pearl and Opal Jewelry?

Homemade Do-It-Yourself At-Home Jewelry Cleaners

If you would prefer not to purchase a commercial jewelry cleaner, there are options for cleaning your jewelry at home. The type of cleaner to make for yourself will depend on the type of jewelry you want to clean.

• For gold jewelry, you can clean it with a solution composed of lukewarm water with a few drops of dish soap. Soak your gold jewelry for 5-20 minutes depending on its size to soften any dirt or grime that may have gotten underneath. Use a dampened soft toothbrush to clean off any dirt that may be on the gold. Then dry the piece with a soft cloth.
• For silver jewelry, you can follow the dish soap method by mixing Dawn soap with warm water. Dampen a soft cloth in the solution and use it to clean the silver to remove any excess tarnish or dirt. Then rinse it with cool water, and buff dry it with a soft, dry cloth. You can also try using baking soda if you’re working with heavier tarnish. Mix 3 parts baking soda to one part water, wet the silver, and apply the baking soda solution to a soft, lint-free cloth. Start to clean the crevices and make sure to rinse the silver very well and buff dry it after cleaning. Toothpaste is another at-home cleaning solution for silver. Toothpaste is great at removing tarnish. All you need to do is put a small dab of white toothpaste on your tarnished silver and gently clean it with your finger or a soft cloth. Rinse the silver with warm water and buff dry it with a soft cloth.

  Suggested Read: How to Clean Silver Jewelry

• For gemstones such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires set in gold, you can clean these pieces much like gold jewelry but with slight variations. You can mix dish soap in with seltzer water to create your cleaning solution. The carbonation allows a more thorough cleaning to remove stuck soil or dirt trapped in the jewelry that’s having a difficult time coming out. Then, use a soft toothbrush to brush your stones, and dip in clear water to rinse them off. Buff dry your jewelry afterwards.

How We Can Help

While learning how to clean your fine jewelry is important, you’ll need to ensure you have insurance coverage just in case something happens to it during the process. We at BriteCo provide jewelry insurance to those who want to protect their purchases and make sure their jewelry is covered for damage or loss. To learn more visit https://brite.co/.

Also Check:

How To Polish Jewelry | BriteCo Jewelry Insurance
How to Clean Ruby and Sapphire?
How to Clean/Care for Costume Jewelry?
How to Clean Copper Jewelry? | BriteCo Jewelry Insurance
It’s easy for jewelers to provide helpful jewelry care tips to customers