Dirty Diamonds are the last thing that we want in our jewellery box. So, can we clean diamonds at home? Yes. Here’s a quick lesson on how to clean a diamond ring at home. Take notes, ladies!
We all have an unwavering love for diamonds. But wearing no diamonds is better than wearing dirty, scratched and dull diamonds. Do we have to take our diamonds to the shop every time it loses its shine? Especially when it is an engagement ring that you wear every day? No. You can easily get it cleaned at home using a couple of steps and ingredients around the house (we sound a bit Nigella, don’t we?).
How can I clean my diamond ring
You must know certain basics to clean your diamond rings at home because they are precious and quite a challenge to take care of.
If your ring is affected by some cosmetics like hairspray, lotion, makeup or perfume (which is mostly the case), a good home cleaning job will bring back the sparkle in no time. The most efficient way to clean diamond rings is the soap method.
Time needed: 2 minutes.
HOW TO CLEAN DIAMOND RING
- Soak your ring in a solution of warm water and dishwashing soap.
- Leave your ring for 20-40 minutes.
- Brush your ring gently with a soft cotton cloth or a very soft toothbrush.
- Rinse in warm water and then if needed, repeat.
The idea is to be gentle and use mild detergents in your cleaning process like a shampoo or a body wash. You will also need to get rid of moisture from the ring. Moisture tends to leave a film on the ring and dull its shine. For drying off your ring, use a soft cotton cloth and never use paper towels, as they can actually scratch the diamond.
How to clean platinum diamond ring at home
Thank God, jewellery is made of noble metals or else you would have to take your jewellery to the jewellery store for cleaning often. But now we can use some commonly available chemical to deep clean our Platinum diamond rings. Ammonia is a common agent that is used for cleaning jewellery. Note that you have to dilute it in water before using so that it does not tarnish or rot away your jewellery. Now, the steps to clean the diamond jewellery in ammonia solution are as follows:-
How to clean platinum diamond ring at home
- We need to soak the diamond to loosen its dirt and grime.
- Let the ring sit around for 20 minutes in a solution of 1 cup warm water with ¼ cup of ammonia.
- Then, rinse the ring in soapy water, wearing gloves.
- Next, we need to transfer the diamond from the ammonia solution to a bowl of warm water and a little dish washing liquid.
- Using a toothbrush, gently scrub the diamond, working the bristles between the small gaps and intricacies of the piece.
- Rinse in warm water and leaving it to dry. Lay it on a piece of tissue.
You can see that your ring is visibly shinier and has it’s gotten its lustre back.
What cleans diamond rings
You must be wondering how to clean the very delicate diamond solitaire ring at home? The simplest and the easiest way is to soak the ring in warm water, and then brush it off with a soft brush and let it dry. If you want a more thorough cleaning, you can resort to the vinegar method we adopted earlier.
But there are some other easy hacks to clean a diamond ring. We are going full DIY and will be using some common products that are available in our kitchen to give our diamond ring its old sparkle.
Beer for cleaning diamond rings
Use Lager (a light coloured, effervescent beer) while cleaning your jewellery at home.
- Take a cotton cloth, pour some beer into it
- Rub your diamond gently with the cloth.
- Rub it for 2-3 minutes and dip it in cool water thereafter. Spick and span!
Your ring will be sparkly as before!
Toothpaste for cleaning diamond rings
If you have a yellow, white or rose gold setting or gold band DO NOT USE toothpaste. Toothpaste tends to discolour the yellow colour of your gold ring. However, if it is platinum or sterling silver rings, toothpaste is your best bet.
- Apply toothpaste on your ring and
- Rub it gently with a brush.
- Clean with cool water
- Pat it dry.
- Let the moisture leave by air drying and then store it or wear it, sparklier than ever!
Coca-cola for cleaning diamond engagement ring
Not many believe this, but Coca-cola can actually be really good at cleaning your ring.
- Buy a can of Cola, take it out in an airtight container and make sure that not all the fizz is lost.
- Dip your ring and leave it overnight.
- Take your ring out and clean it with cool water.
- Pat it dry with a clean cotton cloth.
Make sure to avoid paper towels and tissue sheets. The paper can scratch your stone.
Windex for cleaning diamond rings
Windex is like magic for your ring! The wonder of Windex works well for every engagement ring, especially to clean white gold and diamond ring. So, stock up on a bottle of Windex at your home.
- Just spurt some Windex on a lint-free cotton cloth and rub your ring with it.
- Rinse it with cold water and
- Pat it dry.
Your ring is dazzling again as good as new. Thank you, Windex!
How to clean a white gold diamond engagement ring
White gold and diamond is a favourite on rings. Now how do we clean a white gold and diamond ring? The easiest way to clean a white gold and diamond ring is Vinegar.
- Dip it in a diluted solution of vinegar
- Let it remain for 15-20 minutes.
- Take out the ring and clean it with a soft cotton cloth or a gentle brush.
How to clean gold rings with diamonds at home
There are numerous method to clean gold and diamond rings at home. But we found that Windex and Hydrogen peroxide is the best way to clean them. How they do it? Read on.
Follow these easy steps to clean your diamond ring with hydrogen peroxide:
- Prepare a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and Windex in a small bowl.
- Soak your diamond ring for about 10–15 minutes.
- The Windex removes the day-to-day dirt build-up, and the hydrogen peroxide kills any bacteria present on the ring.
- After soaking your diamond ring in the solution for about 15 minutes, gently scrub your ring with a soft toothbrush to remove residue.
- Rinse with warm water and dry.
As a bonus, vinegar also just as well to clean your gold and diamond jewellery. Let’s see how.
- Take 1/2 cup white vinegar and 2 tablespoons baking soda into a shallow bowl.
- Mix the solution such that the baking soda is completely dissolved in it.
- Keep your diamond ring immersed in the solution for two to three hours.
- Rinse your ring under cold water and pat dry with a soft cloth.
How to clean sterling silver rings with diamonds?
Silver rings are a bit tricky to clean. It is best to clean it with warm water and wipe it down with a cloth. Silver tarnishes easily so you have to take care when cleaning it at home. There are small machines that make it easy to safely clean your jewellery in a matter of few minutes. They are pocket-friendly, too. Investing in one of these ultrasound machines may be a good idea for sterling silver rings. You can also get your hands on ring cleaning kits exclusively available for sterling silver rings.
Steps to clean diamonds using cleaning machines are as follows. All you need to do is to fill the cleaner with water and detergent to clean the jewellery.
- Fill the cleaning machine with an appropriate amount of solution.
- Place your jewellery in the cleaner and then close it.
- It should be cleaned within just a minute or two.
Now, the important things to keep in mind while cleaning precious rings are to never use bleach, chlorine and acetone. Also never use any kind of abrasive products such as baking soda, or powder cleaner, which can easily scratch metals. Nevertheless, if the dirt particles are too stubborn to be cleaned, you should surely head straight to the professionals for a clean-up.
What all can I clean my diamond ring with?
Well, in order of their performance and cleaning ability, here are some common household products that can be used to clean them:
- Ammonia
- Vinegar
- Windex
- Dishwashing liquids
- Warm water
How often should I clean my rings?
If you want your ring to sparkle like on the very first day, try cleaning it once a week. If you are the lazy kinda girl, think of cleaning it at least twice a year. It would be better if you get it done with the jeweller. It is because there would be a great lot of debris on your ring. If you are very active outdoors, you must make it a habit to clean your ring at least once a month, if not every week. The thin film that forms on the diamond may obstruct its lustre and decrease the metal’s health.
What not to use for the cleaning of your engagement ring?
Whether it’s how to clean a diamond ring or how to clean a platinum diamond ring, it is advisable not to use any general cleaning material for your rings like acetone, bleach and chlorine. Abrasive products like toothpaste, baking soda and washing powder should not be used to clean your jewellery. Toothpaste could be used to clean diamond jewellery, Yes, but the paste should be very fine in texture. You shouldn’t be using ultrasonic jewellery cleaners at home unless you know exactly what you are doing. Do not be lazy towards your diamond jewellery. Keep a keen tab on your stone to make sure that your forever actually is forever and not just for the moment.
Why so much care for the diamond jewellery?
When we say a diamond is timeless, it is with good care and cleaning and not with rugged use. Improper care does bode well with shiny lustrous diamonds. The most intrinsic property of a diamond is its shine and lustre that a woman is proud to flaunt. The reason why most women love possessing diamonds is due to its cost, rarity and sparkle.
Diamonds are so exquisite that women always seem very fascinated of them, and this never fades away. (Unless the diamond is worn and dull and not as shiny). This is the foremost reason why every woman, no matter whatsoever her economic class, at least has one or has the desire to possess one. Women from every culture swoon over them.
No women can have enough diamonds. Diamonds are made of ordinary carbon but the way in which that carbon is transformed into a diamond is the catch that makes them different from every other stone. The most ironical reason why it makes women crave for it is the fact that they are so expensive. Cost is not just the jeweller’s price, it is more complex than that.
A Souvenir of love
For each and every piece of this magical stone a woman owns, there is a significant moment attached to its purchase. Diamonds signify a lot of our special and cherished memories. For instance, it signifies the moments of your engagement ceremony, when your husband first bound you in a committed relationship and promised to marry you. Actually, it is the only ring in your ring finger that you would never want to replace with another one.
A woman can go through all the hustle and pain that would take her in having new diamonds when they crave. Convincing their husbands, to save every single penny she earns. She takes all the efforts for owning one.
Well, it is a saddening fact that your most sought-after and hard-earned diamonds lose their charm too, the lustre and sparkle fade as dirt and dust particles settle on them over time.
The diamond also has an electrostatic charge that builds up when you touch them. The more touch and play around the ring, the more it is going to attract dust, dirt and oil. Thus, resulting in the poor shine of your ornament. Diamonds are particularly attracted to oil. The oils that have adhered to our fingers or neck get transferred to the diamond because they are more attracted towards diamonds. These oils affect the light-reflecting property of the diamond when the diamond is covered in a layer of oil. The effect that it has is to lower the refractive index. The refractive index of an oil-covered diamond is much less than a clean diamond.
Conclusion
This is why we precisely insist on you cleaning your diamonds. Diamonds have a special place in our memories that are priceless. It is a kind of souvenir that enables us to relive those magical moments. So, try these remedies in order to bring back its lost charm and lustre and keep it squeaky clean.