You purchased a beautiful sparkling diamond ring and now it looks a little dull. There is nothing different about the diamond or the setting. It has simply gotten dirty. And, how to clean your diamond ring is almost as simple as a little soap and water. Here are some thoughts about how to properly clean your diamond ring and the gold or silver band as well.
Prevention First
A few simple precautions can help reduce dirt buildup and tarnish of your diamond ring. When you will be doing any work that may damage the ring or the prongs that support your diamond, simply take your ring off and put it in a safe place. That means not to lay it on the ledge directly above the garbage disposal or in some other obviously bad place! When you will be working with harsh chemicals, wear gloves and if you are not sure of your gloves, take off the ring. And, be careful working in the kitchen where tiny bits of food can lodge within your ring setting or when working with slippery soaps, your ring can come off and end up in the sink or garbage disposal. And, when applying lotions or working with oil and grease, remove your ring.
How to Clean Your Diamond Ring
For routine cleaning, you do not need to bring your diamond ring into the jeweler. You will be cleaning the diamond(s), the band of the ring, and within the setting where dirt can be lodged. Start by soaking your ring in a bowl filled with warm water and a little dish soap. Leave it to soak for half an hour to an hour. This will dissolve and loosen up most of the residue in hard-to-reach places. Then use a toothbrush with soft bristles to clean on the side and under the setting as well as the upper surfaces. Clean both the diamond and the band. Then rinse very thoroughly.
Cleaning a Silver Band
Silver is pretty and silver tarnishes easily. Although there are commercial silver cleaners, you can make your own by mixing baking soda (2 tbsp) and white vinegar (half a cup). Add enough water to make sure that the baking soda is dissolved. Soak your silver ring for half an hour to an hour and then rinse with cold water. Surprisingly, you can also use ketchup to clean silver! Apply the ketchup for a couple of minutes, use your soft toothbrush to clean in the corners and rinse with warm water!
Cleaning a Diamond Ring with a Gold Band
A half and half solution of hydrogen peroxide and Windex does an excellent job removing grit and dirt buildup from your diamond and the setting and removing tarnish from your diamond ring with a gold band. Wear gloves when working with this solution and use your soft-bristle toothbrush for the hard-to-reach places. When you are done, simply rinse with warm water.
And, beer also works for cleaning the gold band, but not the diamond. Moisten a soft cloth and rub the ring to remove tarnish. Dry it off and use a regular or light beer but not dark ale.