How to Clean a Diamond Ring: So It Lasts a Lifetime

If you have a diamond ring, you know how unique each one is. They are made of different metals, stones, and settings. Add to that the expense of a good diamond ring, and you don’t want to see it damaged.

So today we’re taking the guesswork out of cleaning a diamond ring. We are sharing options on how to clean a diamond ring and how to care for it so that it will last you a lifetime.

How Often To Clean a Diamond Ring

You should clean your diamond ring every week, as the lotions, shampoos, soaps, and dirt that a ring is exposed to will remove the luster.

You should also get your ring cleaned professionally twice a year. Clean it more often if you lead an active lifestyle, your hands often get dirty, or before a big event such as an anniversary or wedding.

Best Diamond Ring Cleaner

The best diamond ring cleaner to use is gentle dish soap and water. It’s safe for all metal types, won’t damage the diamond, nor will it scratch the band.

If you choose to use a jewelry cleaner such as Weiman Jewelry Cleaner Liquid, be sure to check the chemicals in the compound before applying it to your ring. It may contain something that will discolor your ring.

A couple of home remedies you can use are ketchup, beer, and vodka. Ketchup can remove tarnish from a silver ring. Beer can be used to shine a gold ring if you apply some beer to a clean cloth then use it to shine your ring.

Vodka can also be used to clean diamonds. All you need to do is pour some on a clean cloth and use the cloth to wipe down your diamonds.

How to Clean a Diamond Ring At Home

Weiman’s Jewelry Cleaner Liquid can be used to clean most diamond rings that include a gold, silver, or platinum band.

Ensure that you know what type of metal your ring is made of. Each metal needs a different cleaning method so you don’t scratch or damage the band accidentally. So let’s take a look at how to clean a wedding ring at home.

With Vinegar

You can clean a silver or platinum band with vinegar and baking soda. To do this, mix ½ cup of vinegar and 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a bowl. Mix until the baking soda is dissolved into the vinegar.

Soak the ring for 2 or 3 hours before rinsing it thoroughly. Then dry it with a soft cloth. Use a second cloth to polish the ring.

A gold band may be cleaned with vinegar alone by dropping the gold ring into the vinegar for 10-15 minutes. Scrub the ring with a soft-bristled toothbrush if needed. Rinse and dry.

Don’t use baking soda on a gold band as it may scratch the ring.

With Baking Soda

Our research has shown that there are two sides to cleaning diamond rings with bikinis soda. Some say you can and some say to never use baking soda to clean jewelry as it’s abrasive and may scratch the metals and stone of your ring.

To protect your ring, we advise you not to use baking soda to clean your diamond ring.

If however, you do choose to use baking soda, mix a cup of hot water with 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda. Put your ring into the mixture and allow it to soak for a couple of minutes. Then pull it out, rinse it thoroughly, and pat dry.

With Ketchup

You can use ketchup to brighten up a tarnished silver ring. Soak your ring in the ketchup for 5 minutes. Be careful not to leave it too long as the acid from the tomatoes and vinegar may damage the ring.

Then use a toothbrush to gently clean all the crevices of your ring. Rinse the ring thoroughly before drying it with a soft cloth.

With Dawn Dish Soap

Dawn dish soap is an excellent cleaner to use for all metal types as it won’t damage the ring.
First, you will need a small bowl filled with warm water. Add a squirt of dish soap, and mix it into the water so you have a bowl of soapy water.

Drop your ring into the soapy water and allow it to soak for 20-40 minutes. A dirty ring will need the full 40 minutes while a cleaner ring may only need 20 minutes of soaking.

Then pull the ring out. If there’s hairspray, lotion, mud, or other gunk on your ring, use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub it.

Then swish your ring in the soapy water and then allow it to soak for another 2-3 minutes.

Pull your ring out of the soapy water and rinse it thoroughly ensuring that you remove all soaps from the ring. Blot dry with a lint-free cloth.

How to Clean Engagement Rings By Metal Type

All metal rings may be safely cleaned using dish soap each week. If you’re in doubt, use the dish soap method each week and then take your diamond ring to a professional to be cleaned twice a year.

Platinum

• Ammonia solution (Mix equal parts of water and ammonia to make it): Every 3-4 months

Gold

• Beer: When ring looks dull
• Windex & hydrogen peroxide: For a detailed cleaning

Silver

• Windex & hydrogen peroxide: For a detailed cleaning
• Baking soda and vinegar: For a detailed cleaning
• Ketchup: Remove tarnish

Platinum Rings

Before cleaning a platinum diamond ring with ammonia, make sure that it has no soft gemstones such as turquoise, pearls, colored stones, or opals. Even treated diamonds like those that have been fracture filled may be damaged by ammonia. If you have soft gems in your platinum ring, use dish soap to clean your ring or take it to a professional jeweler for deep cleaning.

First, mix 2 parts water to 1 part ammonia in a bowl. Then allow your ring to soak for 20-30 minutes. Make sure you’re wearing gloves when you remove the ring from the solution.

Use a toothbrush to remove all of the grime. You may wash the ring using dish soap and warm water at this time.

Rinse the ring well. Dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Gold and White Gold Rings

A natural substance to shine up a yellow gold ring is beer, not dark beer though. Simply pour a small amount of the beer onto a soft cloth. Use the cloth to wipe the beer onto the ring and buff it until it shines.

Gold and silver rings can be cleaned with a DIY 50/50 mixture of Windex and hydrogen peroxide. Mix the solution in a bowl.

Then soak your ring for 10-15 minutes. The Windex removes the dirt while the hydrogen peroxide will kill any bacteria on your ring.

After soaking your ring, scrub it with a soft toothbrush. Rinse it thoroughly and dry with a lint-free cloth.

Silver Rings

You can use the Windex and hydrogen peroxide method to clean silver rings that are listed above for gold rings.

Another solution is to use vinegar and baking soda to clean your silver ring. Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda with ½ cup of vinegar in a bowl. Place your ring in the bowl and soak it for 3 hours.

Rinse your ring under cold water before drying it with a soft lint-free cloth.

If your ring is tarnished, you can clean it using ketchup. Soak your ring in ketchup for 5 minutes, but no longer. The acid from the vinegar and tomatoes may damage it.

Then use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub your ring and remove all the gunk and tarnish. Finish by rinsing your ring thoroughly to make sure all of the ketchup has been removed. Then dry your ring with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Do’s and Don’ts For Diamond Ring Cleaning

When you’re cleaning your diamond ring, there are a few do’s and don’ts you should follow to keep yourself from damaging the ring.

Do’s

• Use a Waterpik, a dental cleaning device, to remove small bits of grime from your ring.
• A wooden toothbrush may also be used to remove dirt from the setting.
• Only use soft and gentle cleaners such as dish soap.
• Be careful using an ammonia and water solution for any fracture-filled diamond or delicate setting. The ammonia may cause the gem to become cloudy or remove its coating. It could also damage the setting.
• Be careful when using baking soda or toothpaste to clean your ring. The abrasives may scratch or damage your ring.

Don’ts

• Don’t use household cleaners to clean diamond rings as the abrasiveness could damage the stone and setting.
• Never use abrasive powders such as powdered cleaner on your ring as they may scratch or damage the ring. Gold bands especially scratch easily.
• Don’t rinse your ring over an open drain. Always cover the drain when rinsing so the ring doesn’t fall into it.

Caring for Your Diamond Ring

• Wear gloves or remove your ring when working with bleach, chemicals, or when you’re washing dishes to prevent damaging your ring.
• Never remove your ring by pulling on the stone or setting. Instead, glide it off using the shank or band of the ring.
• Use a gem cloth to remove oils from your ring.
• Remove your ring when swimming in a swimming pool as the chlorine can damage it.
• Remove your ring when cooking. Germs and bacteria may get into the setting, your diamond may be damaged if it is hit, and your ring may slip off your finger.
• Stay up to date on the maintenance of your ring by cleaning it weekly and having it professionally cleaned twice a year.
• Keep your ring away from cosmetics.

FAQs

What Can Damage a Diamond?

Despite the hardness of a diamond, a diamond can be damaged by both sudden temperature changes and a hard impact in the right direction. The impact can cause the diamond to chip.

How Do Jewelers Clean Diamond Rings?

Jewelers clean diamond rings by first soaking them in a chemical solution while exposing the ring to high-frequency sound waves. Then they give the ring a high-speed polish before steam cleaning it.

How Much Does It Cost to Clean a Diamond Ring?

If you are using a jeweler whom you did not purchase the ring, you can expect to spend $25-$50 for the jeweler’s time and equipment to clean the ring.

Can You Clean Diamond Rings Too Much?

If you’re cleaning your diamond ring correctly, then no you can not clean your ring too much. However, if you’re using the wrong chemicals, you will damage the ring.

Can You Clean a Diamond Ring With an Ultrasonic Bath?

It’s not recommended to clean a diamond ring with an ultrasonic bath. The ultrasonic makes internal flows worse and can damage the ring. Also, colored diamonds are treated, and an ultrasonic bath may undo that treatment causing the diamond to lose its color.

How Can You Tell If It is a Real Diamond?

One simple way to tell if it is a real diamond is to fill a glass with water and drop the diamond in. If it sinks to the bottom, it’s real. Fakes rise to the top and float. The other method is to hold the diamond under a light. If it sparkles, it is likely to be real.

Best Way to Clean a Diamond Ring

Cleaning and maintaining a diamond ring is pretty easy whether it is an old ring or a new one. Simply be careful about what cleaners you use and how to care for your ring on a daily basis.

The best idea is to use dish soap and warm water to wash your ring every week. Then make sure that you have it professionally cleaned every 6 months. Your ring will last a lifetime if you care for it properly.