How To Clean White Gold And Diamonds

Clean Diamond Rings There's a lot of information out there about how to choose the perfect ring, but a little less about how to take care and clean your diamond engagement ring safely at home.

Diamonds can be the hardest natural substance on Earth, but they need special care to maintain their brilliance. If you wear your ring every day, it will get dirty. Hand lotions, hair sprays, or makeup will create a thin layer on your diamond engagement ring, making it look dull. Why? It is simple, a diamond's sparkle originates from the light entering the diamond, traveling to the bottom, and reflecting back to the eye. If it is dirty, the light will be restricted.

This guide covers everything you need to know about cleaning your diamond engagement ring at home safely, including how to clean platinum diamond rings and how to clean white gold diamond rings with ease.

1. Check if the ring is in good condition

Engagement diamond rings cleaning It is important that before you start cleaning your diamond ring that you look closely and check the state of it. Are the claws firm? Are the diamonds moving in their settings? If so, we recommend you take the ring to a jeweller immediately who will be able to clean it without causing any further damage. Not only will they know how to clean it properly, but they will also be capable of fixing any issues.

2. Begin cleaning the ring using washing up liquid

Rings get dirty for various reasons, the use of cosmetics being the most common one. Lotion, makeup, and even perfume can all make your diamond engagement ring look dull. To bring your diamond back to life and make it sparkle like it's brand new again, fill a recipient with warm to hot water, add washing up liquid and let the diamond ring soak for 20-40 minutes.

3. Gently brush the ring using a toothbrush

Brush the stones with the help of a soft-bristled toothbrush. The best ones to use would be one that doesn't have any rubber bristles. Usually, children's toothbrushes are softer making them ideal to use for cleaning diamond rings with.

Keep this toothbrush separate for any others and only use it to clean your jewellery. This way, it will stay soft and clean for longer. Make sure you brush the lower part of the diamond as a lot of dirt can build up around the base of the ring where the diamond is mounted.

4. Rinse the ring under running water

Once you're happy your diamond engagement ring is clean, rinse it under warm, running water. (Don't forget to put the plug in to avoid your ring from dropping down the sink)! If needed, repeat until you're happy with the appearance.

5. Safely dry the ring

To dry off your rings, you can use a cotton or linen cloth. These materials will not scratch the metal as paper towels would. You can also let your diamond ring air dry.

Diamond Rings - Drying

6. Polish the ring

If you have a polishing cloth, you can rub your platinum or white gold ring over it to make the metal shine. Don't forget to store your cloth in a resealable bag to avoid getting dust on it. Have a read of this article to learn more about how to clean gold rings.

How to clean very dirty diamond engagement rings

If your diamond engagement ring is particularly dirty, you can fill a small glass with floor cleaner and leave it in overnight. This will loosen any tough dirt and will help you make the cleaning process easier, without causing any damage to the ring

Alternatively, you could also try cleaning your diamond ring with vodka. Yes, you read that correctly. This distilled spirit can dissolve the first attached to the diamond, thanks to the ethanol content. Simply fill a shot glass with vodka and let your diamond ring soak for several hours. Remove the ring and let it air dry.

How often should you clean your diamond rings?

The process of cleaning your diamond rings can be repeated once a week to help you keep the oils and products from building up. However, it is recommended that twice a year you take your ring to get professionally cleaned by a jeweller. A professional has all the necessary equipment and the skills needed to leave your precious engagement ring like new. They will also be able to check if your diamond ring is broken or has any damage that needs repairing.

How to store your diamond engagement ring safely

It's also advised to clean your diamond ring before storing it away. This will avoid any dirt or debris getting encrusted into the setting, which will make it much harder to remove later. You should store your diamond ring in a microfibre or felt bag. Store it inside your jewellery box until you wear it again.

What not to do with diamond rings

Several procedures we've seen available on the internet are too abrasive and will end up damaging your ring. To prevent this avoid the following:

Harmful ring cleanser solutions:

There are many common cleaning products that people may think are good to clean diamond rings with, but they can actually be quite damaging. Chlorine bleach, abrasives (like toothpaste or baking soda), or acetone should never be used on any jewellery. Bleach can damage some of the metals that are used to allow gold and abrasives can scratch both the metal and the diamond.

Ultrasonic Cleanser:

Although this device is ideal for when you have encrusted dirt on the diamond ring, it can be dangerous. Ultrasonic cleaners work with vibrations. They use cavitation bubbles induced by low-frequency sound waves to agitate a liquid. This will thoroughly remove any dirt but this can also shake any loose stones your ring may have and make them fall off your ring.

Your diamond jewellery, especially your engagement ring , holds a lot of sentimental value so it's important to take good care of it. Follow these steps and you will have a cleaned and sparkling ring forever. If you've got a pair of diamond earrings that have lost their sparkle too, take a look at our 5 easy steps on how to clean diamond earrings . Or, if you have a diamond tennis bracelet that needs brightening up read our tips and tricks on how to clean a diamond tennis bracelet .

View our selection of diamond rings , or discover all you need to know about diamonds in our complete diamond buying guide .