How to Clean Your Diamond Ring

All you need is a bowl, hot water, dish soap, and a toothbrush. Super simple, right? In this post, we're going to show you how to clean your engagement ring (and any other rings) at home using those four ingredients…

Jump to the part you need below:

- Why do I need to clean my diamond rings?
- What do I need?
- Step-by-step cleaning
- Cleaning Coloured Stones
- Professional Cleaning
- Maintaining a Clean Ring
- EXTRA: Ultrasonic Cleaners

Why Do I Need to Clean My Diamond Ring?  

Rings, especially diamond rings, can accumulate a lot of dirt and grime over time. Not only does this make them look dirty, but it can also affect the quality and appearance of the diamonds. By regularly cleaning your diamond ring, you can keep it looking its best for years to come. 

Diamonds are by nature, oleophilic (not to sound too nerdy) but this means that they attract oil. Whether that be from your skin or from moisturisers etc, this allows dust, dirt and grime to stick to the surface of the diamond. Creating a dimmer sparkle and no one wants that right? Cleaning your rings at home can be very simple and leaves them sparkling like the day you purchased them!

What Do I Need?

This process is super easy and you most likely have everything you need at home already. To clean your ring at home, you'll need a bowl, hot water, dish soap, and a soft-bristled toothbrush.

Step-by-step Cleaning

1. Grab a small bowl (big enough to move the ring around) and then fill the bowl with hot water and add a few drops of fairy liquid (or whichever dish soap you use). This is done as the dish soap attracts all the grease and oils and allows it to be rinsed away later on.

2. Place your ring in the bowl and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Once it has been sitting for 5 minutes use the soft bristle toothbrush to gently scrub away any dirt or grime. Don’t be too harsh at this stage, gentle strokes should do the trick.

3. Once you feel the ring is clean enough, rinse the ring with hot water and dry with a soft cloth. The best practice is to try to dry it lightly with a clean cloth (make sure it is soft and no abrasive as this can damage the finish of the ring) and then leave the rings on the cloth in an open space where it can air dry.

4. Sometimes after drying, some dirt can become more visible. So, if you are not totally happy with the result, repeat steps 1 to 3 as necessary.

Cleaning Coloured Stones

Some coloured stones, such as rubies and sapphires, can be sensitive to harsh chemicals and cleaners. When cleaning one of these stones we recommend only using hot water and mild soap, and make sure to use a very soft cloth when drying. Whilst rubies and sapphires are still relatively hard, emeralds on the other hand need a lot more care as they are much softer stones. To clean these stones safely, we recommend using a damp cloth and a mild soap and never use a toothbrush on emeralds. Be sure to rinse the ring thoroughly afterwards and dry with a soft cloth. We advise consulting a professional before cleaning any coloured stone jewellery.

Professional Cleaning

We recommend once every year or two to bring your ring to a jeweller and get it professionally cleaned. This will restore the metal as well as the stones to give an appearance of a brand-new ring. This is usually a chargeable service so we recommend doing it if needed, as most times a simple home clean will be all that is needed.

Book an appointment HERE to arrange a professional clean.

Maintaining a Clean Ring

Once your ring is clean, it's important to keep it that way! Here are a few tips for keeping your ring looking its best:

- Don't wear your ring while doing dishes or cleaning. Chemicals in dish soap and other cleaners can damage the finish of your ring.

- Don't wear your ring while gardening or doing any other activities that could cause it to become dirty.

- Don’t wear your ring to the gym or any other activity which required heavy lifting. This will create scratches and scuffs on the ring.

- Store your ring in a jewellery box or pouch when not wearing it. This will help keep it clean and protected from scratches.

EXTRA: Ultrasonic Cleaners

Many people will suggest using ultrasonic cleaners at home, whilst this is a good option it is not always necessary. Ultrasonic cleaners work by sending ultrasonic waves through a bath of hot water, creating vibrations that can shake the dirt off of a ring. This doesn’t completely clean a ring alone, as it would most likely need a little brush to create a completely clean look. 

Another thing to note is that this method isn't advised to be used with soft stones such as emeralds or with delicate settings such as micro or pave set rings. With this style of ring, only a brief dip in an ultra-sonic machine is advised.

In my opinion, the bowl and soap method work perfectly fine with the occasional professional polish and unless you have lots of money to spare, I wouldn’t recommend buying an ultrasonic machine. 

Final Thoughts

I bet it’s a lot simpler than you thought? Right? Cleaning your jewellery at home doesn’t need to be something to fear and your rings don’t need to be left all grimy and dirty. With the few easy steps outlined above, you can have your ring looking look brand-new! Why not give it a try today? Also, as an extra piece of advice, this same method can be applied to most of your jewellery boxes. Whether that be pendants or earrings.

We hope you found this post helpful! Be sure to share it with your friends and followers. And if you have any questions, feel free to drop us a message or book an appointment to arrange a visit to our store in Hatton Garden.