How to Clean a Diamond Ring

Last updated on April 24, 2023

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When we really appreciate and treasure an item, and if it costs a lot of money and is extremely valuable, the responsible thing to do is take good care of it. This could be an expensive car that we keep maintained, a beautiful piece of luxury furniture or perhaps a stunning piece of jewelry.

In this article we will look at how to clean a diamond ring. This ring may be the symbol of a lasting commitment with the one you love so it only makes sense that you would take care of it. We will not only discuss why you should clean your diamonds but how often and exactly what you have to do to get it clean.

Why We Should Clean Diamonds

You may be thinking why do we really need to clean our diamond rings, surely diamond is so hard that it can't be damaged by not cleaning it regularly. True, a little dirt or grit isn’t going to do damage to your diamond but this does not hold true for the setting.

Neglecting the setting in jewelry not only can allow it to become dirty but also damaged. If the setting gets damaged the gemstones may also become loose. Here is where we start to encounter an element of danger.

A loose diamond can fall from its setting and become lost. If you have multiple diamonds in the setting one may get loose and rub against another. There’s only one natural material that can scratch a diamond and that is another diamond. Loose gems can rub against each other which can lead to your diamond being ruined with an ugly scratch.

If you tend to wear your diamond ring frequently then you should definitely have a regularly scheduled cleaning plan in place. Chances are this diamond ring cost some serious money so treating it badly is just disrespectful of the beauty the item offers.

Another important fact is hygiene safety. Just look at all those cuts and edges on that diamond. It may be impervious to many materials but bacteria and molds can grow and gather on the surface in those cuts. These bacteria may be harmful food based ones. They can also cause damage to the metals in the setting or cause skin irritations.

How Often Should You Clean Diamonds?

If the ring is worn frequently there are several opinions with regards to how often you should clean the diamond. Over time and with wear diamonds can become dirty and the resulting build up can cause the diamond to become dull. This can easily be rectified with a good cleaning but keeping on top of it will keep the gem at its best at all times.

Some people will clean their diamonds weekly whereas others say once every month or so will be enough to cope with normal dirt build up. You may be able to see the sparkle diminish from the ring as it gets dirtier so this could be a sign to get the cleaning tools out.

If you are the fastidious type you may clean your diamonds and other jewelry regularly but don’t worry we are not talking daily cleaning here. In fact experts tend to agree that a bi-weekly clean is ideal to keep jewelry in good physical shape and to protect against bacteria.

Bi-Weekly Cleaning

Daily wear can cause a big build up of grime and bacteria which may require you to set up a cleaning schedule of at least every two weeks. Don’t worry, diamonds are tough so you can’t really damage them while cleaning.

You will be looking to clean both the stone and the setting so make sure you have the right cleaners and tools on hand to get this done. If you don’t want to do the work yourself and you feel it is valuable enough to warrant it you can pay to have it professionally cleaned.

Monthly Cleans

The bi-weekly cleans can be a little more cursory if you also make sure you perform a monthly deep clean. A great tool to get a hold of if you plan to clean the diamond monthly is an ultrasonic cleaner. These handy tools help you get every little bit of dirt off of your jewelry doing a professional level job in your own home.

Supplies

It doesn’t take much to put together a simple jewelry cleaning kit. In fact it consists of just 4 items none of which is likely to be difficult to find. These are:

• Mild liquid dish detergent
• Warm Water
• Soft Toothbrush
• A Microfiber cloth which is clean and dry and will not leave lint

Diamond Cleaning Solutions

There are several cleaning solutions that you can either buy or make yourself which are ideal for cleaning jewelry. You will find there are some risks involved with this so make sure you read the advice that follows carefully.

Soap and Water

This is the easiest method you are likely to find and it just requires a simple delicate cleaning solution. You might combine gentle dish soap with warm water or purchase a mild jewelry cleaning solution.

Soak the whole ring in your cleaning solution for at least 20 - 40 minutes, longer if it is very dirty.

Over a sink with a plughole guard inserted (This will prevent the ring or the diamond from falling down the plughole while cleaning) use your soft toothbrush to scrub the diamond and setting to loosen any dirt that the cleaning solution didn’t.

Rinse the whole ring under warm flowing water to rinse off any detergent and then set it aside to dry with a microfiber cloth.

Jewelry Cleaning Solutions

If you are going to use a jewelry cleaning solution make sure it has a delicate formula and does not use harsh chemicals that may damage the ring's metal.

Homemade Ring Cleaner

A simple solution of Windex and hydrogen peroxide makes a fantastic at home jewelry cleaner. A 50/50 ratio of both should be perfect to create a gentle but effective cleaner. A quick soak for 15 minutes followed by a toothbrush clean and rinse will get rid of dirt and bacteria.

The hydrogen peroxide kills off the bacteria while the Windex does the cleaning part along with your soft toothbrush scrubbing. You will want to rinse off the cleaner and dry the whole ring with a soft microfiber cloth. Avoid clothes that leave fibers as these can be a nightmare to get off the jewelry.

Baking Soda Is Your Friend

Baking soda is so handy and can be used to clean your diamond ring in a number of ways. Firstly you can make a simple mix of one-half cup of white vinegar with just two tablespoons of baking soda. Use this mixture to soak the ring for two to three hours. You will then rinse this off with cool water. Again do this over a sink and make sure you have a plughole trap in place to avoid accidental loss in the U-bend. Use a soft brush to remove any baking soda residue.

The other way to use baking soda to clean your ring is to line a glass baking dish with aluminum foil (shiny side up). You would then place the ring on top of the foil, before adding just enough baking soda over the top to cover the ring. Pour boiling water over the ring, letting it sit in this solution for no more than 30 seconds to a minute. The last step is to rinse under warm water, while using a soft toothbrush, to remove any baking soda residue.

These methods are best used on silver rings as they are harder. Using baking soda on a gold engagement ring may cause scratches because it is a softer material.

What if the Ring Still Looks Dirty or Cloudy?

You may have cleaned the ring well but it still seems a little cloudy or off color. Ask yourself if the diamond has always looked that way. Cloudiness in a ring does not have to be dirt, it may be the natural features of the diamond. Imperfect clarity may mean the diamond has a yellowish tint or natural inclusions may mar the perfect appearance of the diamond.

If you are in doubt refer back to your diamond grading report to see if it is supposed to be a little lower on the color scale or its clarity is a little lower than you realized.

How Do I Store the Ring Safely?

Your ring may be so valuable to you that you only wear it on special occasions the rest of the time you may have it locked away safely. If it is going to spend most of its time under lock and key make sure you store it in a good quality ring box or a velvet pouch.

This will help it stay, clean, dry and protected from oxidation. If you barely wear the ring you will rarely need to clean it although a quick clean and through dry before putting it away is a good idea.

Diamond Ring Cleaning Mistakes

We have tried to outline a few methods you can use at home to clean your diamond ring but we should also mention a few absolute don’ts. Cleaning a diamond ring need not be stressful, it can be easy in fact so just watch out for these common mistakes.

Do Not Use Hard Abrasive Materials on a Diamond

I know we have said that diamond is the hardest natural material in the world so you might think wire wool or something similar would not be a problem. True, chances are it won't scratch the diamond or damage it but it can damage the setting and loosen the diamond.

Keep the cleaning gentle, use soft bristles because realistically speaking the diamond should not be so dirty you need to scrub hard. If it is especially grimy you may want to get an expert to deal with the clean just for safety's sake.

Acetone Is a No-No

Acetone is a tough cleaner and it may well shift that grime from the ring and diamond but it may also mess with the precious metal of your ring. You do not need to go hardcore with the cleaning materials, keep them mild.

Final Thoughts

You may have spent thousands on that diamond ring and by failing to keep it clean you are doing a disservice to that beautiful piece of jewelry. It is so very easy to clean this kind of ring and doing so will prevent it getting damaged or looking less than its best.

If you do not have the time or patience to do the cleaning yourself, have it taken for professional cleanings. A well worn diamond ring deserves the respect of keeping it clean so you can enjoy its impressive brilliance.

Reference Diamond Size Chart

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