Spring Cleaning Your Engagement Ring

It's very important to keep your most valuable piece of jewelry, your beautiful diamond engagement ring, clean. I remember searching for the best way to clean mine right before my bridal portraits, then again before the day of my wedding. Since that wonderful day, I've been making sure to protect my ring and keep it clean and well-maintained. I want my diamond to look beautiful for the next 100 years, so I've vowed to keep it shiny and protected.

Keeping it Clean

Even before you actually clean your ring, you can do a few things to prevent it from getting grimy and dirty. Start by keeping your hands off of it. Touching your ring will put more dirt and oil from your fingers onto the ring, causing it to look dirty sooner. Keep your hands free from lotions and other products that can get in between the stone and the prongs or the head and band of the ring. Hand creams, hairspray, gels, soaps, and shaving cream can get in between the inside parts of the ring and dry there, leaving your ring looking dull and dirty. Remove your ring before handling any of these types of products. Harsh cleaning chemicals such as window cleaner or bleach can damage the metal on your ring or even the stone. Always remove your ring when you clean your home. If you love to spend time in the kitchen cooking and baking, be sure to remove your ring before you handle raw meat or dough.

Having your ring cleaned on a regular basis will help prevent it from getting too dirty. Either an at-home cleaner or a professional one will do, but make sure the ring is cleaned every two to 10 weeks. Remember to have it maintained by your local jeweler. This will not only protect the life of the ring but will help when you insure the ring as well. Be careful when wearing your ring. Don't do a lot of manual jobs, such as weeding the garden or putting together your new IKEA end table, wearing your ring. Also, remember to take it off before you swim, engage in sports, or exercise. Make it a habit to not be careless while wearing your diamond.

Cleaning Tips

It is best to have your ring cleaned professionally at a jewelry store. There, they use commercial-grade ultrasonic cleaning machines and high-pressure steam cleaners. This is the best possible way to get your ring clean. There are also some great ways to clean your ring at home. First and foremost, always handle your ring gently and with care. Your prongs should be protected during cleaning and general handling, and any undue pressure on the head of the ring can cause damage to the stone or prongs. If you are cleaning your ring at home, be sure to use a clean, dry, soft cleaning cloth or a designated cleaning solution from a jewelry store. Any overuse of an at-home ultrasonic cleaning machine can cause damage, as the vibrations can damage the ring.

Never use harsh chemicals to clean your ring at home. Even toothpaste is too harsh and abrasive for some metals and stones. The best solution to use to clean your engagement ring at home is to drop a few drops of dish soap into hot water and let it soak for a few minutes before gently brushing the ring clean with an extra-soft toothbrush. Be very careful while rinsing, as you don't want to drop your ring near the drain. It may be a good idea to close the sink drain for this.