The Simple Way to Clean Your Engagement Ring at Home – 7 Easy Steps

Engagement rings are one of the few pieces of jewelry that a person can wear for decades of their life, in many instances, even longer than their wedding ring. Because of the sentimental value and to avoid losing them, many people would rather wear their rings to perform every activity as they go through their day. Because of the vital engagement rings, you should know how to clean yours properly.

How to Clean Your Engagement Ring

As we’ve seen, cleaning your engagement ring is essential, and the good thing is that it’s not a daunting or time-consuming task. There are two ways of cleaning your engagement ring– the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) method or giving it to a jeweler.

1. DIY Engagement Ring Cleaning

There are many ways that people clean their engagement rings in their homes. Some of the methods that they use can only work on particular materials and would damage a ring made of another material. However, the simple method I explain below is safe for any ring you have.

If you don’t have an already made jewelry cleaning liquid like the very popular Weiman Jewelry Cleaner Liquid, you can make one yourself.

You can easily get the things you need to clean your engagement ring yourself at home; they are:

• A tiny cup that contains a little bit of warm water
• A second full cup of room temperature water
• A towel
• A soft toothbrush
• Non-moisturizing dishwashing liquid, shampoo, or body wash
• Hairdryer

Once you have all you need, the steps to take in getting your diamond ring clean are as follows:

1. Put some soap into the little cup of water and stir with the toothbrush till it foams.
2. Soak the ring in warm water for 20-30 minutes.
3. Gently use the toothbrush to scrub the ring, trying to get the bristles into the tight corners of the ring.
4. After washing, place the ring into the second cup of water and rinse it.
5. Gently pat the ring with the towel. You don’t need to dry it completely dry.
6. Before using the hairdryer to blow-dry the ring, lay the ring on the towel and use the toothbrush to anchor it by placing it in the ring hole. Anchoring the ring would prevent it from flying away when you’re blow-drying it.
7. Turn the hair dryer to the highest speed, set the highest temperature, and blow directly on the ring for 1-2 minutes. The steam effect of the dryer would sterilize the ring and dry it without any watermarks.

You can also use a jewelry cleaning device to clean your ring yourself. There are different kinds.

Things To Take Note of While Ring Cleaning

1. Stay FAR AWAY from the sink! The last thing you want is for your engagement ring to cost slip down your sink, and you have to pay the plumber to try and help you rescue it. If your house drainage links to a public sewage system, you’ve likely added to the Turtle Ninjas’ stash.
2. Do not use household cleaners like acetone, bleach, or chlorine; the harsh chemicals they’re made of can ruin the base metal of your ring.
3. You should not use powdered cleaners for gold ring jewelry because most of them are abrasive and can easily scratch your gold ring.
4. Do not use moisturizing cleaners because they often leave a film on the ring, which doesn’t look good.
5. Allow only the professionals to use ultrasonic cleaners because the vibrations caused by those machines can make the stones on your ring fall off. Professional jewelers know how to check for loose stones and use the machines safely.

2. Professional Engagement Ring Cleaning

You can also hand your ring over to the professionals to get it cleaned for you. More than just a suggestion, it is recommended that you clean your ring professionally. While you should home-clean your ring at least weekly, you only need to take it to the jeweler to clean it every six months.

Some jewelers offer free ring cleaning services when you buy a ring from them, but the regular price is usually around $20. The process that many jewelers use for cleaning jewelry is as follows:

1. First, they physically examine the ring under a microscope for loose gemstones, bent prongs, and any other issues the ring might have. Usually, when these issues are spotted, the customer is advised to have them fixed before proceeding with the cleaning.
2. Next, the ring would be polished in and out to remove any scratches.
3. After polishing, they put the ring into an ultrasonic cleaner for a couple of minutes. This cleaner contains high-temperature water and a mixture of solvents, and it works by sending ultrasound vibrations that break up and remove the dirt particles in the ring.
4. The ring is rinsed and placed under a steam blaster, which sends forceful waves of steam unto the ring to dry and sterilize it.

Reasons You Should Get Your Engagement Rings Cleaned

The first days or weeks after you get your engagement can be surreal; the joy of knowing that your relationship is one step closer to lasting a lifetime stirs up lots of excitement. However, as time passes, that excitement and the nostalgia that comes with remembering it can quickly fade away. After a while, the daily grind of life might make you forget that there’s a ring on your finger, much more cleaning it.

So, why does one need to clean their engagement ring, and what are the possible side effects of using an uncleaned engagement ring for a long time?

1. To Maintain Its Sparkle

You’ll often hear people say, “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”; well, they’re her best friend for a reason– they sparkle! The glittery effect of a well-cut, high-quality diamond on an engagement ring is something almost everyone loves. Other gemstones you might put on an engagement ring also have that sparkle that needs to be maintained.

Because of how jewelers place the stone on an engagement ring, various substances can get stuck on it and reduce how much it sparkles. Things like flour, makeup, creams, and other powders/liquids can get stuck either on the stone or between the stone and ring setting. When you clean your ring, you remove these substances that cause it not to shine as much as it should. 

Also, top-quality diamonds do not scratch easily, but if you’re using another gemstone or a lower-quality diamond, allowing some grain particles to linger can cause the stone to get scratched. When the stones on your engagement ring get scratched, it can look old and unattractive.

2. For Hygiene

You use your hands for many daily activities, and with your engagement ring on for most of those activities, lots of germs can accumulate. You would likely use those same hands to cook and maybe feed a child, and your engagement ring can quickly become a breeding ground for micro-organisms. To prevent this, you must get your engagement ring cleaned properly, and you need to do that often.

Wearing your ring for a long time without cleaning it can also lead to skin irritations that regular cleaning can easily stop.

3. Helps You Not To Lose The Stones

A “side advantage” of having your rings cleaned by a professional is that you usually get the rings checked out to ensure the stones aren’t loose. A professional clean is especially useful if your engagement ring has many other stones apart from the major one.

Conclusion

Cleaning your engagement ring is not something you should negotiate; use the above methods to make your ring look great. If you want to get an engagement ring soon, you can also determine how to measure your ring size or how many carats the diamond on your ring should be.