Do hand sanitiser gels damage rings?

[mich_t]

Hi guys

I know we're meant to take off our rings to apply moisturisers etc because they make the diamond/ring dirty, but does anyone know if it's okay (for dirt or damage) to apply those sanitising gels with rings on? The difference for me is that I time my moisturiser application so that it occurs when I'm able to safely put my rings away for a few minutes, but with those gels, it's usually a matter of needing to do it on the run for myself or my kids and I'm scared to take my jewellry off in that context!!

What do you do?

Thanks,
Mich.

PS. I have never forgotten seeing a "lost" poster outside my work in the CBD a couple of years ago, offering a $10K reward for the recovery of a huge, pave covered RB diamond ring. She'd obviously taken it off in the toilet to wash her hands and left it there. Gave me chills for the poor lady who lost it.

 

[minousbijoux]

I have a bias about hand sanitizer gels in that I worry that its things like that that assist in spreading those bacteria which are not responsive to antibiotics. It turns out that desperate kids are drinking the stuff to get drunk since it has such a high alcohol content (and poisoning themselves in the process). As a result of knowing how toxic it is, I can't imagine that it would be gentle enough for metal and stones. Now wasn't that a happy response?

 

[justginger]

I use it all the time at work (but I do WASH my hands as well, just use the gel for a quick lab to lab move), and never thought twice about it. I have no doubt it is unable to damage diamonds or platinum...but as to gold and other colored stones that may be in rings, I am unsure. It's just 70% alcohol and some bits and pieces to prevent your hands from turning into the Sahara. I would think it would be ok.

 

[lknvrb4]

I use a natural sanitizer and have not had any problems.

 

[Enerchi]

I did a google search on it and came up with several hits, including one from PS back in 2006! Seems it won't damage anything but the concern could be if a WG ring is rhodium plated, that could be chemically affected. Platinum, YG, palladium should be fine. Silver could be risky...

I use it all the time (the little portable purse size ones from Bath & Bodyworks) and of the 4 rings I wear all the time... it's only my stupid ering reset (the one with ALL of the issues ) that has changed colour - my YG WB is the same and my 2 other WG rings are perfectly fine, no change at all. Just that damn other ring... oh it makes me so mad and I'm starting to hate that ring.... sorry. Tangent!

Here's the link to the PS thread from a few years ago:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/waterless-hand-sanitizers-and-white-gold-rings.49592/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/waterless-hand-sanitizers-and-white-gold-rings.49592/[/URL]

 

[kenny]

Well at least it kills the germs that are swarming all over those blood diamonds.

Seriously, I'm with minousbijoux in that those products just help to make super germs stronger.
I don't use them.

I DO wash my hands the moment I get home though, and also especially before I do something like floss my teeth, or after handling money.

 

[Mrsacornblue]

I am a NICU nurse and I was told in my orientation that repeated exposure to antibacterial soaps and gels can badly effect diamonds and metals over time. However, since we are not allowed to wear any rings with stones due to infection risk, I am not sure if this was a scare tactic or the truth. The story I heard from one of the educators is that one of her friends who was a nurse took her rings in to be cleaned and the jeweller asked if she was a nurse as soon as he saw the rings. He was able to tell, apparently, due to the damage her stones had sustained from repeated exposure to the gels. Again, I do not know if this is true or not, but I don't want to risk it with the amount of hand sanitizer I have to use at work. It destroys my hands in the winter so I can't imagine what it would do to my rings over time.

I have never worn my diamond rings to work due to the fact that they get in the way with pulling on gloves and that I do not want to ruin them. I have worn plain bands in both platinum and white gold and did notice that both got dull and the WG lost it's rhodium plating within a couple of months. I now wear an inexpensive titanium band which still looks new almost a year later.