Hand sanitizer and various stones, including moonstone

[sunandsky]

hello! I'm trying to branch out from diamonds. I got a lovely moonstone ring for christmas. I *live* in hand sanitizer. Will this affect the moonstone? Are there other gemstones I should avoid for this reason? thanks very much!

 

[glitterata]

Good question! Moonstones are soft and fragile, but I'm not sure how they handle alcohol and the other chemicals in hand sanitizer. I do know that you should avoid getting alcohol on pearls, coral, and other organic jewelry materials. Turquoise too, I think. I hope someone who knows for sure will comment. And I hope you'll post a photo of your moonstone ring.

Oh, also, is it moonstone or "rainbow moonstone" (labradorite)? There may be a difference in how you should treat them (but if so, I don't know what it is).

How's that for an unhelpful answer?

 

[T L]

The doctors and medical community state that hand sanitizer is useless, and you would get far more protection from washing your hands. That being said, I would try to avoid getting lotions, harsh soap and other chemicals on softer and/or porous gems. I’ve learned to wash my fingers and other parts of my hands without getting soap and chemicals on my rings. It should be easy to apply sanitizer without getting it on your rings.

 

[LilAlex]

The doctors and medical community state that hand sanitizer is useless...

It is not useless for its intended purpose. It is in every hospital room. Needs to be 70% ethanol. It will not protect you from airborne infections like influenza (transmitted via droplets from cough). It also will not protect you from getting hit by a bus. So you're correct in that it is useless for some things.

 

[qubitasaurus]

Without knowing much about it, my gut instinct would be not to do it. As moonstone is a type of feldspar which can errode under interactions with acidic solutions (of course I have no idea if hand sanatizer is acidic or can react with water to produce an acidic solution. but I'd probably still not risk it)

Weathering - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

To clarify I would be in favour of ditching the moonstone at work, not the hand sanitizer-- sigh I think I may also mean read up on feldspar as a mineral as I haven't had any coffee since my 2 yr old woke me up at 5 am so this post is sounding semi incoherent.

 

[sunandsky]

Good question! Moonstones are soft and fragile, but I'm not sure how they handle alcohol and the other chemicals in hand sanitizer. I do know that you should avoid getting alcohol on pearls, coral, and other organic jewelry materials. Turquoise too, I think. I hope someone who knows for sure will comment. And I hope you'll post a photo of your moonstone ring.

Oh, also, is it moonstone or "rainbow moonstone" (labradorite)? There may be a difference in how you should treat them (but if so, I don't know what it is).

How's that for an unhelpful answer?

helpful , thank you! Pearls I figured. It’s regular moonstone.

The doctors and medical community state that hand sanitizer is useless, and you would get far more protection from washing your hands. That being said, I would try to avoid getting lotions, harsh soap and other chemicals on softer and/or porous gems. I’ve learned to wash my fingers and other parts of my hands without getting soap and chemicals on my rings. It should be easy to apply sanitizer without getting it on your rings.

It’s definitely possible not to get it on rings, but TBH, i want it there . We might have to agree to disagree on hand sanitizer (I’m a neuroscientist, fwiw) ... it’s been a huge advance in reducing transmission of many things - not perfect for everything, but neither is hand washing (which I agree is better if possible). This all might mean I’m best suited for diamonds though - I can say with certainty after decades of intensive testing that hand sanitizer definitely doesn’t affect them!

It is not useless for its intended purpose. It is in every hospital room. Needs to be 70% ethanol. It will not protect you from airborne infections like influenza (transmitted via droplets from cough). It also will not protect you from getting hit by a bus. So you're correct in that it is useless for some things.

ah, someone after my own heart!

Without knowing much about it, my gut instinct would be not to do it. As moonstone is a type of feldspar which can errode under interactions with acidic solutions

Weathering - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

To clarify I would be in favour of ditching the moonstone at work, not the hand sanitizer.

I love your username! my gut is to avoid it but that really limits whether/if I can wear it ... I have to admit to also living in hand sanitizer at home, and agreed, if something has to go, the hand sanitizer wins

 

[glitterata]

Can you take off the ring to sanitize your hands and then put it back on? Or do you need more sterility than that--do you need to sanitize the ring too?

 

[glitterata]

This doesn't mention moonstone and wants you to stick to detergent, warm water, and a soft brush for most things, but it's a good reminder that some gemstones need gentle care:

Gemstone Care Guide - International Gem Society

Our gemstone care guide covers many popular gems. Learn how best to maintain your gemstone jewelry and what kinds of stresses and cleaning methods to avoid.

www.gemsociety.org

I would play it safe and avoid hand sanitizer with opals, emeralds, amber, and peridot, along with turquoise, coral, malachite, lapis, and pearl.

You're probably fine with corundum (sapphire, ruby), chrysoberyl, and spinel.

 

[qubitasaurus]

helpful , thank you! Pearls I figured. It’s regular moonstone.



It’s definitely possible not to get it on rings, but TBH, i want it there . We might have to agree to disagree on hand sanitizer (I’m a neuroscientist, fwiw) ... it’s been a huge advance in reducing transmission of many things - not perfect for everything, but neither is hand washing (which I agree is better if possible). This all might mean I’m best suited for diamonds though - I can say with certainty after decades of intensive testing that hand sanitizer definitely doesn’t affect them!


ah, someone after my own heart!



I love your username! my gut is to avoid it but that really limits whether/if I can wear it ... I have to admit to also living in hand sanitizer at home, and agreed, if something has to go, the hand sanitizer wins

Awe thank you! I guess it could be a special occasion ring?

 

[Anne111]

Sakrotan 'eats' into sapphire-glass watches and makes them hazy over years of regular use. -> keep such away from soft natural gems under all circumstances.

 

[T L]

Our kid’s pediatrician hates hand sanitizer. She said it gives false perception that germs are killed, and then more germs are eventually spread. She prefers proper hand washing. Whatever the case, I don’t trust it, especially from shared pump bottles. I also use my sleeves to touch common objects, as I am a bit of a germaphobe. I also rarely use public bathrooms after years of aversion, but that’s probably TMI. I do use them to wash my hands, but even then, I have special ways of turning on the faucet or using the pump soap, without using my hands. Lol!

Well, I digress, but I just wanted to point out where I’m coming from.

 

[sunandsky]

Our kid’s pediatrician hates hand sanitizer. She said it gives false perception that germs are killed, and then more germs are eventually spread. She prefers proper hand washing. Whatever the case, I don’t trust it, especially from shared pump bottles. I also use my sleeves to touch common objects, as I am a bit of a germaphobe. I also rarely use public bathrooms after years of aversion, but that’s probably TMI. I do use them to wash my hands, but even then, I have special ways of turning on the faucet or using the pump soap, without using my hands. Lol!

Well, I digress, but I just wanted to point out where I’m coming from.

Thank you for sharing. I too am a germaphobe and also have ninja moves for a variety of public spaces, including bathrooms! I think we’re going to show in the next 5-20 years that a large number of illnesses are virus (and potentially bacteria) mediated (e.g., they are part of a chain of causation).

Hand sanitizer definitely has to be used properly and have the right ingredient(s) that aren't expired or diluted to work (for that matter, the number of people improperly washing their hands drives me absolutely batty), though those things aren’t that hard to accomplish.

We’ve studied levels of things like bacteria, viruses and fungi with hand sanitizer use to make sure we’re safe with patients and samples, so at least for our purposes which are pretty strict it’s working (maybe this gives you some comfort? Made me feel better at least!) .

 

[sunandsky]

Sakrotan 'eats' into sapphire-glass watches and makes them hazy over years of regular use. -> keep such away from soft natural gems under all circumstances.

Thank you - very good to know. dumb question time, is sapphire glass the same as sapphire?

 

[sunandsky]

Awe thank you! I guess it could be a special occasion ring?

it could be, but argh, I was actually getting it to be an everyday (edited to add: not literally everyday but low key and not infrequent, I’m also very gentle on jewelry) ring - I do a lot of volunteer work and wanted something low-key for that.

 

[sunandsky]

Can you take off the ring to sanitize your hands and then put it back on? Or do you need more sterility than that--do you need to sanitize the ring too?

I can take it on and off in many situations would work, but having it on the ring would be better, and also part of the “point” of this ring, which I should have mentioned upfront, which is to have something low key and easy ....

 

[sunandsky]

This doesn't mention moonstone and wants you to stick to detergent, warm water, and a soft brush for most things, but it's a good reminder that some gemstones need gentle care:

Gemstone Care Guide - International Gem Society

Our gemstone care guide covers many popular gems. Learn how best to maintain your gemstone jewelry and what kinds of stresses and cleaning methods to avoid.

www.gemsociety.org

I would play it safe and avoid hand sanitizer with opals, emeralds, amber, and peridot, along with turquoise, coral, malachite, lapis, and pearl.

You're probably fine with corundum (sapphire, ruby), chrysoberyl, and spinel.

That was a great read (I look forward to briskly rubbing any future carnelian with a dry cloth), thank you! Edited to add, thank you for pointing out some other stones that might work. I may have to rethink the moonstone (though I love white ...).

Another site said soap and water was fine for moonstone so at least that.

I love this ring and I’m still hoping a gem expert will pop up and say, “of course hand sanitizer is great with moonstones!”

 

[glitterata]

Well, another option is just to wear the ring, use your hand sanitizer, and not worry about it. Moonstones are soft and fragile, but they're also pretty inexpensive if you end up needing to replace it.

My elderly mom wears a moonstone ring that was an antique when she got it. (Which was when I gave it to her, 10 or 15 years ago.) It's scuffed and somewhat frosted looking if you look closely, but it's still very pretty. I'm sure she's used hand sanitizer when wearing it. Did the sanitizer damage it further? Who knows. But the ring continues to make her happy.

Or here's yet another thought: get a cheap one on eBay or etsy and do some experiments, you scientist you!

 

[Anne111]

It is to my knowledge, synthetic sapphire.

 

[sunandsky]

Well, another option is just to wear the ring, use your hand sanitizer, and not worry about it. Moonstones are soft and fragile, but they're also pretty inexpensive if you end up needing to replace it.

My elderly mom wears a moonstone ring that was an antique when she got it. (Which was when I gave it to her, 10 or 15 years ago.) It's scuffed and somewhat frosted looking if you look closely, but it's still very pretty. I'm sure she's used hand sanitizer when wearing it. Did the sanitizer damage it further? Who knows. But the ring continues to make her happy.

Or here's yet another thought: get a cheap one on eBay or etsy and do some experiments, you scientist you!

Laughed out loud at that last line . Thank you. I was thinking about not worrying about it or about testing it. I’m heartened to hear about your mom’s ring. It’s a temple St Clair ring, so I’m not sure about the feasibility of replacing the stone, and I’m unfortunately away for the holidays so far from cheaper moonstones, though I might be able to squeak in under the return period ....

 

[PreRaphaelite]

Ooh I love Temple’s work. So beautiful!
Care to share some pics?

 

[finerthings]

Would love to see that Temple St Clair ring too! Congrats! I have one of her charm necklaces and love it! I have no advice for you about the moonstone and hand sanitizer though, but my thinking would be to try to avoid it. I bet if you emailed them and asked them this question they would get back to you quickly. Several times I have emailed them with questions and they have always answered me promptly.

 

[Arcadian]

Sooooo.. Imma put this out there. Last time I flew (few weeks ago) I not only used hand sanitizer but carry Lysol wipes with me. I wipe down everything (seat, tray, the top where the air blows out, arm rests, etc) because I used to get sick sick after every trip. Thankfully not anymore considering I also take a pretty large B-cocktail with vit c and zinc. Might be in my head but I ain't gonna quit.

When traveling and being in and out of airports, I wash my hands AND use hand sanitizer. yes I know but I don't care, better safe than sorry... But IMO I think its better than nothing considering that sometimes I've had 45 minutes between flights! That said, yes I'm good at making sure the goo doesn't get on the gems but you do have to be careful about it.

I start with a dab on the back of the hand, get fingers from the opposite hand wet, then go for the crevices between the fingers first, and spread whats left on the top of the hand.

Next, I take another dab, on the palm side, dip fingers from the opposite hand in, and get the crevices on the palm side. Then rub the palms together. Then do the other hand just like the first one.

Whats left I scissor the fingers together and get between the fingers, and rub whatever is left into each finger, sides of the index and pinkies. This is where you have to be careful to not get anything on the surface of your gems (it can be hard to do and if you wear eternity rings, just forget it, take it off)

The unfortunate part is that you will have to clean your rings after this...no choices really. But the gem side shouldn't be too bad, just the band. If eternity, well...its going to be bad and you have to kinda live with that.

if someone chronically uses lotion, this will likely not work...lol . I'm not chronic with lotion use.

 

[LemonMoonLex]

Ive always been and am still incredibly careful with my rings in that it took 6 years to even purposely wash my hands or take a shower with a pronged diamond ring......yeah.....

But after seeing my mom and the women around me wash their hands, use hand sanitizer or take a shower with their bezeled delicate gemstones in sterling and gold and platinum without a care wearing them 24/7: I'm starting to become a little bit more lax.

Ive always nagged them all for years about damaging their stones but they look fine so maybe I need to loosen up a bit and just wear my damn rings more often.

Also (this could be entirely false) but I read that when it comes to public restrooms if you dont touch the toilet, handle or door at all that you actually gain more germs by touching the faucet or soap dispencer than if you dont wash your hands. I think this is absolutely true for airline/plane restrooms and gas stations...yuck!

At work of course I wash my hands all the friggin time (they get so rough ) but when I'm not I tend to use my own personal hand sanitizer and wont touch the toilet at all.
Ive always had my ways of maneuvering....which I'm sure is some legitimate form of karate haha
Teaching my 5 year old them was a funny process as well.

"No honey, we can put our bums on our toilets but not others..."
There was a lot of me holding her hovering over the toilet and looking away in gas stations at two years old.
& my beau has always wondered why I can carry her longer... Haha

Hopefully my word scramble made sense as mama hasnt had her coffee yet!


& OP you better post this gorgeous moonstone ring! Around here you are not allowed to say that you have one and not post some photos of it!

 

[sunandsky]

Thanks everyone for your respones! I'm sorry to be slow ... I have a lot of "life" going on these days which crops up unexpectedly.

@finerthings, I've emailed them and will see what they say. I have had a prompt and helpful response from them before. How do you like your necklace? For you and @PreRaphaelite .... I need to take pictures, but that has also fallen prey to life and I am a terrible photographer. It's this ring:

Shop Temple St. Clair High 18K Yellow Gold, Moonstone & Diamond Classic Sugar Loaf Ring | Saks Fifth Avenue

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www.saksfifthavenue.com

I've wanted a moonstone forever and sugarloafs are my favorite cut. I've been trying to find a stone to set, but I work internationally a lot and trying to manage buying and returning things is too hard - I"m going to be 80 by the time I have an jewelry. As an aside, a lot of the loose stones seem to be being sold on Instagram, which I've just totally lost patience with (DM for details! 6 questions later they answer the dealbreaker question, no posted T&C so you have to ask all questions then screenshot them, by the time you've got things sorted the item is gone - I am so over it). I was delighted to just buy something from a normal online store, I have to say.

I am also delighted to be among so many hand sanitizer fans and bathroom-germ-evaders! @Arcadian , I fly a lot for work and do the same. I seem to get sick really easily and all these things seem to make a difference. I had the flu 2x last year and a terrible upper respiratory virus that destroyed most of my sense of smell. I'd much rather look like I'm off my rocker.

@TheGarnetGirl Little kids in public restrooms is one of my nightmares! I have basically resorted to saying, "don't touch anything, no really not ANYTHING" all the time ....

I'm also with you that I've seen lots of older women with well-loved and well-worn rings where teh stones still look great.

I don't have time to test a moonstone before the return period, but I think I've come up with a very PS-worthy option - keep the moonstone but not for daily wear, and get something hardier for daily wear! how's that?!

All that said, I'm still hoping someone shows up to tell me hand sanitizer & moonstone is great

 

[finerthings]

@sunandsky I love that moonstone ring and I have been so tempted to buy it! Her moonstones are gorgeous, and that ring is not too large compared with some of her other rings!

I enjoy my charm necklace immensely, it is so fun to play with while wearing and looks beautiful - definitely not your average run of the mill necklace.

Enjoy your ring!

 

[PieAreSquared]

Sorry I have no input about the hand sanitizer, but that ring is GORGEOUS!