How do you clean your engagement ring?

[angel01x83]

Forgive me if I have missed this topic in another thread, but what are the Do's and Dont's for cleaning your diamond engagement ring? A friend of mine uses toothpaste and a soft toothbrush and swears that it makes her ring sparkle. I dont have my ring yet (hopefully this summer) but I want to be prepared to keep it sparkly! How often should you take it to be professionally cleaned? What are daily/weekly home remedies?

 

[skphotoimages]

Some options vary based on that metal you get. Rhodium plated white gold shouldn't be put in ammonia (which some people do..it's even suggested on GIA's website).
I soak mine in hot water with dawn dish soap in it then gently scrub the diamonds with a baby tooth brush. Then I use a jewel jet to make it super clean and sparkly. If I don't have time for the jewel jet I dry it with a hair dryer on cool and use paper towel points to make sure it's dry between the prongs.

 

[HopeDream]

Don't use toothpaste on your ring. Toothpaste often contains abrasives that will scour your setting and leave tiny scratches. If rhodium plated, it could cause the plating to come off. In addition to hand dishwashing soap or ammonia/windex, some PSers swear by rubbing alcohol to clean diamonds. I've also used laundry detergent on occasion if my ring is really gunky. Avoid chlorine as it damages gold and other alloys. Steam cleaning with an espresso maker or Jewel Jet is also recommended.

 

[kenny]

Isopropyl alcohol and a little brush.
Then I used a can of compressed air to blow away the contaminated fluid before it can dry and leave a residue.

Then I repeat the process 2 or 3 times.
After this I loupe the diamond and see absolutely ZERO gunk, even right up against the metal setting.

 

[marcy]

I soak my jewelry in a purified water / windex mix or the pink jewelry cleaner. I will scrub under my diamonds with a baby toothbrush when needed and I also have a jewel jet I'll use when my diamonds seem a little smudgy.

 

[motownmama]

ultrasonic cleaner

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Depends on the state they are in: most of the time I used a baby toothbrush and Mr. Clean; if I need a boost, I soak them in isopropyl alcohol first.

cheers--Sharon

 

[yfzcentral]

Warm water with a few drops of dish soap. Soak it for about 30 minutes (if it's been a few days). Take it out and scrub (gently as it has a halo) with a soft/small toothbrush. Rinse off and then I dip it into Windex. Dry off with a microfiber towel and whaa laa! I inspect with a nice 10x loupe to make sure it's all clean.

 

[centralsquare]

I spray with windex and then wash my hands with dish soap. I do that most often, but once every few weeks I soak in a solution I bought at a jewelry store and use a little brush. I can never get the prongs to look clean but the diamond sparkles. I'm surprised that toothpaste works...seems too gunky!

 

[Ninama]

A few drops of dish soap, a small soft brush and a good rinsing under the super hot water jet from my cappuccino machine. Really gets into the nooks and crannies! *bling*

 

[MqLove]

Omg, I just dipped my ring in iso-propyl alcohol, and it came out so so so so shiny and sparkly! And my ring is only a couple of weeks old, and has had regular soft toothbrush and soapy water cleans.

 

[Amys Bling]

I usually do hot water with a drop or two of windex, ultrasonic cleaner, and then the jewel jet steam cleaner. I also will do a weekly or bi-monthly trip to the jewelry store for a "professional" clean.

 

[angel01x83]

Is isopropyl alcohol just rubbing alcohol?

 

[mogster]

Is isopropyl alcohol just rubbing alcohol?

Yes, it is. I tried it after I read this thread (so helpful) and it works very well!

 

[kelpie]

I'm obsessed with clean diamonds so my rings go in the ultra sonic with distilled water an a dollop of MR Clean pretty much daily followed by a rinse in distilled water, trip under the jewel jet steam cleaner and then dried on my shirt or with a microfiber cloth. One of my rings is a delicate antique and skips the ultrasonic to avoid lost stones. While not extreme here, I can see how that's overboard for most people. For travel I like the connoisseurs diamond dazzle stick which would get you 90% there in between trips to the jeweler 1-2 times a year. Baby toothbrush and dish soapy water works great too but toothpaste is an abrasive I would avoid. The diamond could handle it but the setting will get worn out in time, particular if you have little bead set melee.

 

[kelpie]

Isopropyl alcohol and a little brush.
Then I used a can of compressed air to blow away the contaminated fluid before it can dry and leave a residue.

Then I repeat the process 2 or 3 times.
After this I loupe the diamond and see absolutely ZERO gunk, even right up against the metal setting.

Small threadjack- I tried to get some compressed air from the local computer shop to try your method and guess what it was going for?

45,000 tanzania shillings! It's not as much as it sounds but it's still $30 a can. Is it pathetic that one of the things I miss most about the U.S. is 24hr discount stores?

BTW- this sounds like it takes a while. How often do you do it?

 

[Supersleuth50]

The simple and effective way to clean my diamond ring: I use oil to remove oil before using detergent

I have a simple 18k yellow gold solitaire in a six prong setting.

I would be very interested to hear what the professionals on this site think of this method because it is very cheap, quick and simple and doesn’t involve boiling water, commercial jewellery cleaners, ultrasound, or toothbrushes. The results are excellent and, unlike other methods, this method not involve metal expansion/contraction metal fatigue, abrasive chemicals or mechanical damage to the setting.

Items needed:
A. A sink with a plug in it (the plug is very important);
B. Two egg cups;
C. Baby oil - this is basically mineral oil (with a little fragrance added) that is used to oil babies’ skin;
D. Washing-up liquid (I think that this is called dishwashing liquid in America – it’s the stuff you use to manually wash the dishes);
E. Optional: Windolene (this is a window-glass cleaner, other brands are Windex and Mr Muscle, and contains alcohol/acetone);
F. Supply of water.

Method
1. I place the plug in the sink (very important!).
2. I place my diamond ring in the first egg cup.
3. I pour baby oil into the egg cup until the diamond ring is completely covered.
4. I wait 30 seconds.
5. I remove the ring from the egg cup and rinse the ring thoroughly in cold water.
6. I place the ring in the second egg cup.
7. I pour washing-up liquid (dishwashing liquid) into the egg cup until the ring is covered.
8. I wait 30 seconds.
9. I dilute the washing-up liquid in the egg cup with water (about three parts water to one part washing-up liquid) and gently swirl the liquid.
10. I wait 30 seconds.
11. I remove the ring from the egg cup and thoroughly rinse the ring in cold water.
12. [Optional: I then squirt Windolene glass cleaner on the surface of the diamond and then immediately rinse the ring thoroughly in cold water]
13. I put the ring back on my finger and let the diamond air dry
14. Voila!

Technical bit.
1. Diamonds attract oil. This is inevitable.
2. Oil on the surface of a diamond is easy to remove with detergent providing that the oil hasn’t been there for very long. However, if oil is left on the diamond’s surface for any length of time the oil gradually reacts with air and becomes much more difficult to remove. In short, ‘new’ oil is easy to remove from a diamond but ‘old’ oil is difficult to remove.
3. Oil dissolves in oil (oil is a very good solvent) and therefore that if we dip a diamond covered in old oil into some new unreacted oil then the old oil will dissolve in the new oil and leave the surface. The diamond is now covered in new oil that is easy to remove with detergent.

This principle is already used in cleaning oil and fingerprints off stainless steel.

Miscellaneous
In case you are wondering why I cover the ring with washing-up liquid and then dilute it, I do this because in the UK the washing-up liquid is more viscous than baby oil and so I’m ensuring that the (diluted) washing-up liquid reaches all the areas of the ring that the oil might have adhered to. I’m not sure whether this diluting stage is necessary but I do it anyway. The optional Windolene ensures that there are no smears or deposits from the washing-up liquid left on the surface of the diamond.

Limitations and safety
[Please note that I have only used this method on diamonds and not on other gemstones. I have no information on the long term effects of this method. I have not used this method on white gold or platinum. I have not used this method on pave or complicated settings. I am careful to keep the products mentioned away from my eyes.]

 

[kenny]

Isopropyl alcohol and a little brush.
Then I used a can of compressed air to blow away the contaminated fluid before it can dry and leave a residue.

Then I repeat the process 2 or 3 times.
After this I loupe the diamond and see absolutely ZERO gunk, even right up against the metal setting.

Small threadjack- I tried to get some compressed air from the local computer shop to try your method and guess what it was going for?

45,000 tanzania shillings! It's not as much as it sounds but it's still $30 a can. Is it pathetic that one of the things I miss most about the U.S. is 24hr discount stores?

BTW- this sounds like it takes a while. How often do you do it?

Kelpie, I'm sorry I'm so late answering; I just saw your question.
Yes, many places really rip you off on a can of compressed air.
The cheapest place I've found, is Costco.
My local Costco sells a package of six 12-ounce cans of the brand called Dust Off for $18.99 IIRC. ($3.17 per can)

Costco also sells it online.
One can for $7.49.

http://www.costco.com/Dust-Off-Compressed-Gas-Duster.product.11591333.html

If you buy this 12-can package it's almost half price ... $46.99 ($3.91 per can)

http://www.costco.com/12-pack-Dust-Off-Compressed-Gas-Duster.product.11228077.html

I find many other uses for it around the house.
Note, it's not really compressed air; it is compressed gas.
I would NOT use it on camera lenses, especially expensive ones.

I really really recommend everyone uses compressed air to blow the contaminated cleaning fluid off their diamonds.
I learned this when I worked in a lab in aerospace.
If you don't blow away the contaminated cleaning fluid (even from an ultrasonic) the liquid will evaporate but leave a film especially around the last locations on the diamond to evaporate like next to the prongs.
Disclaimer: In the lab we used pure compressed Nitrogen which is even cleaner than what's in a can of compressed 'air'.

Hold your ring tightly as the force of the air can be surprisingly strong when the can is new.
If you don't want to use a can of air an alternative is pouring a dash of distilled water over the ring as the last step ... before the cleaning fluid can dry.
It will rinse away the contaminated fluid, and there is nothing buy H20 in distilled water so it can leave no film when it evaporates.

 

[beaujolais]

windex & soft toothbrush

 

[rubyshoes]

I use my ultrasonic - $25 at amazon and free shipping I fill it with warm water and a few drops of Dawn. Run the cycle, rinse and dry and HELLOOOOO SQUEAKY CLEAN SPARKLES!!!

 

[CharmyPoo]

I think I am lazy. I clean my rings when I wash my hands