Is isopropyl alcohol 91% safe for white gold?

[Iwanttosparkle]

I read threads on PS with people recommending isopropyl alcohol to clean their diamonds. These people had platinum or yellow gold settings. My setting is white gold. Anybody know if isopropyl alcohol is safe for white gold?

I am currently using blue dawn dishsoap to clean my ring, but it seems to be leaving behind a film that I can't rinse off. I was going to try using a small artist brush with alcohol on it to see if I can get the film off, but I don't know if this would damage the white gold prongs.

 

[stracci2000]

Alcohol will not harm your gold. But I don't think it will help clean your ring any better than Dawn, which is designed to cut grease.
I'm not sure why Dawn is leaving a film on your ring. Dish soap is made to rinse away and leave dishes and glasses sparkling.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I don’t know what alcohol would do to the rhodium plating on the gold - hopefully someone else will chime in on that. I agree though that Dawn should not be leaving a film. Are you using hot water and a baby toothbrush to clean the underside and sides of the diamond?

 

[Dancing Fire]

I have been using Lavish to clean my ring... If I'm cleaning multiple rings at the same time then I'll use my ultrasonic cleaner.

 

[Iwanttosparkle]

Alcohol will not harm your gold. But I don't think it will help clean your ring any better than Dawn, which is designed to cut grease.
I'm not sure why Dawn is leaving a film on your ring. Dish soap is made to rinse away and leave dishes and glasses sparkling.

I don't understand either. I will try rinsing it longer.

 

[Iwanttosparkle]

I don’t know what alcohol would do to the rhodium plating on the gold - hopefully someone else will chime in on that. I agree though that Dawn should not be leaving a film. Are you using hot water and a baby toothbrush to clean the underside and sides of the diamond?

I'm not using a baby toothbrush, I'm using an artist's brush from the painting/art section at Hobby Lobby. I got it because it is slender and gets down right into where the pavilion is. No, I haven't been using hot water, just warm. I will try increasing the temperature.

 

[ringbling17]

Try the foam Dawn dishwashing soap. I found that regular Dawn is too thick and doesn’t dissolve well in water. But the foam one works great for me!

 

[acaw2015]

I'm not using a baby toothbrush, I'm using an artist's brush from the painting/art section at Hobby Lobby. I got it because it is slender and gets down right into where the pavilion is. No, I haven't been using hot water, just warm. I will try increasing the temperature.

I dont think the temperature is important. How soft is the brush? You may need something stronger.. like the straws in a tooth brush. Also, water can contain something causing a film if you let the ring dry by itself. In my language we say hard or soft water, not sure if that translates well to english. It may help to dry the ring with a lint free cloth/hairdryer...

 

[MamaBee]

It won’t hurt it but try Windex...I alternate between Windex and Dawn. Rinse in hot water..and dry with a paper towel. The best way to dry it is to use a blow dryer but my hands are always in water so I stick with a paper towel.

 

[Dancing Fire]

It may help to dry the ring with a lint free cloth/hairdryer...

Yup, This is what I use.

 

[arkieb1]

The water needs to be super hot and the detergent not too thick or yes it will leave a film. Isopropyl will not hurt your rings, they actually use it with a wide range of metals to clean things (not jewellery).

Soaking in blue Windex for several hours and then scrubbing with a toothbrush and then rinsing with hot water also works well.

 

[Iwanttosparkle]

Thank you everyone, you’ve given me many new ideas to try!

 

[Arcadian]

I use alcohol as my "final rinse" of sorts so I don't get water spots.

I started using a technical grad d-limonene. Inert on metals, cleans the hell out of diamonds, smells amazing degreaser so you have to be careful with it on your hands. I use 3-4 drops with a 0.5 ml dab of Dr Bronners Sal Suds which rinses a bit better and cleaner than dawn (plus no blue dye!!!) I heat about 1 cup of water to just under boiling, pull off heat source, add my soap/degreaser, Take my toothbrush (its a baby toothbrush) and dunk in the water a little then scrub the stones and settings and loosen any crud, then dump my earrings in. Let sit until the water is cool (hour maybe?), then rinse.

Then I dump then in a small amount of IP alcohol (just enough to cover) in a small container and swirl around for a minute. take them out, let them dry upside down on a lint free makeup pad. I don't do this with colored stones or other gemstones, diamonds only.

If I were doing several pieces, I would still not need more than this.

I do this once a week on my earrings.