Is this overkill for cleaning diamonds?!

[denverappraiser]

FWIW, I use a steamer a lot, and have for decades. I've been through many of them. Ignoring the industrial things that are far better and 10x the price, I like this one.

https://www.amazon.com/JEWEL-JET2-J...7535615&sr=1-5&keywords=jewelry+steam+cleaner

 

[Sunstorm]

@Dancing Fire then of course there is a trick how to wash your hands without taking off our million rings . And then there is also the wonderful invention called hand sanitizer (not all over our diamonds of course).

But when it comes to lotion, oh momma. Even if you take off your rings, it somehow manages to climb on top of the diamonds and all over the undersides of the setting. It is like infection spreading across the rings, so I turn back and head for the ultra again and am mortified to see what happens when I turn it on with the ring in.

Then I start louping again and of course everyone around me thinks I must have lost the remainder of my mind. Sometimes we just have to learn to relax and enjoy our jewelry too.

 

[jadesilver]

@Wink
We buy canned air by the caseload from Costco or Sams Club as well. Hubby uses it to dust teddy bears for his eBay store and I use it to dry my CBI diamonds.

On another thread it seems that many women don't wear their rings in the shower. Well maybe I am weird but why not? Take a toothbrush in with you and use the bath gel to clean your diamond. Then rinse under the rain head or use the wand to rinse your body and your diamonds.

Some of my best CBI light shows have been in the shower

My rings tend to slide off and plop on the floor from washing my hair and the general slipperiness of the soap that makes them loose. Oh man plopping head down from the top of my head onto the ground sounds like a diamond nightmare. I do agree that diamonds are extra sparkly when I’m soaping and rinsing them under the tap (safely on my finger when I do that)!

 

[Diamond_Hawk]

This is an interesting read. I like how many people have a set routine set for cleaning their diamond.

 

[Dancing Fire]

@Wink
We buy canned air by the caseload from Costco or Sams Club as well. Hubby uses it to dust teddy bears for his eBay store and I use it to dry my CBI diamonds.

Bought a 6 pack from Costco last week it was on sale.

 

[WinkHPD]

Wish it had been on sale when I opened my last can back in October and bought a new four pack. Of course the gas to Costco and the time out of the office would have been worth more than whatever I could have saved...

Wink.

 

[Karl_K]

I always use dawn the real deal not the generic.
It does not leave a film and cuts right through the oil and lotions.
Many other dish and hand soaps do leave a film.

 

[TreeScientist]

Kimwipes. Look them up. You're welcome.

Seriously, the only truly lint-free wipes. They're designed for lab use where zero contamination is permitted (we use them exclusively to clean in our lab). However, they're also available on Amazon are are fairly cheap if you buy them in bulk.

Also, you could consider investing in a milli-Q ultra-purification water system and a 600 deg C drying oven like we use to clean glassware in our lab, but then you're looking at about $50,000 in up-front costs

 

[WinkHPD]

Kimwipes. Look them up. You're welcome.

Seriously, the only truly lint-free wipes. They're designed for lab use where zero contamination is permitted (we use them exclusively to clean in our lab). However, they're also available on Amazon are are fairly cheap if you buy them in bulk.

Also, you could consider investing in a milli-Q ultra-purification water system and a 600 deg C drying oven like we use to clean glassware in our lab, but then you're looking at about $50,000 in up-front costs

And your diamond will still be dirty again in a very short time...

Wink

 

[doberman]

@Wink
We buy canned air by the caseload from Costco or Sams Club as well. Hubby uses it to dust teddy bears for his eBay store and I use it to dry my CBI diamonds.

On another thread it seems that many women don't wear their rings in the shower. Well maybe I am weird but why not? Take a toothbrush in with you and use the bath gel to clean your diamond. Then rinse under the rain head or use the wand to rinse your body and your diamonds.

Some of my best CBI light shows have been in the shower

I never understood this either. I've showered many, many times wearing rings. Soap and water isn't going to damage them, in fact they look pretty nice after s shower. Taking your rings on and off with any frequency just increases the chance they'll be lost.

 

[Krisking]

I don't wear mine in the shower bc I don't want conditioner near them. Plus, right after, I'm using lotion and hair products. Also, I'm not sleeping with them on, so the rings are coming off either way!

 

[Sunstorm]

Most soaps leave a residue on diamonds and gunk builds up underneath, much like with lotion, conditioner, etc. Anything that has any moisturizer in it and shower gels do. Bar soap is terrible. Conditioner, lotion, creams, oils the worst.

This is why we only use grease cutting dishsoap. Dawn is among the best. I cannot buy that where I leave, I use Jar, this is the best here. Shampoos, some can be ok, many not.

 

[TreeScientist]

And your diamond will still be dirty again in a very short time...

Wink

But it will be oh so sparkly for that first 1/10th of a second where it is completely free of organic carbon specs.

I jest, but I would agree with the direction of this thread that most high-priced cleaning methods are overkill, as they'll give almost the same results as the soaking in dish soap and scrubbing with a toothbrush method, and it won't matter anyway after the first hour of wearing the jewelry.

Kimwipes are great for lint-free drying though. They're also great for spectacles if you happen to wear those.

 

[Sunstorm]

@TreeScientist yes true, for daily wear a bit of lint here and there makes no big difference.

However, the toothbrush is really not enough on the long run, like I said before once lotion, oil, whatever got in underneath and it builds up, a toothbrush will not get to all small and hard to reach places, which is why an ultrasonic would make a difference in the long run even if it is done only once a week but run for a good ten minutes or so. I do not think it is overkill as once the gunk is built up over a period of time, it is like it´s glued on there and no one will get it off unless the stone is unset and boiled. Metalwork, same.

 

[BlingBlingLova]

I completely agree with Sunstorm! I have noticed that after the weekly ultrasonic and steaming, my rings look shinier and more obnoxious every week ( which is what I am shooting for) and the daily cleaning absolutely stops the center stone from turning yellow. But I have learned to love my diamond even if it is clean or dirty.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

@Wink
We buy canned air by the caseload from Costco or Sams Club as well. Hubby uses it to dust teddy bears for his eBay store and I use it to dry my CBI diamonds.

On another thread it seems that many women don't wear their rings in the shower. Well maybe I am weird but why not? Take a toothbrush in with you and use the bath gel to clean your diamond. Then rinse under the rain head or use the wand to rinse your body and your diamonds.

Some of my best CBI light shows have been in the shower

ooh does this mean I can wear my ACA bangle in the shower?

 

[KristinTech]

I completely agree with Sunstorm! I have noticed that after the weekly ultrasonic and steaming, my rings look shinier and more obnoxious every week ( which is what I am shooting for) and the daily cleaning absolutely stops the center stone from turning yellow. But I have learned to love my diamond even if it is clean or dirty.

I love my obnoxious rings, too!

 

[KristinTech]

I literally just swiped right on Amazon Prime (and paid $10.99 for Saturday delivery) for an ultrasonic— based purely on this thread! I can get all my jewelry clean with the JewelJet *except* the sapphire/diamond anniversary band. I cannot get into those back little bezels for the sapphires! I have spent about $15 on speciality artist brushes, and I decided to just make the purchase of the ultrasonic.

 

[BlingBlingLova]

I literally just swiped right on Amazon Prime (and paid $10.99 for Saturday delivery) for an ultrasonic— based purely on this thread! I can get all my jewelry clean with the JewelJet *except* the sapphire/diamond anniversary band. I cannot get into those back little bezels for the sapphires! I have spent about $15 on speciality artist brushes, and I decided to just make the purchase of the ultrasonic.

You won't regret it! I fall in love with my rings all over again, every Saturday

 

[cflutist]

ooh does this mean I can wear my ACA bangle in the shower?

I wear both of my tennis bracelets in the shower as I don't take them off and they were made in 2004 and 2014 by @Wink

 

[Karl_K]

Another tip and a test if you use hair spray.
Spray a bit of hair spray on a mirror so there is a thick layer in a small spot and let it sit for a few minutes to dry then try and clean it off.
Be prepared to spend some time getting it clean, the better the hairspray the harder it will be to get off the mirror.
It is doing the same thing to your diamonds as it builds up.
The tip, keep it off your diamonds as much as you can.

 

[cflutist]

@TreeScientist yes true, for daily wear a bit of lint here and there makes no big difference.

However, the toothbrush is really not enough on the long run, like I said before once lotion, oil, whatever got in underneath and it builds up, a toothbrush will not get to all small and hard to reach places, which is why an ultrasonic would make a difference in the long run even if it is done only once a week but run for a good ten minutes or so. I do not think it is overkill as once the gunk is built up over a period of time, it is like it´s glued on there and no one will get it off unless the stone is unset and boiled. Metalwork, same.

Don,t use hair spray, lotion, oils, or conditioner. Use the toothbrush and liquid soap (dishwashing liquid at home, bath gel or clear shampoo when traveling) to clean my endings most of the time, but will use a professional ultrasonic with heater to clean my tennis bracelets or a batch of jewelry.

I have this one by L &R Quantrex.
https://www.esslinger.com/l-r-quant...Cy0PpIhh1qBmmBG60gTKVKtwE_0DoixxoCmtUQAvD_BwE

 

[FinleysMom]

@Wink
We buy canned air by the caseload from Costco or Sams Club as well. Hubby uses it to dust teddy bears for his eBay store and I use it to dry my CBI diamonds.

On another thread it seems that many women don't wear their rings in the shower. Well maybe I am weird but why not? Take a toothbrush in with you and use the bath gel to clean your diamond. Then rinse under the rain head or use the wand to rinse your body and your diamonds.

Some of my best CBI light shows have been in the shower

I would hate to lose my ring or a stone going down the drain. So..no jewelry in the shower

FM

 

[Maggiemeans]

So a little update to my new gemOr steamer.. as wink suggested the wait for the heat up takes time..that isn't particularly my issue because I change out of my work clothes, etc...it's that even with using short blasts it looses pressure quickly and you have to keep waiting for pressure to rebuild. And for several beginning seconds it spits wet steam not dry steam as it's supposed to.

 

[CharlotteYork]

In my opinion an ultrasonic is essential especially if you do not clean your jewelry every day or very regularly. Anything else such as a steamer is extra.
Tanalasta if the stones are set well, it is not a problem.

Is there a specific ultrasonic cleaner you recommend? Thank you so much!

 

[Krisking]

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/best-ultrasonic-cleaner.234035/

 

[diamondsareagirls]

I am fascinated and totally clueless about diamond cleaning! Just a few questions....how is the Windex used? Sprayed on and wiped off or in a soaking solution?

The steaming I assume is to loosen dirt and grime - would putting the diamonds in a spoon and opening the top to my kettle work?? Do you rinse afterwards or just dry?

The canned air - that is to dry? You don't wipe the diamond at all - just spray the air and avoid any lint left behind?

What about for untreated sapphires and emeralds?

Thank you!!

 

[cokitty]

I like to clean my by leaving them in a low surfectant soapy water while my dog and I have our morning walk. I rinse them in hot water afterwards. No proof but observationally it feel like the diamond trillion side stones get dirty faster than any other diamonds in my collection.
I do use alcohol but only 70% ethanol cut with reagent grade water. I in total agreement on the Kimwipes. I wash my hands (rings on) 20+ times a day, busy day even more. Softcide though great for washing hands always leaves a film on my rings.
@TreeScientist Only our research team has Milli-Q systems at their sinks. We poor clinical folks have to do with reagent water from Fisher. But now I am curious, which journals would I find your work in?
@rockysalamander you too, what journals?
Always excited to see more STEM folks who share a love jewelry.

 

[Demon]

I use dawn/water/a *little* ammonia. I rinse rings under hot water, scrub with the dawn, rinse again and place them in distilled water while I clean others (we have hard water). I got tired of buying canned air and would often get that white residue with it, so I bought a datavac air duster for $50 (the price has gone up I see). Works great, but very strong so make sure the setting is secure.

 

[Miki Moto]

Wow! I feel like a ring slob! I clean my rings probably 3-4 times a year and I thought I was doing a good job. Compared to you guys... I’m a total slob and a loser!

Ok... I will step up my game.
Thanks everyone here for the push!