Is this overkill for cleaning diamonds?!

[unsettled]

I went YEARS not cleaning my ring regularly. About 5 or so years ago, I got it re-rhodiumed and I was amazed at how nice it looked. Since then, I have been better about keeping it clean. I clean my rings in my ultra sonic weekly but I clean it in between with dawn and a toothbrush. I actually cleaned my friends’ rings last week because I couldn’t believe how dirty they let their diamonds be. They were also amazed at just how sparkly their diamonds are! Clean diamonds are happy diamonds!

 

[Arcadian]

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

I have a commercial steamer I use for floors (I got a lot of tile) and can attest it does wonders with diamonds I don't do it all the time though!

However for clarification, how hot would be too hot? it can get to roughly 315F degrees @75PSI (I never do full psi on my earrings though).

 

[Mturgeon05]

I read through this post and I am still confused . For a u-pave halo: soak in blue Dawn/water, brush with soft toothbrush, and rinse with warm water? If I do that once a week (more if particularly grimy), am I good?

 

[BlingBlingLova]

I read through this post and I am still confused . For a u-pave halo: soak in blue Dawn/water, brush with soft toothbrush, and rinse with warm water? If I do that once a week (more if particularly grimy), am I good?

I also have a pave halo and I use this solution called Caribbean Gem Banana and Coconut oil jewelry cleaner on a daily basis for my rings. I soak them every morning while I’m getting ready for work. Then once a week I place my rings in an US with the same cleaner followed by steaming. I fall in love with my rings all over again! Although I will say this, every morning after I remove my rings from the soak, all this oil and dirt has already accumulated on my rings from the day before, just from me going about my day!

 

[blueMA]

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!

@Miki Moto I'm shocked that you don't clean your rings every day as a jewel lover!
No wonder you don't love your HOFs lol. JK

For a thorough intermittent cleaning:
1. Use Dawn soap and a soft bristle toothbrush to clean top, side and the underside of the stones through the access holes the best you can. Rinse.
2. Soak in an alcohol for 10 min+ in a small glass container, such as a shot glass or eye wash cup. Use denatured (better solvent but toxic for handling) or Isopropyl alcohol. You can also opt to use high % liquor, such as vodka instead. For daily use, high percentage (91% or higher) isopropyl is better than denatured for environment, health, etc., but avoid lower % since rubbing alcohol contains glycerin as lubricant and can leave more film.
3. optional, repeat #1.
4. soak it in boiling distilled water for 5 min, then shake off excess water or blow dry it.
5. admire your sparking diamond.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Diamonds don't mind being heated to white hot (with a covering mateial, dont try at home).
Boil water, a dash of ammonia and diish detergent in a tea cup. Half fill with boiling water, swirl with tooth brush (stiff) and pull out with brush. Poke around under and all over. Rinse well, use steamer if possible. Dry well. air can is a great way to dry.

 

[Miki Moto]

@Miki Moto I'm shocked that you don't clean your rings every day as a jewel lover!
No wonder you don't love your HOFs lol. JK

For a thorough intermittent cleaning:
1. Use Dawn soap and a soft bristle toothbrush to clean top, side and the underside of the stones through the access holes the best you can. Rinse.
2. Soak in an alcohol for 10 min+ in a small glass container, such as a shot glass or eye wash cup. Use denatured (better solvent but toxic for handling) or Isopropyl alcohol. You can also opt to use high % liquor, such as vodka instead. For daily use, high percentage (91% or higher) isopropyl is better than denatured for environment, health, etc., but avoid lower % since rubbing alcohol contains glycerin as lubricant and can leave more film.
3. optional, repeat #1.
4. soak it in boiling distilled water for 5 min, then shake off excess water or blow dry it.
5. admire your sparking diamond.

That is so much work! I have this Speed Brite ionic cleaner a jeweler gave me and I use that every 3-4 months and I think that is so much effort! After reading these posts... To step up my game... I was thinking maybe soaking in Dawn once a month instead of every 3-4 months.
I might be able to get up to once a week, but daily???.... you have me beat! Uncle! I know I can’t do daily. That’s just too much effort!

When I get my HOFs back, I hope my local jeweler will clean them and make them shiny! That will probably be the best they have ever looked for years! I might love them...not.

By the way, is your formula above ok for colored stones like sapphires and emeralds? Dawn? And if I do the alcohol, is that okay too?

Thanks for the step by step instructions!

 

[Nikki1415]

You guys inspired me to take out the ultrasonic I bought a few years ago lol . I clean my jewelry once a week (or more if dirty) with either Dawn/water/toothbrush or Connoisseurs precious jewelry cleaner/toothbrush.

 

[blueMA]

That is so much work! I have this Speed Brite ionic cleaner a jeweler gave me and I use that every 3-4 months and I think that is so much effort! After reading these posts... To step up my game... I was thinking maybe soaking in Dawn once a month instead of every 3-4 months.
I might be able to get up to once a week, but daily???.... you have me beat! Uncle! I know I can’t do daily. That’s just too much effort!

When I get my HOFs back, I hope my local jeweler will clean them and make them shiny! That will probably be the best they have ever looked for years! I might love them...not.

By the way, is your formula above ok for colored stones like sapphires and emeralds? Dawn? And if I do the alcohol, is that okay too?

Thanks for the step by step instructions!

Oh no! - I don't do the numbered steps for daily cleaning. That's for once in a while to get the gunk out for the max bling.

Daily wise, I just use dawn and toothbrush, rinse under warm/hot tap water, and a quick rinse again with distilled water, shake off to dry or use lint-free cloth. Honestly, my diamond doesn't look the best it can if it gets just a bit dirty, so it compels me to do it.

The steps should be safe for most precious stones but emerald is porous so I wouldn't soak in alcohol unless you'll re-oil it and only use lukewarm water. Definitely avoid on opals and of course never on pearls but you know that already.

 

[Miki Moto]

The steps should be safe for most precious stones but emerald is porous so I wouldn't soak in alcohol unless you'll re-oil it and only use lukewarm water. Definitely avoid on opals and of course never on pearls but you know that already.

Thank you so much for the advice. Yes.... my true love is pearls, and I take so much more care of my pearls than I do my diamonds and colored gemstones. With pearls, I wipe them down, I re-string them regularly, etc... because I know they are fragile, not to mention, I really really really looooveeeee pearls!

I love jewelry, and love to wear jewelry, but before I discovered this thread, I never really gave much thought on care and cleaning except for the jewelry cleaner that was given to me.
My thought was with diamonds and gemstones, they’re supposed to be tough so they can fend for themselves!

You made me wake up and pay attention more to gemstone cleaning and care... thank you!

 

[Wombats]

Does anyone know what the equivalent to blue Dawn dishwashing liquid is in Australia?

Thanks so much

 

[srke]

oes anyone know what the equivalent to blue Dawn dishwashing liquid is in Australia

I use the green Palmolive that you can find in woolies.

I usually just microwave a cup of water, squirt in some of the palmolive, and drop my ring in to soak for half an hour or so as soon as I get home each evening. Then I come back later in the evening to scrub and rinse and sometime some more scrubbing with windex. And sometimes I repeat a soak round if I have time (or if my SO had decided to run his grubby fingers all over the stone deliberately just because he knows it really bugs me :p)... Then rince in hot water and dry with kimtech (thanks to @TreeScientist for those, they really work wonders).

I do it every day plus an Ultrsound cycle every week. My friends and my SO laugh at me for being so obsessive, but my diamond sparkles so it's all worth it