Cleaning a diamond ring: How to make your diamond ring sparkle

“Diamonds are forever” is a well-known advertising slogan from the 1950s that still holds today: diamonds are the hardest material on earth and are considered almost indestructible. So anyone who invests in diamond jewelry owns a piece of jewelry that will last forever.

Nevertheless, your diamonds (a specially cut diamond) and other pieces of jewelry may lose their shine over time and no longer sparkle as much as they did on the first day. This happens especially if you wear your diamond rings often or don’t store them properly. But don’t worry: you can easily clean your favorite pieces at home using simple products that you probably already have in your household. We’ll tell you how.

Cleaning diamond rings at home

Brilliants and other diamonds are known for their beautiful sparkle and shine. However, they can become dull over time – especially if the jewelry is worn often. Hairspray, soap, hand creams, and other care products form a thin layer of dirt on rings when they come into contact with jewelry. This causes your diamonds to lose their shine, as this is created when light is reflected from the gemstone – if it is dirty, it gets in the way of the light and therefore the sparkle and shine. With a few simple steps, you can remove this dirt yourself so that your diamond shines like it did on the first day.

1. Check the diamond ring for damage

This step is important before cleaning so that you do not damage the ring further when washing it. A diamond can become loose in the ring setting, especially if you wear your jewelry every day. To avoid loosening it even further when cleaning, inspect the ring carefully before cleaning and make sure that everything is firmly in place.

2. Make a gentle soap solution

If everything is still stuck to the ring, you can start cleaning the jewelry. To do this, fill a small container, such as a bowl, with warm water and a few drops of washing-up liquid. Don’t overdo it – a small amount of washing-up liquid is enough to remove grease and dirt from your jewelry. Let the ring soak in the soapy water for 20-40 minutes. This alone will remove light dirt.

3. Remove dirt with a soft brush

The next step is to remove stubborn dirt from your jewelry. Use a soft, clean toothbrush for this. Children’s toothbrushes are best for this as they have very soft bristles. It is best to label this toothbrush and only use it for this purpose. Take the ring out of the soapy water and brush it carefully. Concentrate particularly on the lower part of the diamond as deposits quickly form between the gemstone and the setting.

4. Rinse jewelry

Almost done! Your ring should now be clean and free of dirt. Now all that’s left is to remove any loose dirt and soap residue. First of all, put the plug in your sink – this way the ring won’t disappear down the drain if you accidentally drop it. Now rinse your jewelry under lukewarm water. After you’ve put the ring safely to one side, you can then let the water drain out of the sink.

5. Dry and polish the ring

You can simply let your ring air dry. If you want to put it back on or store it away straight after cleaning, you can use a cotton or linen cloth to gently dry it. Avoid kitchen paper or materials that lint – these can scratch softer precious metals. Use clothes to be on the safe side. If you have a polishing cloth, you can polish the ring with it to give it extra shine. But even without this step, your diamond ring will be as beautiful as the day you got it.

6. Store the ring properly

If you only wear your ring on special occasions, you should make sure you store it correctly. This will ensure that your jewelry stays beautiful for a long time. To avoid scratches, you should store them individually if possible – throwing all your rings into one container is not ideal. When you buy a ring, you usually get a jewelry box in which you can store the ring. Jewelry boxes with a foam insert for rings are also good. In any case, you should clean rings before storing them for a long time. If you don’t do this, dirt can build up and be more difficult to remove later.

How to keep your diamond ring clean for a long time

Theoretically, you can clean your rings every week using the method described above. Since it is very gentle, it will not damage your jewelry. But who has the time for that? Instead, you can pay attention to a few things in your everyday life so that your ring gets less dirty and you have to clean it less often. Diamond rings do not necessarily have to be removed when washing your hands – after all, this increases the risk of leaving your valuable jewelry lying around and losing it.

This is still recommended, as otherwise, soap residue can build up. However, this can easily be removed using the method described above. When applying cream and disinfecting your hands, you should take the jewelry off for a short time so that no film forms on the diamond and precious metal. To avoid dirt or even scratches, it is best to take your rings off before exercising and during other activities in which you use your hands – for example when gardening or baking.

If in doubt, the professional will help

If your jewelry is very dirty, for example, if you inherit an old ring or buy a vintage piece second-hand, it’s worth going to a professional. Most jewelry stores have professional ultrasonic devices and offer cleaning at a low cost – if you bought the jewelry there, it’s usually free.

Even if you have an ultrasonic cleaner at home, you should be careful. Since this device works with vibrations, diamonds can come loose from the setting and get lost. If you don’t want to spend money on cleaning, just soak the ring for a little longer as described above, or clean it several times with the toothbrush. This is usually enough to make old jewelry shine like new.