How to Clean Your Engagement Ring

1 month ago 103

Claire McGowran

Between hand cream, moisturiser, and shampoo, engagement rings get lots of product build-up, and over time, they can lose their sparkle. So given that you'll want your engagement ring to be shining bright on your wedding day for your photos, we figured we'd round up the best advice for looking after your sparkler to avoid damage. Here's how to safely clean your engagement ring.

How Often Should You Clean Your Engagement Ring?

You can bring your ring to a jeweller for a deep clean (more on that below!) about once a year, or ahead of a special occasion but for everyday build-up, it's handy to know how to clean your engagement ring at home yourself. Most jewellers recommend doing a quick clean once or twice a month to keep on top of product build-up which can actually damage your ring setting. We recommend reading our post on Things You Should Never Do With Your Engagement Ring Here!

How to Clean your Engagement Ring at Home

What you need:

A soft baby toothbrush
Warm water
Washing up liquid
A small bowl or egg cup

How to clean your ring:

Soak your ring for half an hour in water and washing up liquid.
Use the toothbrush to brush the stone and setting (including the underside) very gently.
Rinse the ring under warm running water (make sure the plug is in your sink!)
If your ring still looks a little cloudy, repeat.
Dry your ring with a hair dryer on a medium heat setting (don't use a paper towel!).

How to Look After Your Engagement Ring

The tips above will work for any hard precious stones, like diamonds, emeralds, rubies or sapphires. If you have a softer stone like a pearl or opal, talk to your jeweller about how to clean it safely.

There are lots of home cleaning solutions bandied about, like using CocaCola, baking soda, toothpaste, vinegar or even bleach or acetone to clean your ring. Many of these can scratch or damage the stone or metal, so don't take risks when a bottle of Fairy Liquid can do the trick!
Most rings can withstand to day-to-day activities, like doing the dishes or going to the gym. But if you're gardening or using heavy cleaning, it's a good idea to wear gloves or remove your ring. Likewise, for certain activities and sports it's safer if you remove your ring, not only for the ring itself, but for your finger too!
If you take your ring off regularly or for long periods, store it in a dry, fabric lined box or soft pouch, and make sure it's clean before you store it.
If your ring has any major knocks (or any stones feel wobbly), take it off immediately store it in its box and bring it to the jeweller to check that the stones are intact and secure in the setting.

How to Get Your Ring Professionally Cleaned

It's wise to get your engagement ring cleaned by a jeweller about once a year. Their products will restore the lustre of your stones in no time, plus they'll check over the ring for any loose stones or damage. If you can, bring your ring back to the jeweller you bought it from, they may have included a regular cleaning as part of the warranty.

For a more thorough clean, you can also ask your jeweller to use an ultrasonic cleaning machine. This vigorous cleaning process really makes a ring sparkle. This is also one to be left to the experts (even if you have access to a machine), as a jeweller will spot any stones loosened in the process.

Check out our essential guide to all things engagement rings!