When you wear your jewellery on a day-to-day basis, it doesn’t take long for debris and dust to gather in those hard to reach places. There are many old wives’ tales regarding the best way to make a diamond sparkle, and how to clean rings in particular. Solitaire diamonds are often worn as engagement rings and are therefore worn every day – with these, it’s important to clean your diamond properly to keep it in the best condition.
It is important to focus on the back of the ring setting, rather than only cleaning the surface of the face of the diamond. The setting of the ring is the part which is closest to the skin, and therefore will inevitably be the part of the ring which collects the dirt and any ephemera – additionally, if you allow dirt to build up here, it can also cause skin irritations on your finger.
What is best to use for Diamond Cleaning?
The best advice we can give when it comes to choosing the right equipment for diamond cleaning is simply a soft bristled toothbrush, akin to the type which is recommended for younger children – nothing that will break the bank. The bristles will allow you to clean effectively around all facets and types of settings, while not being abrasive or harmful in any way.
At all costs, avoid cleaning any diamond jewellery with a bleach based solution or any other corrosive solutions. They are used for other surfaces and are a big no-no for jewellery. These solutions can damage the diamond and the metal setting, and this damage would be irreversible.
A traditional method for cleaning diamonds is to use a strong, clear grain based alcohol such as vodka or gin. The science behind this theory is that the high level of ethanol is a natural solvent will chemically remove any stray dirt that is on the surface of the diamond or is trapped inside the setting of the ring.
Alternatively, baking soda is another traditional solution to many cleaning quandaries, and when combined with water to form a thick paste, it becomes a fantastic product for cleaning diamonds and the metal settings of the rings. As with all cleaning, it is best to rinse thoroughly with warm water to remove any residue.
However, our recommendation for the best product to clean diamond solitaire rings is to use soap diluted with water – simple. Any kind of regular household soap, such as washing up liquid or hand soap is perfect for the job. As with any type of cleaning, leaving the jewellery to soak is preferable, as this loosens any solidified particles in hard to reach areas.
Whilst you can successfully clean your diamond ring at home using the advice we have given you, the best and most meticulous method of cleaning diamond solitaire rings is to take your jewellery to your jeweller to have the diamond’s settings checked, as well as having it professionally cleaned using an ultrasonic system. An ultrasonic system is a specialised tank which is filled with liquid – which the jewellery is submersed in – and which then produces high frequency sound waves, which can disturb and remove the tiniest dirt particles from normally unreachable parts of the jewellery.
AC Silver is one retailer that offers this service free of charge to all customers, to ensure that their jewellery is in the best possible condition and maintains its sparkle for as long as possible!
