How To Clean Wedding Ring At Home

Oui by Jean Dousset Lab Diamond Engagement Ring & Band

The big "yes" feels like just yesterday, and now you're falling in love all over again—this time with the diamond ring of your dreams. But one question keeps popping up in your head: how do I rock my diamond ring every day without their dazzle fading away?

If you're reading this article, you're already off to a great start in learning how to care for your new forever ring, and how to clean a diamond ring at home. It's never too early to learn how to establish a cleaning routine for your diamond jewelry since engagement rings and diamond rings endure plenty of everyday "traumas" that affect how sparkling and radiant a diamond ring can appear, even if we don't realize it.

Even the finest of diamonds are naturally more susceptible to collecting dirt after coming into contact with oils produced by human fingers. But the good news is that when done right and regularly, cleaning your beloved diamond ring is easy—so here's everything you need to know about how to clean a diamond ring at home and make your diamonds sparkle forever.

Jean Dousset Chelsea Oval Engagement Ring paired with Elle Eternity Band.

Your diamond ring will get dirty.

It's not you—it's the diamonds! Despite its tough reputation and natural, crystal effervescence, a diamond is actually a very lipophilic mineral, meaning grease and oil readily collect on the surface of a diamond ring pretty easily. That's why it's important to learn how to clean a diamond ring at home.

"Ironically, the quality that makes diamonds so beautiful—their brilliance and scintillating color—is also difficult to maintain by its very nature," says Jean Dousset, jewelry designer and founder behind Jean Dousset.

There's no problem with embracing your sparkler every day —beautiful jewelry must be showcased, after all. But constant wear can expose your diamond ring to all the grubby substances your hands come across throughout the day: personal care product residue, harsh cleaning concoctions, or food residue from going full-Alison Roman in the kitchen again. Thus, it's not a matter of if your diamond ring will get dirty, but rather when—and what you can do to combat it. We're outlining for you simple steps you can take to learn how to clean a diamond ring at home, safely and easily!

Oui by Jean Dousset Engagement Ring and Band Set with Packaging — Oui by Jean Dousset lab grown diamond wedding set.

Know when you should take your ring off.

Again, diamond jewelry isn't indestructible, and neither is its appearance. One of the simplest ways to learn how to clean a diamond ring at home—aside from actually cleaning it—is to know when to not wear it. While it's O.K. to keep your jewelry on in many instances—such as washing your hands at home, spending a normal workday in the office (or at home), or running a few errands around town, there are numerous situations in which rocking your beautiful diamond ring will needlessly jeopardize its beauty.

For starters, you probably don't need to wear your diamond ring while preparing meals that require a lot of hand-action, such as baking holiday cookies or marinating an anniversary steak at home. Although food residue won't necessarily damage your jewelry, it will accumulate over time and make your ring cleaning sessions more time-consuming.

In a similar vein, scrubbing away at home in your kitchen or bathroom with your diamond ring on hand should be avoided. The tough chemicals in household products like bleach or window cleaner can easily come into contact with your diamond jewelry, negatively reacting with not only your diamond but the precious metal surrounding it.

Some other ways how to not wear your ring: swimming in pools while wearing your engagement ring is also a not-so-good idea, as chlorine and other chemicals found in pool water can potentially dull or discolor your diamond ring's precious metal.

And lastly, playing intense sports or lifting weight in your jewelry should be avoided as handheld objects (e.g. balls, rackets, or dumbbells) can chip your diamond ring. Engaging in recreational activities outside of the house with your engagement ring on also increases your chance of misplacing it. How to avoid further damage? Simply play it safe by keeping it in your jewelry box in times of doubt.

Oui by Jean Dousset Solitaire Engagement Ring Stack with Diamond Eternity Bands — Shop Oui by Jean Dousset wedding bands.

The more you wear your diamond ring, the more often you should clean it.

"Proper cleaning is the most important thing you can do as a consumer at home, and it's important to learn how to do this because it combats any dirt you are attracting when you do choose to wear your ring," says Dousset.

A good rule of thumb when learning how to clean a diamond ring at home is that if you wear your ring a lot (say, on a daily basis and even during arduous activities or chores around the house), it's going to need to be cleaned just as frequently. This doesn't mean you should soak your ring in dangerous chemicals just to keep it clean, run out to buy commercial gold cleaners, or even drop your engagement ring off at your jeweler for a professional cleaning every single week—but it does mean you should establish an effective, yet easy-to-keep-up-with routine for how to clean a diamond ring at home.

But jewelry cleaning doesn't have to be fancy or expensive.

A homemade degreasing solution, such as warm water with a few drops of mild dish soap, can be used to clean your ring as many times a week as you'd like, thanks to its gentle quality. Soak your diamond jewelry at home in the solution for a few minutes, then use a soft, clean toothbrush to remove any remaining residue or dirt; just keep in mind that some diamond ring settings are more fragile than others. How to play it safe? Avoid harsh scrubbing in favor of gentle brushing. When you're done, simply rinse your jewelry with water, pat it dry with a soft, lint-free cloth, and voila, your diamond ring instantly appears more dazzling.

How to achieve an even quicker, and equally effective everyday clean at home?

You can also use cleaning products specifically made for fine diamond jewelry and engagement rings. These products are gentle, safe, and sold in various forms. These cleaners make it simple so you don't have to learn how to clean a ring like a professional jeweler. Included with every Jean Dousset bespoke and Oui by Jean Dousset purchase, our Sparkle Sparkle® jewelry cleaner set includes an easy-to-use, daily spray cleaner formulated with 100 percent natural botanical extracts.

And since it's so easy to keep up with cleaning your diamond ring at home, you should only drop by your fine jeweler about once a year for a professional cleaning. There, they may utilize an ultrasonic cleaning machine to ensure your jewelry is clean, sparkling, and gush-worthy again.

Jean Dousset Diamond Engagement Ring Stack — Shop Jean Dousset eternity bands.

Metals should be regularly cleaned at home, too—but don't overthink it.

Sure, jaw-dropping center stones and pretty pavé tend to be the center of attention when it comes to fine diamond jewelry and engagement rings. But the precious metals that complement your dream diamond ring should be anything but an afterthought. And that notion remains true, even in the jewelry cleaning process—because a brilliant diamond shines brightest when it has an equally beautiful setting.

How to clean different kinds of precious metal settings?

There's a lot of different rumors of how to clean and keep your unique precious metal luminous at home: some people claim a concoction of window cleaner and hydrogen peroxide gets the job done with yellow gold and white jewelry; others argue rose gold looks shinier after soaking it in a mixture of salt, soap, and baking soda.

However, many of these rumors and recommendations do not take into consideration the fragility and one-of-a-kind qualities of the gemstones accented with these precious metals. In fact, Dousset says using the wrong cleaning products at home is one of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to caring for their fine jewelry and diamond ring.

"There's a lot of information online about the general cleaning, but the best practice is to consult the jeweler you purchased from to learn how to properly care for your jewelry," he notes.

While diamonds, in particular, are durable and can withstand commercial cleaners and homemade concoctions, many other precious gemstones—such as a Signature Stone® included in Jean Dousset engagement rings—are in need of a gentler TLC. In these cases, solutions like Sparkle Sparkle® or mild soap and water are safer options for use at home.

Still, keep in mind that some gems, like delicate pearls and porous gemstones, are sensitive to even these mind cleansers. So when in doubt, give your jeweler a call.

"Take care of your ring but also enjoy it," reminds Dousset. "Jewelry is meant to be loved and worn."