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Want your ring to ‘shine bright like a diamond’ throughout your engagement, marriage and lifetime? We hear you.
Owning a diamond ring is for most a dream come true and once in a lifetime opportunity, so in that sense there could be nothing worse than a dull diamond dimming the sparkle symbolising your love.
Which is why, as jewellery designers, we believe learning the best practises for how to clean a diamond ring are essential for all diamond owners.
Unlike other trend based or seasonal jewellery, diamonds are designed to be worn for life… which is why they are priced accordingly (and are considered a lifelong investment).
Whether the diamond is a symbol of love and union between two people, a self love gift or heirloom piece to be handed down for generations to come, all diamond rings need to be cared for and kept in good condition.
It’s just as important for your health and wellbeing too. Wearing a ring daily can naturally lead to a build up of residue, be it oil, debris or beauty products (such as hand cream), which in time can become a breeding ground for bacteria.
When not cleaned regularly, it can lead to skin irritation and even to discolouration of the band or scratches on the diamond.
To give your diamonds and hands the longevity and care they deserve, we’ve compiled a guide on how to clean a diamond ring, including the best way to clean diamond rings and how to find someone suitable for cleaning a diamond ring.
Read on for a list of Francesca approved cleaning diamond ring tips below.
5 Ways To Approach Knowing How To Clean Diamond Ring
1.Know The Jeweller And Origin Story
Let’s say your fiance popped the question, surprising you with a diamond ring or that you subtly hinted the brand or type you wanted but left the rest to them.
Either scenario, it would not be uncommon if gifted diamonds to not know the local jeweller, what quality the diamonds were, how they make their diamond rings and what their personal recommendations and care suggestions may be.
As a jewellery label who sell diamond rings, we always recommend returning to the origin source first.
Speak with the jeweller directly to get their insights on how to clean a diamond ring or even better, ask if they have a service in house and can do it for you.
This way you’re ensuring you get the best way to clean diamond rings directly from the source and can trust they know what’s best for your particular diamond ring and band type.
2. Play It Safe
It can be tempting to Google natural solutions and remedies such as ‘baking soda to clean diamond ring’ or ‘how to clean diamond ring with vinegar’ but always opt for the simplest and safest solution first.
Rather than risk tarnishing your diamond ring or dulling the sparkle more and building a thin film over the natural stone, the easiest way to bring on brightness is with soap and water.
We recommend cleaning diamond rings in warm water with a mild detergent solution and soft toothbrush, allowing the bristles to gently glide across the stone, polishing it back to perfection while cleaning grit off from around the edges.
During the cleaning process, keep your ring ultra safe by using a bowl of warm water on a table bench, free from harm. While it can be tempting to use a sink, this can increase the risk of losing your precious stone. Play it safe, go natural, stay away from any dangers and always towel dry with a soft cloth after.
3. Stay Away From Cleaning Agents And Tools
Scourers and bleach could be the worst thing to ever happen to your diamond ring, even if you have the right intentions.
When it comes to cleaning a diamond ring, remember to go gently. This means avoiding all chemicals such as bleach, chlorine and acetone, these chemicals can break down the base metals of your ring.
Similarly toothpaste, baking soda and powdered cleaners can also scratch metals, particularly gold.
While household products are often promoted as natural cleaning solutions, in this case, baking soda to clean diamond ring is an absolute no.
The same goes for those considering whether to clean diamond ring with vinegar, the best solution is to avoid the risk. Vinegar is acidic so despite diamonds being durable it’s always going to come with an increased risk of potentially altering or harming the diamond or the band.
Rather than let your diamond go from lacklustre to complete loss of lustre, stick to soft cloths, tap water and the most mild detergent you can find. Scourers are also incredibly abrasive so if in doubt, always stick to a toothbrush.
4. Polish Often
Keeping a clean microfibre towel or a jewellery cloth handy is a great way to give your diamond ring a gloss over before any day out.
Within our collection we offer a Francesca Polishing Cloth for both sterling silver and solid gold, to keep your band sparkly and as free from tarnishing as can be.
While we recommend cleaning a diamond ring once a week, you can use a polishing cloth as often as you like. To protect the metal band we also recommend keeping harsh chemicals such as perfume, fake tan and moisturising agents away from the metal to avoid debris build up, skin irritation and a general dirty or diminished looking diamond ring.
5. Consider What You Want
For those yet to invest in a diamond ring, perhaps consider, are you a low maintenance girl or a high maintenance girl?
The bigger the rock or more stones there are or way they are, they will naturally determine differences in just how to clean a diamond ring effectively.
To help you decide what you are willing to go all in for maintenance wise, here are a few recommendations of the Francesca diamond rings we love, both big and small.
Low maintenance diamond rings we love:
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Wembley Diamond Ring - with one feature diamond set in a gold band, the Wembley is a classic cut that makes cleaning a breeze.
Shop the Wembley Diamond Ring here.
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Moet Diamond Ring - with scalloped diamonds set into the band, this ring is a beautiful piece perfect for stacking alongside a larger diamond ring that is thin and features tiny diamonds which make cleaning easy to maintain.
Shop the Moet Diamond Ring here.
High maintenance diamond rings we love:
- Mayfair Diamond Ring - with six small set diamonds and a rose quartz stone in between this diamond ring is a luxe piece and absolute showstopper that requires attention to detail cleaning and care.
Shop the Mayfair Diamond Ring here.
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Fleur Diamond Ring - with three delicate round diamond stones set into the band, this beautiful diamond ring is a classic piece that will require delicate and careful cleaning.
Shop the Fleur Diamond Ring here.
- Leyton Diamond Ring - part of our Noir Collection, this classic diamond band can be stacked with any larger engagement diamond ring or feature piece. With stones set the whole way around, delicate care and cleaning is required.
Shop the Leyton Diamond Ring here.
For more general tips on how to clean a diamond ring, best ways to clean diamond rings or to care for any jewellery product, see our Francesca Care Guide here.