The Dos and Don’ts of Diamond Cleaning

It’s only natural for your favorite diamond jewelry to collect dirt over time. Your diamonds may become clouded with layers of oil, sweat, and dust, which discolors them and makes their shine fade. Avoiding oil and dust on jewelry is why regularly cleaning diamond jewelry is so essential. However, using the wrong method to clean your jewelry can also damage and compromise the diamonds’ quality. In this blog, we'll discuss the dos and don'ts of diamond cleaning to help you keep your diamonds clean without the stress of damage.

Do: Check the Condition of your Jewelry

Before you begin cleaning your jewelry, it is best to examine your diamonds to assess their condition. Are any of your diamonds or metals loose? Does your jewelry look worn out? How much debris is stuck in your jewelry? Do you notice any discoloration? Asking each of these questions will better prepare you for finding the best cleaning method to suit your jewelry's needs. If you see any prior damage or loose diamonds in your jewelry, avoid cleaning and instead visit a jeweler for immediate repairs.

Don't: Use an Ultrasonic Cleaner

Ultrasonic cleaners may seem like a fast and simple solution to cleaning your jewelry, but these machines can scratch and damage jewelry. Ultrasonic cleaners send vibrations through water and anti-bacterial cleaning solution to shake jewelry while it soaks. The rough movements of the rinse method and shaking can lead to diamonds becoming loose and sometimes even falling off jewelry.

Other metals are also at risk of getting nicks or scratches. Even if jewelry appears to be intact after leaving these machines, fragile diamonds could later fall and need significant repairs in the future. While the afterglow and shine of ultrasonic cleaners may be enticing, the risk of damage will ultimately compromise your jewelry’s quality.

Do: Soak Your Jewelry

When cleaning your diamonds, choosing gentle methods to clear debris and oil will yield the best results. While many people assume they need special solutions to clean their jewelry, warm water and dish soap are the most effective.

To clean jewelry, pour warm water in a bowl and add four drops of dish soap. Wait until the soap has dissolved into your water before placing dirty jewelry underwater to soak for 40 minutes. Leaving your jewelry to soak in this warm water will naturally remove layers of oils and dirt from the surface of your diamonds without aggressive scratching or scrubbing.

Don't: Use Household Cleaners

Although you may have heard using ingredients such as baking powder or toothpaste can help clean diamond jewelry, these rumors are entirely false. Cleaning products that have harsh chemicals or high pH levels should never be used on jewelry or metals. Instead, stick to gentler cleaning solutions such as simple soap and water.

Using household cleaners such as bleach or ammonia can also greatly damage your diamonds by compromising quality. The abrasive chemicals in these cleaners could scratch the metals of your jewelry and leave your diamonds discolored or dislodged. Although using chemical solutions might seem like a logical method to clean and sanitize jewelry, doing this could create serious damage.

Do: Use Gentle Brushes

One of the most important things to remember as you clean your jewelry is to use the gentlest cleaning methods possible. When your jewelry is wet and soaking, it’s in a vulnerable condition and should be handled with care. Using soft brushes with non-abrasive bristles—such as small toothbrushes or cotton swabs—will remove dirt from small crevasses without scratching the jewelry. Never use fingernails or sharp objects to scratch at the dirt in jewelry. Always remember to treat your diamonds with care.

Don't: Use Paper Towels

After your jewelry has finished soaking and dirt has been removed, you can begin the drying process. A common mistake while drying diamond jewelry is the use of paper towels. While paper towels are absorbent and will dry your jewelry quickly, their texture is far too abrasive.

Paper towels can scratch the surface of metals and greatly compromise jewelry shine and quality. Instead of using these, opt for softer materials such as cotton or linen rags. The fibers in both cotton and linen rags will absorb excess water and dry jewelry without causing any damage to diamonds or metals.

Do: Ask for Help

When your jewelry needs a major cleaning, there is no shame in reaching out to a professional jeweler. Jewelers have the expertise and knowledge to examine the conditions of diamonds and determine the best cleaning method that will protect their quality.

Jewelers are also an excellent resource to ask for tips and tricks for cleaning your particular jewelry in the future. For example, if you need help cleaning your white gold Cuban link ring, asking a jeweler for tips on how often you should clean your ring could proactively avoid a buildup of dust or oils. If you think you may need customized help cleaning your diamond jewelry, don’t hesitate to contact a professional jeweler and have your diamonds cleaned without the hassle of stress.

Don't: Clean Your Jewelry Too Often

Diamond jewelry is meant to sparkle and shine so you can show it off. While it may be tempting to clean your diamond jewelry daily to preserve that glow, you are likely causing more damage to your diamonds in the long run by doing that. Rinsing and scrubbing your diamond jewelry too often will create scrapes and scratches over time. You may even notice slight changes in discoloration.

Rather than cleaning your diamond jewelry daily, it’s recommended to clean jewelry once a week to maintain peak quality shine and sparkle. Visiting a professional jeweler to clean your diamonds twice a year is also recommended to ensure your jewelry isn’t collecting debris or dust in unreachable areas.

Cleaning your diamond jewelry may seem like an intimidating process. However, this process can be simple once you remember the basic dos and don'ts of diamond cleaning. Remember to use gentle tools and simple solutions to soak rather than scrub dirt from metals and use non-abrasive fabrics for drying. Once you've mastered this process, your diamond jewelry will maintain its classic shine.