How to clean a white gold ring

Not only is your engagement ring probably one of the most expensive pieces of jewelry you’ve ever owned, but it also holds a lot of sentimental value, so you’ll want to know how to take care of that precious engagement ring. Most jewelry is relatively easy to maintain as long as you know what you’re doing—which is where we come in. Our guide will take the guesswork out of how to clean a diamond ring.

Each engagement ring is unique with many different stones, metals and settings. It’s important to know what care your ring requires before you begin the cleaning process. But regardless of the method used, the best way to clean a diamond ring thoroughly is to be gentle and patient during the cleaning process.

If you want to know how to clean a diamond ring at home, there are several good methods. All of these at-home cleaning methods will work on any setting, just make sure to never use sharp objects to remove particles or residue within the setting—if you’re not careful you could loosen the diamond or scratch the metal.

How Often to Clean Your Ring

You may not realize it, but many of your everyday habits can quickly take that brilliant sparkle off of your diamond ring. For example, shampoo, hairspray, hand lotions, hand soaps and cooking oils can leave a cloudy sheen across your diamond and your band. For this reason, it’s a good idea to clean your ring every week if you want to keep it in tip-top sparkly shape.

Consider bringing your ring to a jeweler for a professional deep clean twice a year. If you lead an active lifestyle or like to get your hands dirty with e.g., gardening, you may want to get your ring professionally cleaned more often, especially for a big event like an anniversary party.

How to Clean a Diamond Ring: All Metal Types (Platinum, Silver, White Gold, and Gold)

• Soap and Water. The best way to clean a diamond ring, no matter what your ring’s setting and/or metal type, is plain soap and water. To make the solution, get a small bowl and add very warm water and basic dishwashing soap. Soak your ring for about 20 to 40 minutes depending on how dirty it is. If you need to remove a substance such as hairspray, lotion, makeup, or perfume, use a very soft toothbrush to remove any residue. Rinse the ring under warm running water and repeat if necessary. Using chlorine or other harsh chemicals, even some certified jewelry cleaners, can damage the engagement ring. It’s important to rinse your ring thoroughly after cleaning in order to remove any soap residue.

• Non-Abrasive and Chemical-Free Solution. It’s important to do your research when purchasing a jewelry cleaner/polisher. If there are any chemicals in the solution, your diamond ring can become discolored or lose its durability. Sparkle Bright is a highly rated jewelry cleaner that can polish and restore rings of any metal type.

How to Clean a Diamond Ring: Silver and Gold

• Windex and Hydrogen Peroxide Solution. Here’s how to clean a diamond ring with hydrogen peroxide: get a small bowl and prepare a 50/50 solution of Windex and hydrogen peroxide. Soak your diamond ring for about 10–15 minutes. The Windex will remove the day-to-day dirt build up and the hydrogen peroxide will kill any bacteria on the ring. After soaking your engagement ring in the solution, gently scrub your ring with a soft toothbrush to remove residue. Rinse with lukewarm water and dry.

How to Clean a Diamond Ring: Silver

• Vinegar. Pour 1/2 cup white vinegar and 2 tablespoons baking soda into a shallow bowl. Mix the solution so that the baking soda is completely dissolved. Soak your diamond ring in the solution for two to three hours. Then rinse your ring under cold water and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth.

• Ketchup. Yes, you read that correctly. If you have a tarnished silver ring, then ketchup could be your solution to getting the shine back. Dunk your band into a small bowl of ketchup for a few minutes. Use a soft toothbrush to work ketchup into the crevices, then rinse the ring with lukewarm water and dry. Be sure not to leave the ketchup on your band for more than a few minutes.

How to Clean a Diamond Ring: Solid Gold

• Beer. If your solid gold ring is losing its luster, try pouring a little bit of beer onto a soft cloth and rubbing it gently over the band. Do not rub the beer on your gemstones or diamond, and be sure to avoid dark ale beer. After you’ve rubbed the beer onto the band, use a second cloth or towel to dry.

What Not to Use When Cleaning Your Ring

Diamonds are famous for their strength, but that doesn’t mean you should consider using harsh cleaning chemicals for giving your ring a scrub. Chemicals like bleach, chlorine and acetone can break down the metal in your band.

Use only the softest of brushes on your diamond. Hard-bristled toothbrushes and scrub pads may scratch your diamond, marring its beautiful sparkle and lowering its values. Likewise, abrasive cleaners, like baking soda, powdered cleaners or even toothpaste, can damage your band. Gold bands, in particular, scratch very easily.

Take care when choosing specialized jewelry cleaners. Be sure to choose a cleaner without chemicals or abrasive components. Even certain chemicals that won’t harm your ring could discolor your diamond.

Caring for Your Diamond Ring

While it’s important to know how to clean a diamond ring safely, it’s also important to be aware of the things you should absolutely not do when cleaning a ring. The last thing you want to do is damage your ring or cause it to age prematurely.

• Thick lotions and creams can result in residue build-up on your ring. This can make your ring look and feel dirty, and cause it to become discolored—especially if your band is made of white gold or platinum.
• Your ring is a fragile object; therefore, it’s extremely important that you handle it with care. If you bang your ring onto something hard enough, it could chip the band or loosen the setting. If you know that you’re going to do something labor intensive, take off your ring and put it in a safe place.
• If you have a warranty, it’s important to stay up-to-date on your maintenance appointments. Being proactive and bringing your ring in to be inspected by a jeweler can prevent any stones from falling out and resolve any chip or crack issues.
• Remove your ring while cooking. Food and other oils can get stuck in or discolor your ring. Depending on the setting of your stone, food may be almost impossible to remove from the ring.

It’s important to take care of your ring, as it is has tremendous sentimental value. If you’re ever questioning whether or not a solution or treatment is safe for cleaning your ring, do yourself a favor and consult a professional.

Shine bright!

In This Article

There are few things more mesmerizing than watching your diamond engagement ring sparkle and dance in the light after it’s been freshly cleaned and polished, and it’s only natural to want to maintain that bling. And while you can always take it into a jeweler for professional cleaning, it’s nice to know how to clean your diamond ring yourself, too.

Regular at-home cleaning will keep your ring shiny and in the best possible shape between the professional cleanings. Everyday wear builds up layers of oil, debris, and cosmetic residue on the stone’s surface. Dirty rings are a breeding ground for bacteria, which can cause skin irritation, discoloration of the metals, and scratching of the stones, so knowing how to clean your engagement ring at home is important to keep it looking its best and free of germs. It should be noted that home cleanings are not a replacement for professional upkeep. While you can easily dislodge surface buildup and restore shine yourself, cleanings at your jeweler’s will safely remove the hard layers of deep, compressed dirt and debris.

The best jewelry cleaner in this instance is simple dishwashing soap. Additional supplies you’ll need can nearly all be found right at home: a bowl, warm water, a soft-bristle toothbrush, and a gentle cotton cloth. Remember to steer clear of harsh household cleaners and sanitizers, which can actually do more damage than good to your diamond.

We talked to Mark Mann, the director of Global Jewelry Manufacturing Arts at the GIA, to find out exactly how to maintain your ring’s optimal shine with easy at-home cleaning.

Meet the Expert

Mark Mann is the director of Global Jewelry Manufacturing Arts at the GIA.

How to Clean Diamond Rings at Home

If your ring has been dirtied by common cosmetics—for example, hairspray, lotion, makeup, or perfume—a simple at-home cleaning will bring back its sparkle. “The best way to clean diamond rings is to make a solution with warm water (almost hot) and dishwashing soap. Soak your ring for about 20 to 40 minutes, gently brush the stone with a very soft toothbrush, and then rinse under warm running water,” advises Mann. “If needed, repeat.”

In addition to dish soap, you can also use shampoo or body wash. But, whatever you choose as your ring cleaner, just avoid anything that is moisturizing.

Products that moisturize tend to leave a film on the ring, which is exactly what you’re trying to avoid. As for drying off your ring, avoid paper towels; they can actually scratch the metal. Instead, use a soft cloth made of cotton or let it air dry.

How Often Should I Clean My Ring?

To keep your ring looking its best, try to clean it once a week. That’s enough to keep everyday oil and buildup at bay. About twice a year, however, it’s good to take it to be cleaned at your jeweler—even more often if your ring has been exposed to a high level of debris. “If you’re very active outdoors or in the kitchen and there’s a hard, compacted layer of oil or dirt, it’s best to get it cleaned at the jewelers using professional-grade products that will restore the brilliance of the stone safely,” Mann says. You may be able to get away with less frequent cleanings by taking it off during activities that may damage or dirty it.

What Not to Use When Cleaning Your Diamond Ring

The only thing worse than a ring that has lost its luster is a ring that’s damaged due to improper care. Mann advises that you never use any household cleaners such as bleach, chlorine, and acetone. “These harsh chemicals can break down some of the base metals in your ring,” he says. “Also, never use any kind of abrasive products such as toothpaste, baking soda, or any powdered cleaners, which can easily scratch metals, particularly gold.”

Don’t Use Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaners at Home

While ultrasonic jewelry cleaners do produce a sparkling result, the machine works by sending vibrations through the water and cleaning solution in a matter of minutes. All that vigorous movement can cause stones to become loose or even fall out in the machine, Mann says. And while a professional jeweler can test the stones to see if they’re all still intact (and secure them on the spot), you would never know at home if one of your pavé set stones became loose in the machine—unless, of course, it fell all the way out, in which case you—hopefully have your ring insured—have to go to the jeweler anyway.

Where to Get Your Ring Professionally Cleaned

If your ring came from a local jeweler, there’s a good chance professional cleaning is offered as a lifetime complimentary service. Having your ring cleaned at the same place it was purchased is best because the jewelers will be most familiar with your specific ring and how to care for it. When looking for a new place to take your ring for cleaning, speak with the jeweler who will actually be performing the service. You’ll want to look for someone with experience caring for jewelry similar to yours in materials, age (important for antiques), and structure, and with an understanding of the piece you own.

Maintaining white gold rings is a bit trickier compared with caring for rings made of yellow gold or platinum. The reason has to do with how white gold is made: It consists of yellow gold mixed with white metals and covered with plating (usually rhodium) to hide the yellowish color of the resulting alloy.

Cleaning White Gold Rings

Because of the composition of white gold, caring for rings made of it is not only about cleaning them but also about preserving their rhodium plating.

If white gold is polished too often, its rhodium plating will wear off quickly.

To clean your white gold ring, follow the steps outlined below:

1. Prepare a cleaning solution by mixing mild soap and warm water. Do not use detergents that contain chlorine or other harsh chemicals.

2. Soak your white gold ring in the solution for 20-30 minutes.

3. Gently rub the ring using a soft cloth or a soft brush to remove any dirt.

4. Rinse the ring with lukewarm water to remove any soap residue.

5. Dry the white gold ring with a clean towel.

Tip: If your ring is especially dirty, you can add several drops of ammonia to the water.

Alternatively, you can use a jewelry cleaner that can be used on white gold — here is one brand that is popular.

Important: Do not use any abrasive substances to scrub your white gold ring so as not to damage its plating. While rhodium coating is pretty durable and is unlikely to wear off from a single cleaning session, repeatedly using harsh materials on white gold will have a noticeable effect on its surface.

Cleaning White Gold Rings with Gemstones

If your white gold ring has stones that are durable (e.g., diamonds), you can clean it using the method described above.

However, there are softer and less durable gemstones that should not be soaked in water and soap for a long time (for example, pearls or onyx stones).

If your white gold ring has such gemstones, or if you are not sure how your stones should be cleaned, do not submerge the piece in the cleaning solution.

Instead, dip a soft cloth in the soapy water, and rub the metal parts of the ring gently. You can clean the gemstones by wiping them carefully with a damp cloth.

Alternatively, you can use a more versatile jewelry cleaning and polishing kit like this one, which will work on a wide range of jewelry materials — just make sure that the one you get can be used on the metals and gemstones you have.

Keeping Your White Gold Ring Safe

Remove your white gold ring when doing housework so as not to expose your jewelry to harsh chemicals.

This is especially true if you are doing cleaning using chlorine-based detergents. Chlorine is a chemical that can have a damaging effect on white gold over time and can cause your ring’s parts to wear down faster.

Since you can also find chlorine in tap water and swimming pools, don’t wear your white gold ring while taking a shower or swimming.

What to Do If Your White Gold Ring Is Scratched

If your ring is scratched, you can always take it to a jeweler and have its scratches polished out. However, if white gold is polished too often, its rhodium plating will wear off quickly. If this happens, you can have the ring replated with rhodium for a fee.

Sooner or later every white gold piece needs to have its coating restored, but how fast the plating will wear off depends on how often you wear and polish your ring.

We all know it: Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. (Also, chocolate. And puppies. And Trader Joe’s.)

But what about what houses that diamond? I mean, the band is the real MVP here — especially when that band is gorgeous white gold. Swoon.

Unfortunately, though, white gold can be pretty dang tricky to clean. Because white gold is a mixture of yellow gold and white metals, then covered in plating to hide any yellowish alloy color from peeking through, keeping it looking good is a little more complicated than yellow gold (which is typically a mixture of pure gold, copper, and zinc).

Because of the plating on white gold rings (made from the element rhodium), cleaning them means you have to be careful: You want to keep it looking beautiful and shiny while also disinfecting it and preserving the plating.

Whew! That’s a lot. But it’s totally doable, and we’ll teach you how.

How to Clean and Disinfect White Gold Rings in 5 Easy Steps

1. Create a solution using a few drops of mild soap (nothing containing chlorine or harsh chemicals) and water.

2. Soak the ring in the soapy water for 30 minutes.

3. Gently rub the ring with a soft microfiber towel to remove any lingering dirt or smudges.

4. Rinse and then dry with a soft towel.

5. Now that it’s looking nice and sparkly, it’s time to make sure it’s thoroughly disinfected, too! Simply place it inside the PhoneSoap, which will have it 99.99% germ-free in a matter of minutes.

Seriously — we told you it was easy!

Quick tip: Because vinegar is used to clean and shine everything from toilets to ovens, we don’t recommend using it to clean your white gold. Why? Because if gold is left soaking in vinegar too long, it can damage the surface of the ring — plus, it’s not safe for semi-precious gemstones (stones like amethyst, white pearl, moonstone, and others).

How to Clean a White Gold Ring with Gemstones

Thankfully, cleaning a white gold ring with gemstones basically follows the same rules as before, with just a few additional tips to keep those gemstones safe:

1. Make a mixture using a few drops of mild soap and water.

2. If the gemstone is durable (like a diamond), soak it for 30 minutes. If it’s a softer gemstone like an opal or a pearl, you can soak it for a shorter period of time or simply dip a soft cloth into the soapy solution, then gently rub the metal. Afterward, rub the stone itself with a damp cloth (water only).

3. Rinse, then gently dry with a soft towel.

How to Protect Your White Gold Rings

Just like anything, the rhodium plating on your white gold ring, although durable, will begin to wear over time. However, there are steps you can take to prevent the rhodium from fading away:

1. Because you want to avoid any form of chlorine, make sure to take your white gold ring off when using any cleaning products.

2. Remove your ring when showering or swimming. (Chlorine is also found in tap water and swimming pools, and the salt in ocean water can corrode the rhodium plating!)

3. As much as possible, avoid rubbing and fidgeting with your ring.

4. Rinse your ring if it has been exposed to lotion or perfume.

5. Have annual maintenance checks with your jeweler to check the rhodium plating — they can polish your ring and even re-dip it in rhodium if necessary.

How to Clean White Gold That Has Turned Yellow

Because of white gold’s unique mixture, the actual “gold” itself is more of a soft yellowish color — it’s the rhodium that keeps it looking silvery-white. So when the ring starts to turn yellow (this typically happens first around the prongs and corners), it means the rhodium is wearing off.

This means that you need new plating — there’s nothing you can do to “clean” the yellow away. Fortunately, getting new rhodium plating on your white gold ring is simple: Just take it to your jeweler and they’ll re-plate it for you by dipping it in rhodium. And if you purchased a warranty on your ring (which we highly recommend), they’ll usually do it free of charge! (If you didn’t purchase a warranty, they’ll determine how much re-dipping will cost based on inspection.)

How to Clean Plated Jewelry

When it comes to cleaning plated jewelry, always remember to call your jeweler if you’re unsure about something. Also, remember that things like toothbrushes and coarse fabric can cause tiny scratches on your ring! Because of that, a surefire way to clean any plated jewelry — whether it’s rhodium, gold, or silver-plated — is by using something soft (like a microfiber towel, flannel, or a cotton ball) to gently rub away any accumulated grime and dirt.

And just like with protecting white gold jewelry, be sure to avoid spraying perfume on or near your plated jewelry, as the chemicals can poorly react with the metal.

How to Remove Scratches from White Gold Rings

When it comes to removing scratches, the answer seems obvious: polishing – duh. But actually, polishing white gold isn’t such a great idea. or at least, polishing it too much.

Because of its rhodium plating, each time the ring is polished, some of the plating gets chipped away — and over time, that means you’re left with a yellowish ring. The solution? Only get your ring polished once or twice a year or wait until it has several scratches on it. In the meantime, use the cleaning methods as listed above to keep your ring shiny!

If you can’t avoid getting scratches and you want them buffed out ASAP, know that even if the plating wears off, you can get the ring re-dipped — just be aware that unless you have a warranty, there will be a fee for re-plating.

While we want to keep our rings looking their best — after all, many of us wear them every day! — it’s equally important to keep our rings disinfected. we wear them every day! That means they’re accumulating all kinds of germs. You know how you wash your clothes regularly to sanitize them? You need to do the same with your rings! And when it’s time to disinfect any jewelry, there is nothing more effective than the PhoneSoap.

Just place your ring inside the PhoneSoap and after a few minutes, it’ll be virtually germ-free. It’s as simple as that! No fuss, no extra materials — just pure ol’ easiness.

When it comes to cleaning and disinfecting your white gold rings, it’s not so hard: Just a little soap, water, and patience — plus a few minutes in the PhoneSoap — will have your ring twinkling and germ-free in no time.

When your favorite gold ring appears dingy and dull, you can skip the pricey jewelry cleaning, and polish this precious metal at home. White gold and yellow gold differ in color due to the concentration of metal alloys such as copper or nickel. Mixing a high concentration of nickel with yellow gold creates a whitish gold metal that is more scratch resistant and lightweight than yellow gold. Using a simple cleaning process, you can add sparkle to your white gold ring without damaging its shiny, silver-hued finish.

Mix two cups of warm water and three to four drops of mild dishwashing liquid soap in a small bowl. Swirl with your fingers to create a soapy mixture.

Soak plain white gold bands in the solution for 15 to 20 minutes, then gently scrub with a very soft toothbrush. However, if the ring is set with diamonds, pearls or other gemstones, do not immerse your ring in the soapy solution, to avoid damage — simply dip the toothbrush in the soapy solution before cleaning.

Rinse your ring under a stream of warm water to remove any soap residue. Dry your ring completely with a soft cotton or microfiber cloth, then add shine with a jewelry polishing cloth.

You can buy a jewelry polishing cloth at most jewelry stores.

Warning

When rinsing your jewelry under a stream of warm water, plug the sink first to prevent dropping your ring accidentally down the drain.

Alcohol, ammonia and chlorine bleach should not be used to clean jewelry. While ammonia and alcohol may not destroy diamonds or certain other gemstones, these chemical solutions may harm the setting of your white gold rings, or damage your pearl and emeralds stones beyond repair.

Do not use ultrasonic jewelry cleaning methods to polish rings set with gemstones. The vibrations of the ultrasonic machine may crack or shatter the stones.

Toothpaste can wear away the metal finish on your gold rings, so don’t use this personal care product to clean your jewelry.

White gold diamond rings are known for their clean look and brilliant luster. However, over time, that shine can begin to fade if the ring gets covered in fingerprints, dust or soap or lotion residue. Instead of relegating your ring to a drawer, all you have to do is take a few minutes to clean it to have it looking just like when you first set eyes on it. It’s a lot cheaper than buying a brand new diamond ring.

Fill a finger bowl with 1 cup of warm water (not hot enough to be boiling) and add 1/2 tsp. of a mild dish soap, such as unscented Dawn. Stir the solution with your fingers until you see a good lather and all of the soap is dissolved. Put your ring in the bowl and let it soak for 2 to 5 minutes.

Lift the ring out of the water and place it on a microfiber cloth. Take a soft-bristled toothbrush or a watercolor brush and use it to dislodge any debris. Once you’re done, drop the ring back into the water to wash off any loosened particles.

Rinse the ring under the tap using the same temperature of warm water. Turn the faucet on only about halfway and put the stopper in the drain so you don’t end up with your ring lodged in the pipe. Then use the cloth to dry the ring so you don’t end up with any streaks or water spots.

Check your ring to see if it’s completely clean. If the soap and water didn’t do the trick, repeat Steps 1 through 3 using ethyl alcohol or ammonia instead of the soap. If there’s still no improvement, take your ring to a professional jewelry cleaner, who will either steam clean it or use an ultrasonic machine.

To keep your white gold diamond ring cleaner for longer, remove it anytime you wash your hands or apply lotion. Professional jewelry cleaning can be expensive. Use this option only as a last resort. If you don’t have a microfiber cloth, a soft facial tissue can work too.

Warning

Never dry your ring with a paper towel or terry towel. The fibers from the towels can get lodged in the ring’s setting. Don’t use abrasive cleaners or scouring pads on your ring. Either one can scratch the band and the diamond and potentially ruin them both.

Jewelry is precious, and when it comes to gold, you want to make sure you clean it properly. You probably wear at least one ring on a daily basis, and you will see a buildup of oils and dirt all over the gold after a while. When your gold ring begins looking dull you can easily clean it yourself. When cleaning a gold ring, take care around any stones it is set with.

Determine the type of stone that is in your gold ring. Certain delicate gems, pearls for instance, should only be wiped with a damp cloth or very gently cleaned with no solvents or detergents.

Pour a tablespoon or two of dish washing liquid into the bowl, and then fill the bowl with warm water. By putting detergent in the bowl first and then running the warm water on high on top of the soap, it allows the two to combine more easily and not leave any soap on the bottom of the bowl. Use your hands to combine the mixture even more if necessary.

Place the gold ring in the mixture. Let it sit for 15 minutes so that the soap can slowly break away any dirt and oil buildup. The more grime that comes off by soaking the ring, the less work you will have scrubbing the ring.

Do not soak it for more than about 15 minutes since there is a risk that stones may become loose.

Take the ring out of the water and gently scrub it all over with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Focus mostly on the areas in between the stone settings to get rid of any dirt buildup remaining after the initial soak.

Place the ring in the strainer, and run a slow stream of warm water over it. The strainer allows all angles of the ring to get rinsed a final time without having to hold it.

Dry the ring gently inside of a soft cloth. This will prevent water spots and buffs the ring for added luster.

Be gentle and check your ring for any missing stones before pouring the liquid out of the bowl.

Warning

When rinsing over a sink, make sure drain guard is in place to prevent ring from accidentally falling into the drain.

White gold is an combination (alloy) of gold and one or more other metals. Usually nickel, manganese or palladium. Most white gold items are plated with rhodium to increase their brilliance and improve their durability. Here’s how to clean it:

First, Identify the Problem

Before you clean your white gold jewelry, you should first identify what the problem is.

If it is general soil, stickiness, or dirt, then continue on to the cleaning section. If the piece is turning yellow, this is a sign that the rhodium plating is wearing off and cleaning will only make it worse. Take it to a few highly-rated local jewelers to get quoted on having it replated, it shouldn’t cost more than $50-$100. Opt for electroplating and not a rhodium dip for a higher-quality, more durable bond.

If the piece is turning black, it has likely been exposed to acid. This can usually be buffed away and is worth having a jeweler perform the work because buffing removes some of the plating and it is very easy to accidentally remove too much – in which case the piece will need replating.

How to Safely Clean White Gold

Warning: Do not expose your white gold jewelry to acids for prolonged periods, this can cause blackening of one of the non-gold metals that may be mixed with your gold. Chlorine creates a weak acid when mixed with water and can be found in the tap water in many places. If you’re not sure about your own tap water, purchase a bottle of distilled water to use for the wash.

1. Before washing, inspect the piece well for damage. Look for loose gems, damaged settings, examine clasps, hooks, hinges, etc. Don’t wash it if there is any worry of it coming apart, or losing stones.
2. Fill a small bowl with warm distilled water, add a few drops of Mr. Clean multi- purpose cleaner and swish it around to mix it. For heavy soil, the piece may be submerged for 10-15 minutes but this is usually not needed.
3. Using a soft toothbrush, dip the brush into the soapy water, and gently scrub the piece you wish to clean. Be careful around stone settings in rings and earring, if a bristle gets stuck between a stone and the jewelry you could inadvertently yank it out. Just be mindful and you will be fine.
4. To rinse, swish it around in clean, distilled water and then buff dry with a soft, clean microfiber cloth.

Cleaning White Gold with Baking Soda

1. In a small bowl, mix enough distilled water with pure baking soda to create a paste.
2. Scoop some of the paste onto a soft toothbrush and gently scrub the white gold part of the jewelry. Beware not to scrub other metals or stones as some are soft and can be easily scratched. Be gentile and only scrub enough to remove the soil to keep your rhodium plating intact.
3. Rinse the piece off by swishing in a bowl of warm, distilled water.

How to Disinfect White Gold

If you have a white gold piece, a ring for example, that has no stones or other alloys in it, it can be safely boiled by placing it into a soft bag, or placing a rag at the bottom of the boiling pot (to avoid scratches from occurring by contact with the pot) and boiling it for a few minutes. Alternatively, for pieces with stones or other delicate features, Isopropyl alcohol can be applied/gently rubbed on with a q-tip to the white-gold parts.

What Not To Use

Many sites on the net advise using windex to clean your white gold, and while it seems to work for some people, others have reported damage as a result so we advise against it. Windex comes in several formulations it’s hard to know what exactly you are applying to your precious metals. Some formulations contain ammonia, which can be used to clean white gold, but should not be left on the metal for long as it can damage the plating.

Vinegar is very acidic and will eventually damage your precious jewelry. Avoid acidic cleaners for this same reason.

Don’t boil your jewelry if it contains other metals or stones. The heat expansion rate of different materials could cause things to warp or come loose.

Avoid using toothpaste as well as some varieties contain chemicals that can damage or erode the rhodium plating.

Have a Jeweler Clean your White Gold

Many jewelers will clean your stuff for free because it gets you in the store, and most use nice ultrasonic machines that will be more effective at getting stuff out of nooks and crannies.

How to Fix Discolored or Scratched White Gold

As stated in the beginning of the article, if your piece has blackened, bring it to a jeweler to have it buffed. Buffing rhodium plating is a delicate process and it is easy to remove too much material so leave this to a pro.

The same applies for scratches, buffing/polishing can remove most scratches but it can damage your item if done incorrectly

Is your white gold jewelry slowly fading to a yellowing shine? Don’t stress; it’s not that your sebum or sweat is staining it, nor is it because you got a low-quality piece of bling. And you’re not alone!

We got emails from clients asking why their gorgeous white gold wedding band or the prongs of their engagement ring and studs are turning yellow.

The quick answer: it’s normal.

Now, sit back with a cup of tea and your yellowing-yet-still-beautiful jewelry in your palm, and keep reading for the longform answer…

What is white gold anyway?

Pure gold is always yellow. In fact, white gold does not exist in nature. Pure, 24 karat gold is too soft to be used in jewelry and that’s why it’s mixed with other metals that make it durable enough to be worn daily. These metals include copper, silver, nickel, palladium and zinc.

At Gardens of the Sun, we mix our own gold alloys with ethical gold, and add metals like copper and silver to it. We use 18 karat gold, which means that 18 out of 24 parts – or 75% – is pure gold (hence why in some countries, it gets a 750 stamp rather than an 18k stamp). That remaining 25% is where the mix of metals come to play – a higher amount of copper will lead to rose gold, and more silver will make it more pale.

Top ring is 18 karat white gold without palladium or nickel, the bottom ring has been rhodium plated.

Then how is white gold made?

Back in the day, people used nickel to give white gold its shiny white metal look. However, many people (myself included!) are allergic to nickel and most quality jewelers won’t use nickel anymore. That said, we import our solder material from the UK and it may contain trace amounts of nickel. Unfortunately, we can’t control everything.

Nowadays, many jewelers use palladium in their white gold, which gives it a grey tone and less of a warm yellow hue. When using traditional artisanal smithing methods, it can be challenging to get our temperatures high enough to properly melt the palladium. That’s why some goldsmiths use only silver and zinc in their white gold, rather than palladium.

Most jewelers will opt for rhodium-plated gold. This basically means the gold is dipped in a thin layer of rhodium. That’s when we get that white metal look instead of a warm yellow hue or grey tone.

So why does white gold turn yellow?

As the plating is only a very thin top layer, the rhodium tends to fade over time. This is especially true around prongs and corners, which gets the most wear and tear.

As our white gold still contains more gold than “white” metals, the dominant color underneath still has a grey color with a warm golden hue.

How quickly the rhodium fades depends on a bunch of factors:

Do you fidget with your rings when you’re nervous?

Are you an obsessive polisher? (Like some of us at the studio here…)

Do you wear your jewelry when you jump into the pool or let it come in contact with household cleaners?

Do you surf and forget you’ve got jewelry on and have had at least three close calls to losing your bling in the barrel?

If you answered yes to any, or all, of the above, chances are your white gold ring is turning yellow even now as you’re reading this.

White gold and yellow gold diamond engagement rings are two of the most popular colors for this momentous piece of jewelry. But how did they get their start and what exactly is the difference between the two? Let’s take a look at the back stories behind these metals, the karat options you have for each and some of our best-selling white gold vs yellow gold lab-grown diamond jewelry .

What’s the difference between white and yellow gold?

The main difference between white, yellow, and even rose gold is simply the metal mixture that’s used to make them. Some of the most common metals used to mix with gold are copper, silver, nickel, palladium, and zinc. Depending on what metals are used and the percentage that they’re present will result in these three common colors. White gold has more nickel and zinc, while yellow gold contains more copper.

However, it’s actually the karat number that you should be looking at if you’re concerned about the presence of pure gold. 18 karat yellow gold and 18 karat white gold have the same percentage of gold, plus 6 parts of ‘other metals’ (totaling 24 karats). If you find a ring that’s 24k gold, then it’s 100% pure. However, since gold is such a soft metal, it’s not suggested that you purchase a 24k gold engagement ring .

Is white gold real gold?

Yes! White gold is real gold. But, as mentioned above, you’ll need to look at the number of karats to see just how much of it is pure. It’s most common to find 14 or 18k gold as your options for engagement rings. These options are much more durable than a pure 24k ring, with 14k being the harder of the two (the less pure gold that’s present, the better in terms of durability).

Although a huge part of the variation in color is from the metal mixture and the types of metal used, white gold is plated with rhodium — a silver/white metal that adds a shiny color and a bit more durability to white gold rings.

What is more expensive white gold or yellow gold?

For the most part, the two metals will be priced equally if they have the same presence of pure gold. Some jewelers will charge a bit more for white gold due to the addition of rhodium plating. However, at Clean Origin, all of our 14kt gold rings are priced the same and our 18kt gold rings are priced the same — regardless of the color.

Another option that you’ll often see that appears to look similar to white gold is platinum. Although it is a different metal, it too has a white/silver look to it but it is not as shiny as white gold. However, the two are not to be confused. In fact, platinum is much more expensive, heavier than white gold and has more of a grey hint to it. If you’re looking for a super durable option for your ring, platinum is definitely the way to go. However, 14k or 18k white gold is often the more popular choice due to cost.

The history of white and yellow gold

The purest form of gold used in jewelry has been dated back to 4000 B.C. However, it’s most notably used during the Georgian and Victorian eras. During these times gold was used in collaboration with jewels, such as rubies and sapphires. Eventually, jewelers saw the benefit of mixing pure gold with other metals to make a harder and less expensive piece of jewelry. Yellow gold engagement rings were extremely popular in the late 1990s, and are making a comeback with millennials .

White gold (as we know it today) was invented in the 19th century but did not become widely popular until the 1920s. Since platinum was needed for so many military purposes, white gold was used in jewelry as an easy and less expensive substitute. It has continued its popularity over the years, with a large shift in engagement rings being made with white gold during the 2000s.

Should I get a white or yellow gold engagement ring?

This will really depend on personal preference! While white gold is a best-seller at the moment, yellow gold is also quickly coming back into style. If you’re stuck between the two, consider the undertones of your skin and try both colors on to see if there’s one that you prefer. In general, cool skin tones look better with white gold or platinum. Warm skin tones tend to make yellow and rose gold engagement rings really pop.

If you really can’t decide between white gold vs yellow gold, you don’t have to! Mixing and matching metal colors is actually a huge trend at the moment. If you decide on a white gold engagement ring, add a yellow gold wedding band to create a unique look that incorporates both metals.

Best-selling white and yellow gold jewelry

At Clean Origin, all of our jewelry is available in both white and yellow gold. Below are some of our best-selling white and yellow gold pieces.

White

Our best-selling halo ring , the Petite Delicate Halo features one main center stone with both a row of stones around the middle and on each side of the band. It’s most commonly bought in white gold, but also available in yellow, rose, and platinum.

The Petite Floating Gem ring is popular for its classic look and timeless appeal. It can feature many different center stones, making it extremely versatile for someone who wants a fancy-shaped diamond.

Our tennis bracelets are a must-have for every jewelry lover. Perfect as a gift or just to treat yourself, this gorgeous row of handset lab-created diamonds is available in both white and yellow gold.

Yellow

Staying true to its vintage roots, the Allegra Ring is most often sold in yellow gold. Featuring gorgeous filigree and swirling designs of accent diamonds, this heirloom-style ring is a go-to for someone who has a love for decades past.

Simple and sleek is the name of the game with the Classica Ring . The sharp lines of the ring are beautifully offset by the delicacy of the center diamond.

Add some sparkle to your jewelry box with a pair of our ready-to-ship diamond stud earrings . A timeless addition to any outfit and perfect for any occasion. Make them truly pop by setting them in yellow gold.

18th April 2020

There is a lot of information out there about how to choose the perfect diamond ring but a little less about how to take care of them. Diamonds can be the hardest natural substance on Earth but they need special care to maintain their brilliance. If you wear your ring every day, it will get dirty. Hand lotions, hair sprays or makeup will create a thin layer on your diamond ring making it look dull. Why? It is simple, a diamond’s sparkle originates from the light entering the diamond, travelling to the bottom and reflecting back to the eye. If it is dirty, light will be restricted. This guide covers everything you need to know about cleaning your diamond rings at home, regardless of the metal type. So read on if you are wondering how to clean gold, white gold, rose gold or platinum diamond rings with ease.

Check if the ring is in good condition

1. I t is important that before you start cleaning them , you look closely at your ring and check the state of it. Are the claws firm? Are the diamonds moving in their settings? If so, we recommend you take the ring to a jeweller who will be able to clean it without causing any damage. They will know how to clean it properly and they will also be capable of fixing any issues that may arise. 

Begin cleaning the ring using washing up liquid

2. Rings get dirty for various reasons, being the use of cosmetics the most common one. Lotion, makeup or even perfume can make your diamond look dull. To bring that stone back to life, fill a recipient with warm to hot water and add washing up liquid. Let it soak for 20 to 40 minutes and brush the stones with the help of a soft-bristled toothbrush. The best one would be one that doesn’t have any rubber bristles. Usually, kids toothbrushes are softer which makes them perfect to clean diamonds. Keep this toothbrush separately and use it only to clean your jewellery. This way, it will stay softer and clean.

Gently brush the ring using a toothbrush

3. When you brush it, make sure you brush the lower part of the diamond. A lot of dirt can build up at the base where the diamond is mount .

Rinse the ring under running water

4. Then rinse your diamond ring under warm running water (don’t forget to put the plug in to avoid your ring from dropping down the sink). If needed, repeat until you are happy with the appearance.

Safely dry the ring

5. To dry off your rings, you can use a cotton or linen cloth. These materials will not scratch the metal as paper towels would. You could also let it air dry.

Polish the ring

6. If you have a polishing cloth, you can rub your ring over it to make the metal shine. Don’t forget to store your cloth in a re-sealable bag to avoid getting dust on it.

How to clean very dirty rings

If your ring is particularly dirty, you can fill a small glass with floor cleaner and leave it overnight. This will loosen any tough dirt and will help you make the cleaning process easier without causing any damage to the ring.

You could also try cleaning your ring with vodka. Yes, you read that correctly. This distilled beverage can dissolve the dirt attached to the diamond thanks to the ethanol content. How to do it? Just fill a shot glass with vodka and let your ring soak for several hours. Remove it and let it air dry.

How often should you clean your rings?

This process can be repeated once a week to help you keep those oils and products from building up. However, it is recommended that you take twice a year your ring to get professionally cleaned by a jeweller. A professional has all the necessary equipment and the skills needed to leave your precious item like new. They will also be able to check if your ring is broken or has any damage that needs urgent repair.

How to store your rings safely

It is also good to clean your ring before you store it. This will avoid any dirt or debris of getting encrusted into the setting, which will make it harder to remove it later. You should store your diamond ring in a microfibre or felt bag. Store it inside your jewellery box until you wear it again.

What not to do

Several procedures available on the internet are too abrasive that they will end up damaging your ring. To prevent this, avoid the following:

Harmful solutions:

There are many common cleaning products that people may think are good to clean a diamond but they can be quite damaging. Chlorine bleach, abrasives (like toothpaste or baking soda) or acetone should never be used on any jewellery. Bleach can damage some of the metals that are used to allow gold and abrasives can scratch both the metal and the diamond.

Ultrasonic Cleanser:

Although this device is ideal for when you have encrusted dirt on the diamond it can be dangerous. Ultrasonic cleaners work with vibrations: they use cavitation bubbles induced by low-frequency sound waves to agitate a liquid. This will thoroughly remove any dirt but this can also shake any loose stones your ring may have and make them fall off your ring.

Your diamond jewellery, especially your engagement ring , holds a lot of sentimental value so it is important to take good care of it. Follow these steps and you will have a cleaned and sparkling ring forever.

View our selection of diamond rings , or check out our other blog post – Platinum Vs White Gold.

Gold is not hard to clean, but the exact cleaning method you choose should depend on whether your gold rings have gemstones or not. Here are some tips to help you clean and take care of your gold rings.

Cleaning Plain Gold Rings

Gold rings without gemstones can be cleaned effectively with only water and soap.

Keep in mind that gold is a soft metal and scratches easily.

1. Fill a small bowl with lukewarm water, and add some mild dish soap to prepare a simple cleaning solution.

2. Soak your gold rings in the solution, and leave them in it for about 20-30 minutes. Use a soft brush or a soft cloth to clean dirt off the jewelry.

3. Rinse the soap residue off your gold rings with water.

4. Dry your jewelry with a clean towel. Since it might not be possible to wipe dry some hard-to-reach spots, leave the pieces to air dry completely before you put them on.

You can also use ammonia to clean your plain gold rings: Soak the pieces for about a minute in a solution of 1 part ammonia and 6 parts water, and then rinse them well with clean water before drying them with a soft cloth. However, do not use this method too frequently as it may discolor your jewelry.

Cleaning Gold Rings with Gemstones

If your gold ring has gemstones, it is not recommended to soak it in water. Although some durable stones such as diamonds are not easy to damage, there are a lot of gems that should not be soaked in water for a long time (for example, emerald or onyx).

Follow these steps to clean gold rings with gemstones:

1. Prepare a solution of lukewarm water and mild dish soap.

2. Take a soft cloth, dip it in the solution to dampen it, and then clean the gemstones and the metal parts of your gold ring. Be gentle when rubbing the stones so as not to damage them.

3. After your jewelry has been cleaned, wipe the soap residue off your rings with a soft cloth that has been dampened with water only.

4. Wipe the clean pieces dry, and then leave them to air dry completely.

Polishing Gold Rings

You can polish your gold ring using a jewelry polishing cloth that you can buy at the store. You can also have your gold rings polished by a jeweler.

Keep in mind, however, that you shouldn’t have gold polished too often: Since this process involves using abrasive materials, it removes a thin surface layer off your gold rings. This is why extensive polishing will wear down your gold rings quickly.

Wearing Your Gold Rings Safely

Do not wear your gold rings in the shower. Also, remove them when swimming. The chlorine in tap and pool water can discolor your gold and damage your rings’ parts.

Do not do any housework with your gold rings on as bleach and other chemicals used in household cleaners can damage your jewelry.

Keep in mind that gold is a soft metal and scratches easily. That’s why you should not wear your gold rings during any activities that may expose them to the risk of hits or blows.

Storing Gold Rings

Store your gold rings separately from other jewelry as most other metals can scratch gold easily. It’s best to keep your gold rings in small pouches or in a separate jewelry box.

Keep your engagement ring as safe, sound, and sparkly as possible

Courtesy of Sparkly

It goes without saying, but your sparkler is an important piece of jewelry (and not to mention probably outrageously expensive). Proper engagement ring care should be a top priority after your significant other pops the question. After all, you’ve spent months, perhaps years, dreaming of the perfect engagement ring. So now that it’s a permanent fixture on your left hand, you’ll want to ensure it stays just as shiny and sparkly for many years to come. This ring is meant to last a lifetime, so it pays to give it the best treatment possible. From the chemicals to avoid to storage ideas to keep your ring safe, here are a few dos and dont’s on how to take care of your engagement ring.

Do Purchase Insurance

“Insurance is necessary to protect your financial investment in the event that something gets lost, stolen, or damaged,” says jewelry designer Sylvie Levine. “It is also important to have your jewelry appraised every five years as the cost of diamonds and precious metals go up. If you were to lose something which was appraised 10 years ago, the insured value would be far less than the actual replacement cost.”

Don’t Remove Your Ring in Public

Hand washing is a must in a public restroom, but resist the temptation to remove your engagement ring while you’re lathering up. The possibility that you might leave your ring on the ledge of the sink or, worse, drop it down the drain, is too great of a risk.

Don’t Touch the Center Stone

Photo Courtesy of The Mrs Box

Wondering how to take care of your diamond engagement ring? Avoid touching the center stone at all costs. “Diamonds and other precious stones are magnets for dust, dirt, and body oil,” says Taylor Lanore, diamond consultant and engagement ring designer for Lauren B. Fine Jewelry and Diamonds. “When you put on or take off your ring, try grabbing the band on either side of the stone instead of grabbing the stone itself. If your stone ever looks hazy or cloudy, it’s likely that something is stuck underneath it.”

Do Keep Your Ring Clean

“Cleaning your gems with random cleaners at home is something I do not recommend,” says LA-based jeweler Susan Foster of Susan Foster Jewelry. “Elizabeth Taylor would clean her 33.19 carat Krupp diamond ring with hot water, a toothbrush, and gin; however, taking your precious and sentimental engagement ring to an expert jeweler to get it properly steamed clean would be my recommendation.”

Don’t Treat Your Ring With Harsh Chemicals

According to Foster, you should always remove your ring when cleaning or touching harsh chemicals. “Bleach and other cleaning agents can dull the finish of a ring and actually harm porous colored gemstones like emeralds.”

Don’t Put Your Ring Through Needless Wear and Tear

Courtesy of Sparkly

“A diamond is one of the world’s hardest natural materials,” says Adelaide Polk-Bauman of Forevermark, “but that doesn’t mean a cut and polished diamond cannot chip. Sometimes the table of a cut diamond can be susceptible to wear and tear. Be sure not to knock it against other hard materials.”

Do Remove Your Ring During Hands-On Activities

Courtesy of Katie Carder Fine Jewelry

“Make sure you’re taking off your ring during all hand-heavy activities (yes yogis, no downward dog in your engagement ring),” Lanore says. “I advise against gardening, cleaning dishes, moving furniture, and exercising with an engagement ring. Of course, you can use these rules on a case-by-case basis with good judgment.”

Do Schedule Monthly Maintenance Appointments With Your Jeweler

Photo by Tamara Gruner Photography

“It is very important to schedule maintenance appointments with your jeweler at least once a year to make sure the prongs are tight, the diamond isn’t loose, and there are no hairline cracks in the shank,” Foster says. “All-around maintenance is vital.”

Do Get a Pre-Wedding Professional Clean

Photo by The Nichols

Wedding right around the corner? Lanore says this is the best possible time to get your wedding bands professionally cleaned by a jeweler. “Your jeweler will have access to steamers and sonic cleaners, so take full advantage of those tools for your big day photos.” Just hold off on wearing them until the day of your nuptials to maintain an ultra-clean, high-sparkle look.

Do Keep Ring Dishes Around the House

Photo by Patricia Lyons

“I recommend a little ring dish bedside, one next to your sink in the bathroom, and one in the kitchen,” Lanore says. “Your home is obviously the safest place to remove your ring, but don’t get so used to this that you remove it in public.”

Lanore adds, “If you need to take if off while you’re out and about, throw it on a necklace chain and wear it that way.”

Do Professionally Clean 14K White Gold

Photo by Sasithon Photography

If you have a 14K white gold engagement ring, “your setting will look a little worn with time and wear, but you can make it look brand new again by dropping it off with your jeweler to have it rhodium-plated,” Lanore says. “Every time you scratch the surface of 14K white gold, it removes the white gold from that scratch. Thus, after some time, it can have a bit of a yellow tone to it. Again, this is an easy fix that your jeweler can assist you with.”

Don’t Get Ring Envy

Photo by Cotton Weddings

Every bride has a different idea as to what her dream engagement ring will look like. Once you have that shiny stone on your finger, don’t start comparing your ring with anyone else’s. An engagement ring is a symbol of a couple’s love and devotion, not a sign of status.

I have a white gold ring. I have wore it for 5 years, so it looks no shiny as before. How do I recover it?

7 Answers

you can pop into any Jewelers and they should clean it for free, especially if it’s the jewelery store the ring was bought at. For in between regular cleanings I use TOOTH PASTE, on an old tooth brush, to clean my jewelery. rinse it well, and buff on a clean towel

in the beginning, do no longer sparkling your rings wtih rubbing alcohol. it particularly is far too abrasive, and not all stones react an identical. once you are going to bathe it with something at domicile, sparkling it with heat water, a comfortable bristled toothbrush, and widespread white colgate toothpaste. greater valuable than that, however, take it to a jeweler. It does not might desire to be some fancy shop. those little kiosks interior the mall do a great activity. There are 3 issues you’ve got performed: a million) Ultrasonic- it is whilst the jeweler places your ring in a shower of answer, that’s charged, and helps launch set-in airborne dirt and dirt. you’re able to do this as in many situations as you need- it does not placed on down the ring in any respect. 2) Polish- it is whilst they polish the precise layer of the ring, removing those floor scratches. The deeper ones will possibly no longer come out completely, yet this is okay. do no longer polish your rings greater desirable than two times a 12 months, as a results of fact shop in mind that each and every time you do it, you’re beginning up an rather very effective layer of the gold itself. 3) ultimately, they’re going to steam sparkling it with a expert, extreme-rigidity steam cleanser this is in certainty the final step in removing any airborne dirt and dirt. once you’re taking it to a jeweler, they’re going to charge you approximately $20 for all 3 issues, or approximately $6-$10 for basically the steam and ultrasonic. in case you prefer to help your ring shop its white brilliance, quicker or later you will might desire to do something called Rhodium Electroplating. No gold is particularly white gold. it particularly is all yellow gold that has been rhodium plated to offer it that white look. over the years, the rhodium will gently placed on away, and the ring will start to look somewhat yellow. as quickly as that starts off going on, have it Rhodium Plated. it is going to fee everywhere from $50-$seventy 5, and that throughout addition they’re going to polish, ultrasonic and steam it for you. it particularly is an ordinary technique the place the ring is taken care of with 2 suggestions that are truthfully and negatively charged so as that the answer adheres to the ring. you will possibly desire to assume to have this performed a minimum of as quickly as a 12 months, or perhaps however in many situations you deem mandatory, however as quickly as a 12 months is approximately prevalent.

Neat Vodka. Just scrub it with an old toothbrush and the vodka 🙂

you can clean things in coca cola,coke,try it with a penny,just leave it in a while,take it out and give it a rinse with warm soapy water,it will be like brand new.

Here are a few options

* a little bit of tooth paste and an old/baby/soft toothbrush

* mix baking soda and water into a paste and an old/baby/soft toothbrush

Hand lotions, hair styling products, and everyday grime all leave enough of a film on your diamond ring to keep it from looking its best. If you wait too long between cleanings, those materials can accumulate into a thick layer of gunk on the back of your diamond, blocking light and making the diamond appear dull and lifeless.

Diamond rings are an investment, so take care when it’s time to make your diamond ring sparkle. But not so fast. Before you clean your diamond rings, it’s important to learn how you can prevent grimy diamond rings in the first place. Are you guilty of any of these fine jewelry mistakes?

Why Diamonds Need Special Care

Diamonds are durable, but that doesn’t mean we can bring them back to life with any old cleanser. Harsh chemicals or vigorous scrubbing can sometimes remove coatings and other materials used to enhance diamonds. Also, precious metals in diamond settings can be porous, soft, and prone to damage, especially when exposed to harsh chemicals, exfoliants, or cleansers.

Cleaning Steps

1. Soak your diamond ring in a warm solution of mild liquid detergent and water. Ivory dishwashing liquid is a popular choice, but any other mild detergent is fine.
2. Use a soft brush if necessary to remove dirt. Soft is the key — don’t use a brush with bristles that are stiff enough to scratch the ring’s metal setting. Pay special attention to the undercarriage of your ring. Underneath the diamond and between the prongs is where dirt and grime build up. If your diamond appears hazy or dull when it hadn’t before, it is likely due to a thick layer of gunk in this general area. Purchase the softest toothbrush you can find and carefully work your cleaning solution underneath your stone.
3. Swish the ring around in the solution and let it sit for 2-3 minutes.
4. This next part seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how many times skipping this step leads to havoc and a call to the plumber. Close the drain first, or put the ring in a strainer to keep it safe. Then rinse the diamond ring thoroughly in warm water
5. Blot the ring dry with a lint-free cloth.

If the diamond and setting need extra help, use a dental irrigation device, such as a Water Pik, to flush away small bits of grime. You can also use a wooden toothpick to very carefully push dirt away from the diamond and setting. Then repeat steps 3-5.

Should I Use Ammonia?

Diamonds that have not been fracture filled and have not been treated in any way can be cleaned with a solution of ammonia and water. Be sure to read the instructions carefully because too much ammonia can severely damage your setting.

Use the gentler liquid detergent solution for fracture-filled diamonds, because ammonia can eventually either cloud or remove the coating that’s been placed on the gemstone.

Rings With Varied Gemstones

The method you use to clean jewelry should protect its weakest element. In other words, not all jewelry can be cleaned the same way because some elements are much more fragile than others. If your ring includes other gems, clean in a way that is suitable for the least durable component. Try out several DIY, at-home jewelry cleaning solutions, and find one that works for your specific piece of jewelry.

Protection

As we touched on earlier, chemicals such as chlorine can damage and alter your jewelry. Wear gloves AND remove your rings anytime you are handling chlorine or harsh detergents.

Remove your rings completely anytime you wash dishes or your hands. Don’t think that washing your dishes with rings on is both cleaning the dishes and rings. This habit is likely doing more harm than good. Plus, washing your hands with rings on can lead to soap residue build-up, which is very unsightly. Also, you risk losing your diamond ring down the drain!

These tips will help your pieces sparkle for years to come.

From your everyday jewelry to unique pieces you only where on special occasions, chances are, all of your jewelry could use a good polish. Lotion, soaps, and everyday dust and dirt are just a few things that can clog jewelry settings and make stones, chains and pearls appear dull and lifeless. And it’s usually not until you’re getting ready for a night out on the town that you notice your rings, necklaces and bracelets need some attention.

The good news is you can clean your jewelry at home — and it’s easier than you might think. Here, the experts at the Good Housekeeping Cleaning Lab explain exactly how to shine up all the jewelry in your box so you can keep it looking beautiful longer.

How to clean silver

The best way to clean tarnished silver pieces and keep them from re-tarnishing as quickly is with a good silver polish, like Good Housekeeping Seal holder Weiman Silver Polish, which contains ingredients that dissolve and remove tarnish while leaving behind a protective coating to prevent new tarnish from forming.

Liquid polishes can be a bit messy to use, especially if you’re in a hurry, so wipes (like the ones below) can be a more convenient alternative. Specially treated multi-layer cloths, which have one side to clean and remove tarnish and a second one to shine, are also a good option.

3 DIY Silver Cleaning Hacks

If you don’t have silver polish on-hand and you need to clean silver ASAP, try one of the DIY methods below. Just know that these treatments won’t keep tarnish from returning, and silver experts caution against using them too often (if at all). For silver-plated jewelry, avoid excessive rubbing to keep from wearing away the finish.

• Use dish soap: Mix a few drops of dish soap, like Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Dish Soap, with warm water. Dip a soft cloth in the solution and use it to rub the silver to remove the tarnish. Rinse with cool water and buff dry with another soft cloth.
• Try baking soda: For heavier tarnish, mix three parts baking soda to one part water. Wet the silver and apply the paste with a soft, lint-free cloth. Work it into the crevices and turn the cloth as it picks up the tarnish. Rinse well and buff dry.
• Reach for toothpaste: In the same way mild abrasives in toothpaste remove stains from your teeth, they can also remove tarnish from silver. Apply a dab of white paste toothpaste (not gel) to tarnished silver and rub very gently with your finger or a soft cloth. Then, rinse well with warm water and buff to a shine with a soft cloth.

How to clean gold

Give solid gold bracelets, chains and earrings a gentle bath in a solution of a few drops of dish soap and a little warm water. Put small jewelry pieces into a strainer before placing in the solution; large pieces can go directly into the bowl to soak for about five minutes. Swish the items around, then take them out, lay them on a soft cloth and go over the crevices and chain links with a soft toothbrush to dislodge any dirt trapped there. Return small pieces to the strainer and rinse everything under running water. Buff dry with a soft cloth.

How to clean gemstones

It’s easy to restore the sparkle of precious and semi-precious stones, like diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires set in gold. You can use the same instructions as the ones above for cleaning gold, but instead of using regular water, mix the dish soap with seltzer water. In Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab tests, the carbonation helped loosen soil and removed debris trapped in the settings and on the facets.

Brush stones and settings with a soft toothbrush; then, dip in clear water to rinse or place the pieces in a strainer and rinse under running water. Buff dry and admire the sparkle.

To clean rings on-the-go, keep a jewelry cleaning stick in your purse. You’ll find them from Town Talk, Connoisseurs, and Baublerella. Simply twist the wand to release the cleaner and use the soft brush tip to remove dirt and grime. Rinse well, and see your gems shine!

We do a lot to our engagement rings—after all, they’re something that goes through each and every part of our day (every day!) with us. And it all has an effect: Everything from applying lotion to scrubbing dishes can dull the sparkle of engagement rings, causing an otherwise crystal-clear diamond or gemstone to appear cloudy.

“The reality is, if you wear your rings every day, you absolutely need to clean them,” says Ryan Elbaz, founder of Majesty Diamonds.

Keeping your ring clean, however, isn’t just about keeping it sparkly. You’re going to want to take a minute while you clean to make sure the ring’s still looking as perfect as the day you got it.

“[Cleaning] also gives you a way to inspect your ring on a regular basis,” explains Stephanie Maslow-Blackman, owner of Metalicious. When it’s sparkling, you’ll be better able to inspect its stones and prongs, looking for a loosening setting or chips in your stone’s surface. And if you do find something, you’ll be able to take it to your jeweler before it’s too late.

Catbird Wedding Odette the Swan, Supreme

Our experts recommend cleaning your engagement ring every couple weeks—or more, if you’re wearing it during household chores and strenuous activities, such as outdoor sports. Simply put: “The more of this you do, the more often you should clean your ring,” says Elbaz. And no, there’s no such thing as cleaning it too much.

That being said, when you clean it, avoid using harsh chemicals (think bleach, chlorine, and acetone) and commercial silver and gold cleaners whenever possible. You don’t need to buy some super-fancy product to get the results you need: Our experts suggest good ol’ soap and warm water to get your ring shining again.

Fill a small bowl with warm water and a squeeze of dishwashing soap, then drop your ring into the dish for a 15-minute soak. “This will loosen any dirt, lotion, or dried soap that has settled into any crevices or behind your gemstone,” says Maslow-Blackman. Once it’s had its bath, take your ring out for a rinse: Run it under a steady stream of warm water—making sure your sink drain is stopped—and turn it around so the water can run over the top and bottom of the ring.

If you want a “slightly deeper, but still natural” clean, Vanessa Stofenmacher, founder and creative director of fine jewelry company Vrai & Oro, recommends soaking your engagement ring in witch hazel or white vinegar “for about five minutes.” (She uses half a cup of white vinegar, FYI.)

Vrai & Oro The Solitaire

If you spot any lasting residue, take a soft-bristled or old toothbrush and gently scrub around the stone, taking care to hit the bottom, where the light shines through and really gives your gem its sparkle.

Finally, says Maslow-Blackman: “Dry your ring with a soft cotton cloth—no paper towels, because they will scratch your metal—and let it air-dry for about 15 to 30 minutes before putting it back on.”

Although you can definitely keep your ring clean regularly on your own, Slisha Kankariya, co-founder of With Clarity (formerly Four Mine), recommends bringing it back to your jeweler once a year for a thorough ultrasonic cleaning. “This will ensure that it gets a deep cleaning to keep it looking forever new,” she says. Most jewelers will happily offer this service as part of their lifetime warranties, which means you won’t have to pay when you stop by.

Then, there’s always the option to get your own ultrasonic jewelry cleaning machine, as Stofenmacher suggests. (She uses this one in her office.) That, with a little help from a cleaning solution, will get all the grime off for about $40—and in less than two minutes.

Updated – April 18, 2018 / Jonathan Hatch

Quick Tips

• Gather your white gold cleaning supplies.
• Soak the white gold in a mixture of soap and water.
• Clean your white gold with a soft brush and baking soda.
• Thoroughly rinse the cleaners off the white gold.
• Dry the white gold and buff it with a soft cloth.

White gold has become a popular choice for engagement and wedding rings. I have a lot of friends that will only wear gold if it is white, mostly because of the shine of its finish. To maintain its luster, white gold will require regular cleaning to remove dirt, soap and lotion residue, and other oils that can dull its surface. Luckily, cleaning white gold is an easy task. You could take it to a jeweler for professional cleaning, but a good maintenance washing can be done with products that you may already have in your cabinets at home. If you’re going to pay for quality jewelry, spending 20–30 minutes once a month for a decent cleaning is a worthwhile investment. Here are some simple steps on how to clean your white gold.

Steps for Cleaning White Gold

1. Gather your white gold cleaning supplies. You will need a bowl, warm water, mild dish soap, baking soda, a soft brush, and a microfiber towel. Keep a colander handy, just in case. If you think it’s necessary, you can purchase a cloth designed specifically for polishing jewelry, instead of the microfiber towel. Inspect the jewelry you plan to clean closely, looking for loose gems or damaged prongs. Do this to avoid the panic and heartbreak of realizing that you lost a stone down a drain.
2. Soak the white gold in a mixture of soap and water.Add a few drops of mild dish soap to some warm water in a bowl and give it a stir. Gently insert your white gold and let it soak for 10–15 minutes to help loosen any buildup. Never use hot water. Set a timer to remind you to take out the jewelry, as leaving it too long could damage some pieces.
3. Clean your white gold with a soft brush and baking soda. Form a paste by mixing baking soda and a little water together. Apply a little paste, and gently scrub the white gold using a soft brush. You can buy special jewelry cleaning brushes, but a soft toothbrush will suffice. Be careful not to scrub too hard. The last thing you want to do is scratch the surface or wear at the rhodium plating.
4. Thoroughly rinse the cleaners off the white gold. Rinse your jewelry under a gentle stream of warm water. If any cleaner residue is left to dry, it can dull the appearance of the white gold and attract more dirt. Be extremely careful because this is the step where you can really mess up. To avoid dropping a ring down a drain, a mistake that can take hours to rectify, either block the drain using the stopper or place the jewelry in a colander.
5. Dry the white gold and buff it with a soft cloth. Drying carefully will remove any leftover cleaner residue and help avoid water spots. Take a soft cloth or microfiber towel, and pat dry the jewelry on one section of the cloth. Make sure to remove any moisture from the crevices. Use another section of the cloth to buff the jewelry, shining it to maximum luster. All that’s left is to sit back and admire the beauty.

Say “I Do,” But Don’t Do This

If your jewelry is not bright and shiny after this cleaning, you may have a different problem that will require a jeweler. White gold is plated with rhodium, a member of the platinum group. Over time, the plating tends to wear, especially in areas that rub against your skin. When this “yellowing” occurs, cleaning will not rectify the problem. A jeweler can properly replate the piece, and restore the finish’s shine and durability. If your white gold is due for a replating, do not get a cheap rhodium dip. An experienced jeweler will replate using an electroplating process.

While rhodium is very durable, there are things you should not do with white gold to preserve its finish. Excessive friction can wear the plating. Store your white gold separately from the rest of your jewelry, to avoid any undue scratches. A soft-lined box would be the best option. Avoid excessive exposure to ammonia and chlorine, as the rhodium plating can be sensitive to these harsh chemicals. So, remove your white gold jewelry before going swimming or performing household chores. Even strong jewelry cleaners may not be appropriate for use on white gold, so be sure to read labels before application.

Green Products for Cleaning White Gold

SparkleSparkle Gold & Gemstone Cleaner. This is a non-toxic cleaner that safely cleans and brightens both white and yellow gold jewelry. SparkleSparkle Gold Cleaner will remove tarnish and grime from rhodium coated jewelry without wearing on the plating. The company prides itself on using clean ingredients to revitalize the sparkle of jewelry.

Seventh Generation Dish Soap. When looking for a great, eco-friendly dish soap to use when doing any cleaning, Seventh Generation soap is a great product. All of Seventh Generation’s products are biodegradable and environmentally friendly. Besides being a healthy choice for your family, it will help loosen grime from your white gold and remove the buildup that may dull the luster. You can find Seventh Generation from Amazon.

Gemcare’s Jewelry Finishing Cloth.Gemcare has a line of jewelry cleaning products that are natural and environmentally friendly. The Gemcare Jewelry Finishing Cloth is designed to be safe for all kinds of fine jewelry surfaces and will not scratch the plating of white gold. The cloth is also washable for repeat use.

Tungsten rings are extremely durable and are known as the ‘forever polished ring’. They are a low maintenance choice as they do not corrode, fade or easily tarnish or oxidize. Ranking 9 on the Mohs scale, tungsten carbide is the hardest metal used in jewelry making, and only a substance harder than this can scratch tungsten. They don’t require polishing as they hardly acquire scratches, and do not lose their luster. It is easy to see why tungsten is a top choice when it comes to wedding bands, a piece of jewelry you wear every day. Tungsten rings are ideal for busy hands and active lifestyles as they require minimal cleaning and maintenance. Here’s how to clean and care for your tungsten ring to ensure that it lasts through the years.

Cleaning Your Tungsten Ring

Keep things simple by cleaning your tungsten jewelry with soap and water. This works perfectly for any grime or dirt build up on your ring. Choose a mild liquid soap and pour into a container full of warm water. Once the water is nice and foamy, place your ring inside and use a soft cloth or toothbrush to brush away any pollutants clinging to the ring. If your ring has any grooves, channels, engravings or stones, make sure to target those areas for a complete clean. Once you have cleaned all around the ring, rinse with clean water and dry with a soft cloth.

If your tungsten ring is greasy due to oils or lotion residue, use a cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol to remove the greasy stains. Then wash the ring as mentioned above.

Store your tungsten ring in a pouch or fabric lined container, away from other items. Tungsten tends to scratch softer items, so don’t store with softer gemstones or metals. Conversely, don’t store tungsten jewelry with diamonds, as diamonds can scratch tungsten carbide.

Avoid Ultrasonic Cleaners and Chemicals

While ultrasonic jewelry cleaners are a quick and easy way to clean your jewelry in general, it is advised not to clean tungsten jewelry in them. Although tungsten is very hard, it is not indestructible. The intense agitation and vibrations of ultrasonic cleaners can affect the integrity of the metal by causing tiny fractures in the metal.

In addition, do not use harsh chemicals to clean tungsten jewelry. Bleach, ammonia and other commercial cleaners can cause permanent spotting and damage tungsten. Remove tungsten rings when working with harsh chemicals. Commercial jewelry cleaners that aren’t formulated specially for tungsten jewelry can damage tungsten by weakening the structure of the metal and should be avoided.

Avoid Impact

Tungsten rings do not bend or lose shape when struck by force. Instead, they shatter or crack. This occurs due to the metal’s extreme hardness and brittleness. A diamond, the hardest known natural substance, reacts to impact in the same way. While it can be an advantage to wear a ring that breaks rather than bends, this means that some care must be taken to keep your tungsten ring from harsh impacts, such as dropping the ring or knocking it against hard objects. Most reputable vendors offer a lifetime warranty in case of breakage and will give you a ring in place of your shattered tungsten ring.

Getting Rid of Scratch Marks

As mentioned above, tungsten rings can only be scratched by materials with a Mohs ranking higher than 9, which means that apart from diamonds, there aren’t many substances that are hard enough to scratch a tungsten ring. If you see any scratches or marks on your tungsten jewelry, it is highly likely that these are actually just material residue that are just on the surface. To get rid of these fake scratches, give the ring a good clean with water and soap or buff it with a jewelry polishing cloth.

Cleaning Tarnished Tungsten

This doesn’t happen often, but there are certain times when tungsten rings can become tarnished. If this happens, a more intense cleaning process will be required to get rid of the tarnish. You can find jewelry cleaners specifically created for cleaning tungsten carbide jewelry on the market that are quite reasonably priced. Apply the commercial tungsten cleaner generously on the ring and rub at the tarnish with a soft cloth. Make sure you clean the entire surface of the ring and check carefully to see that all the tarnish has disappeared. Afterwards, wash the ring and dry thoroughly.

Restoring the shine of a tungsten ring is simply a matter of washing the dirt away. Very rarely is there more maintenance to do on a tungsten ring. Once clean, your tungsten ring will continue to shine for a long time. You won’t have to polish your ring or take it to a professional for maintenance. Tungsten luster is truly for a lifetime!

i’ve got this ring which is white gold, that was cleaned by my brother who mistaked it for silver and tried cleaning it with toothpaste. now its got this kind of black tint to it, and I was wondering if there was anything I could do to clean it and get the black tint off?

JJ Smith
– Portland, Or

Try a hydrogen peroxide [affil. link to product info on Amazon] & vinegar mixture. No long soaks please.

John Tuohy
– Ireland

To create white gold, yellow gold is alloyed with other metals, and therefore the gold will always keep the yellowish shade. To give it the “white” look it is dipped in a rhodium liquid chamber that covers it with a white rhodium coat.

To fix scratches and cover up dirt on white gold, often all that is needed is a re-dipping, a process of less than three minutes which can be done at most professional jewelers.

Jessica Shapp
marketing – Omaha, Nebraska

You’ve answered JJ’s question well, Jessica; thank you.

But it is important for consumers to know that although white gold may have this slightly off-white tint (some describe it as grayish rather than yellowish), white gold is a very different thing than yellow gold. Because of the stark contrast when the rhodium wears thin in a spot, it is dead wrong for a jeweler to plate yellow gold with rhodium and call it white gold. We have dozens if not hundreds of letters on-line here revealing the heartache that shoddy practice causes.

Another thing that must be said is that the sale of a white gold ring should include this re-dipping “service” for 10 years. Without such a free service contract, the jeweler is constantly tempted to do exactly what you describe: apply a very thin coating of very low quality rhodium on his ware from a dirty teacup in the back room instead of doing the job right. When the costs of redoing the plating again and again whenever necessary is borne by the seller rather than the consumer, the economics will shift to where the jewelers will start plating the rings right the first time.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey
Striving to live Aloha

2006

I have a white gold ring that I’ve been polishing with a silver cloth, is it safe to do so or should I be using a gold cloth? I also have a large brown/dark ‘crack’ to one side of the setting, is this possibly due to the Rhodium cracking or breaking up. It hasn’t turned yellow yet but is scratched at the base, how can I make it shiny again?

Elizabeth Fisher
– Cheltenham, UK

They turned my ring yellow gold

To anyone who could help,

I just got engaged in February and just a couple weeks ago I noticed that the under part of my ring ( the side of my palm) was turning yellow. My jeweler told me that the rhodium plate needed to be put on the ring again. She said it could be a chemical reaction or because we had to get it sized a whole size smaller ( from a 7 1/2 to a 6 1/2) and the buffing caused the rhodium to wear. I just went back to the jewelry store today to pick up my ring, and the company accidentally took the entire rhodium coating off and now my ring is yellow gold looking all over. I was very upset and they are now sending it back to get the rhodium put on the entire ring again. How will this effect the look of my ring and is this going to happen all the time?

Chelsea Jones
consumer – Bluefield, West Virginia, USA

I need advice on how to bring back the bright white color to my white gold pendant that includes tanzanite and opal insets. The white gold is slightly yellowish in color and is definitely “different” from my white gold chain. I don’t want to damage the tanzanite or opal when I try and clean the white gold. Thank you for your help.

Margaret Robinson
consumer – Columbia, South Carolina

Can you not clean white gold rings at home? I have 3 rings which cost me £15 each to clean every year.

Andrea Smith
personal – England

So I have a pair of cufflinks that are mother of pearl in the middle with the edges and an insignia in the middle being yellow gold. if dipped in Rhodium will that mess up the mother of pearl?

Daniel O.
– Charleston, SC, USA

A. I have found Vanish white works with my white gold rings, I discovered it while hand washing my clothes.

Caryn Veenstra
– Newcastle, U.K.

adv.

Disclaimer: It’s not possible to diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author’s employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations may be deliberately harmful.

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At first glance, it’s hard for the untrained eye to tell the difference between white gold and sterling silver. They’re both silver in color, but the two metals are quite different beyond their initial appearances.

Here’s what you need to know when you’re on the hunt for silver-hued jewelry.

What is White Gold?

White gold is a mixture of pure gold and other metals, which makes the metal harder with a white color appearance. Generally, the metals used in white gold are nickel, silver or palladium and the properties of white gold varies on which alloy is used.

Just like yellow gold, the purity of white gold is measured in karats. So, if a white gold ring is 18 karats, this means that the ring is made up of 75% gold (18 karats divided by 24) and 25% other metals.

What is Silver?

Silver is a shiny, precious metal valued for its beauty and electrical conductivity and has been used to create coins, decorative pieces and jewelry for centuries.

Regarding jewelry, silver is often alloyed with copper to add strength, since it’s a fairly soft metal. When silver is mixed with copper, it is called sterling silver. While shopping for sterling silver, you may notice a “925” stamped on the metal, which means that it contains 92.5% of pure silver and 7.5% of other metals.

White Gold vs. Silver

The type of jewelry you’re looking to get will weigh heavily into your decision between white gold and silver. Researching for an engagement ring? Read the differences between the two to help make your decision easier.

Haven’t insured your jewelry yet? Get a free quote, here.

Durability

When shopping for a piece you’ll wear every day, like an engagement ring, white gold is a much better bet for long-standing durability and resistance to wear. However, keep in mind that the hardness of white gold depends on its purity (ie: karats).

Silver is soft and easy to scratch and can change shape slightly with wear and tear, while white gold is resistant to both corrosion and impact.

Affordability

Silver is among the most affordable types of metal for jewelry, making it perfect for costume jewelry that you rotate with your wardrobe. However, the extra durability of white gold does increase the price tag of the metal. White gold costs more than silver, but less than platinum, making it moderately affordable.

Nickel Allergy?

One of the most common metal allergies is Nickel, which can be used in both white gold and silver.

As mentioned above, sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver alloyed with copper, but in some cases, nickel may be present in the other 7.5% of metals.

Regarding white gold, Nickel is generally used as the alloy, but often white gold is plated with Rhodium, a silvery-white metal in the platinum family. The Rhodium plating will initially protect wearers from any nickel within the gold, but it will eventually wear off, which can leave the skin irritated if allergic.

Maintenance & Care

Both white gold and silver require some level of maintenance, as does all jewelry.

Every few years, your white gold piece will require a reapplication of rhodium plating by your jeweler, which easily restores the white finish. Without the reapplication, your jewelry will “yellow”.

Silver, on the other hand, requires regular cleaning and polishing to prevent tarnishing. While sterling silver is prone to tarnish, it will never rust, so that’s a plus.

Whatever you decide, make sure to visit your jeweler twice a year for a check-up and professional cleaning. Looking to clean your jewelry at home? Check out our Cleaning & Care Guide!

Curious to see how much jewelry insurance could cost you per year? It’s less than you think. Click the button below to get a quote in under a minute. No personal information required.

Gem stones are often an object of interest for people. They are used in many ways such as being placed in lockets and rings. Their many beautiful colours add even more to their charm.

Sapphires are often preferred gem stones as they are one of the most reliable and hardest types. These come in all colours except red, which are considered to be rubies.

Often used in rings, it sometimes gets dirty and needs cleaning. No special equipment is needed for this purpose and it can be done with relative ease. There are simple ways of cleaning it which can be done at home.

Things Required:

– Liquid Soap
– Water
– Ammonia
– Ultrasonic Cleaning Machine
– Cloth
– Toothbrush

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Instructions

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Soap and Water

It is the easiest way to clean your sapphire ring. Take some liquid soap and make a solution with water. Dip the ring in the solution and leave it there for about 20 minutes so that the dirt stuck in it can soften. Wipe off the debris with the help of a soft cloth dipped in the same soap solution. Whatever debris is left can be removed with the help of a toothbrush. Once you are done, clean it gently with a soft cloth. It should be very clean.

Ammonia and Water

This is a slightly radical approach but it works well. Take normal household ammonia and add it to water to make a 50% concentration solution. The solution is known to leave the sapphire shiny. Once you make the solution, leave the ring in it for about 10 to 20 minutes. Afterwards, rub it with a toothbrush or a cloth to get rid of any impurities that may be in the ring. After you are done, rinse it with water making sure that there is no residue of the solution left in the grooves of the ring. Clean it with a towel. It should be sparkling.

Ultrasonic Cleaning Machine

These should only be used with strong stones such as the sapphire. Softer stones should be cleaned with more traditional methods as a precaution. To add some shine, a few drops of ammonia can also be added to the ring prior to the treatment. Once the process is complete your sapphire ring should look great.

You finally got the diamond you’ve been waiting for, and now that you finger (neck, ears, wrist) is bling-tastic, keep it that way by cleaning your ring (and other jewelry for that matter) with a very simple and easy technique using products you already have at home.

There are a lot of great ways to clean jewelry, this is one that I find works well. I’ll also review a couple of other things you can try below.

Be mindful!

This method is safe for cleaning gold (white, yellow and rose), platinum and silver. It is safe for diamonds but should not be used on opals, semi-precious stones, pearls costume jewelry or any other metal not listed here because they are softer and are prone to scratching. Do not use this to clean a watch either.

Don’t get risky. If you have your grandmother’s pearls or a delicate antique piece, take it to a jeweler and have it professionally cleaned. I think we can do a lot of cleaning and maintenance at home, but I also think there is a time and a place for professionals. This would be one of them. They are trained on how to care for your most delicate and treasured pieces and will ensure they don’t get ruined.

Tools for the jewels

What I have found to work best is a simple method where a dab of gel toothpaste (no grit) is use, a soft bristle toothbrush and a bowl filled with warm water. Have a soft cloth available for drying and polishing.

Be safe

I know this sounds a little bizarre, but cleaning your jewelry in an area where you could drop it (perhaps down a drain or a toilet) can create an optimum environment for an insurance claim or fun plumbing experience. Keep your drains plugged and your toilet lids closed. I recommend doing this at a table as opposed to anywhere remotely close to a plumbing fixture. The law of attraction would have my ring in a drain in under 4 seconds.

Clean it up

Soak the piece(s) for about 10 minutes to loosen up any build up or debris (think about how many times you’ve put hand cream on without removing your ring). When that’s done, add a pea-sized dab of toothpaste to the toothbrush and carefully pick up the piece. Begin to ‘brush’ the jewelry, getting in to each little crevice possible (even under the setting.

Rinse the jewelry out in the bowl, removing all toothpaste and then lay it flat to dry. I like buffing mine with a soft cloth (look for an ‘optical cloth’ to do this).

It’s quite simple!

Other Methods

Dish liquid for cleaning gold and diamonds

Try soaking the jewelry in dish liquid and water (warm, soapy water). Do this for about 30 minutes (I do it in a glass). Then, rinse well (again, plug your drain) and buff dry. I’ve had OK success with this one, I have a girlfriend that swears by it. I think using a toothbrush is helpful because it loosens that debris and build-up that otherwise can’t be tackled with just soap and water.

Tin foil for de-tarnishing silver

You can also line your sink basin with tin foil, add boiling hot water and 1 cup of baking soda. Then, place your silver in and leave it for a few minutes, turning so that all sides can make contact with the tin foil. This does a great job at cleaning up silver pieces (even plates, spoons, etc.). Buff dry with a soft cloth.

Ultrasonic cleaner

These are amazing, they work by gently vibrating your jewelry in an enclosed basket and ‘shake’ off all dirt and debris, leaving your ring beautifully cleaned and shining brilliantly. These can be expensive and some of the cheaper ones can shake a stone out of a setting (or if a stone is not properly set, this can happen too).

Steam cleaning

Sometimes I will ‘steam’ my jewelry. Either when I am boiling water in the kettle and it starts to steam, I will hold up my ring and let the steam break down the debris (nothing falls into the kettle, rest assured) and then I buff it dry with a soft cloth. You need to use tongs to hold the ring up to the steam or else you’ll have a burnt hand (but a shiny piece of jewelry).[/three_fourth]

Cleaning your diamond ring properly is paramount to its dazzle. You want those “ oohs and aahs ” to keep coming, and you most certainly don’t want to damage your diamond while cleaning it. To the surprise of most women, however, damaging a diamond ring can happen quite easily. Luckily, there is a way to clean your diamond ring and leave it damage free–all from the comfort of your home!

Diamonds are by no means fragile. In fact, diamonds are the hardest substance on Earth. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be damaged or lose their luster. The natural oils and substances you come into contact with daily can rapidly reduce your diamond’s shimmer.

Here are a few tips on how to clean your diamond ring, keeping it as brilliant as the day you fell in love with it, without risking damage to your valuable stone.

How to Clean Your Diamond Ring at Home

It is recommended you take your diamond ring to a professional jeweler at least twice a year for maintenance. Between the recommended diamond checkups, learning how to clean your diamond ring properly at home can be useful.

You can mix your own degreasing solution easily and safely. Follow these simple steps:

1. Combine one part ammonia with six parts water
2. Soak your diamond ring for approximately 10 to 20 minutes.
3. After your precious gem has soaked thoroughly, gently brush it with a soft-bristled toothbrush. It is important to keep your brushing efforts away from the setting of your diamond to avoid scratching the gold, silver, or platinum metals.
4. Once brushed to perfection, dry your diamond ring with a lint-free cloth. It is best practice to use a jeweler’s gem cloth . And don’t forget to plug up those drain holes when working near a sink.

Keep Your Diamond Ring Safe Between Cleanings

Cleaning your diamond ring properly is just as important as keeping it safe from daily dangers at home and work. Your hands come into contact with a variety of chemicals, creams, and oils throughout the day. Your diamond ring is a grease magnet , and simply handling it will decrease its fiery brilliance.

You should steer clear of harmful solutions to keep your diamond ring safe and damage free. Household cleaners like chlorine bleach, along with other cleaning agents, can be harmful to your diamond.

According to the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), you should avoid ultrasonic cleaners to clean your diamond ring. These devices can cause your stunning stones to become loose or even dislodged, and repairing a diamond ring can be a risky engagement. You would then need to contract a jeweler for repairs, ideally the same jeweler who created the ring. Tools like these are best left to professionals who are also equipped to check and secure the stones if anything becomes loose.

You should steer clear of harmful solutions to keep your diamond ring safe and damage free. Household cleaners like chlorine bleach, along with other cleaning agents, can be harmful to your diamond. The old wives tale about cleaning your jewelry with toothpaste is not recommended for your diamonds either. Along the same lines, you should remove diamond rings before swimming or participating in strenuous activity.

Removing your diamond ring from the your finger to apply lotion to dry skin may not be something you want to do. However, doing so could keep your ring cleaner longer, as the oils in moisturizers are one of the biggest offenders when it comes to making a diamond lose its luster.

Cleaning a diamond ring doesn’t have to be time consuming or a challenge. With regular jeweler checkups and simple at-home cleaning, your diamonds will continue to dazzle for any occasion.

Does Vinegar Clean Gold?

Vinegar does clean gold, but be aware of the risks involved before you try this cleaning method.

How to Clean Gold with Vinegar

How to Clean Gold with Vinegar

The Vinegar Institute, which is an industry association, frequently distributes information and has conducted many studies on the uses of vinegar. The association states that the use of is a suitable gold cleaner and suggests the following solution:

“Use one cup apple cider vinegar. Submerge solid gold jewelry items in vinegar for 15 minutes. Remove and dry with cloth.”

Risks Involved with Cleaning Gold with Vinegar

While vinegar is widely known as a safe and effective method for cleaning everything from toilets to windows to copper pots, if some metals are left in vinegar for too long they will eventually corrode.

In addition, many pieces of jewelry contain some type of stone. While vinegar would not harm a diamond, it is not safe for any semi-precious stones and could cause permanent damage.

Optimal Cleaning Solution for Gold

According to Kay Jewelers, the best method for cleaning gold jewelry is to soak it in warm water with mild soap and use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub away dirt and buildup. Rinse it thoroughly then use a soft, lint-free cloth to dry it fully.

Tips:

• Use distilled water to avoid mineral buildup that may be present in the water.
• Do not use a soap that contains moisturizers that can lead to a film buildup.
• Use a soft cloth to dry your gold jewelry rather than a paper towel which could scratch the soft metal.
• Gold is easily scratched so avoid at-home jewelry cleaning advice that includes abrasive products such as baking soda and toothpaste.

Another method is to use steam. Place the jewelry in a strainer positioned above a pot of boiling water. A vegetable steamer would also work. Allow the jewelry to steam for approximately 20 minutes, and then use the jewelry cleaning brush. Steaming is not recommended for jewelry containing stones such as pearls that may be glued on and become loose in the hot steam or opals that could lose essential oil, become dry, and crack during the steaming process.

Cleaning Tarnished Gold

Burdeen’s Jewelery of Buffalo Grove, Illinois suggests removing tarnish from a gold jewelry piece by soaking it in a solution of warm water with mild soap and a few drops of ammonia for a short time followed by a gentle rub down with a lint free cloth. Additionally, if you have a plain gold item that is soiled with grease, give it a quick dip in rubbing alcohol. This method should not be used with a gold item that contains gemstones.

Keeping Gold Looking Its Best

Gold jewelry is easily damaged by certain chemicals and corrosives even by those everyday items found in the home. Zales jewelers caution to wait to put on your jewelry until after you have applied hand lotions, hairspray, and perfumes, which could contain chemicals that could damage your jewelry. Also, you should remove your rings before working with household chemicals that can damage gold jewelry such as products containing chlorine, bleach, and acetone.

For years, I’ve been doing this to clean my gold & diamond jewelry:

1. Mix 2-3 drops of Murphy’s Oil Soap with super hot water in a small glass. (To make distilled water hot, microwave it.)
2. Place gold ring with diamonds inside.
3. Swish the ring around using a kid-size toothbrush (that’s only used for cleaning jewelry).
4. Put ring on left pointer finger and use the toothbrush’s soft bristles to gently remove dirt and debris from top of the diamonds.
5. Take off ring to clean underside of the diamonds, making sure the sink drain is plugged or closed off.
6. Rinse thoroughly with hot water from the faucet — with the ring still on left pointer finger (and the drain still closed).

This is a jewelry cleaning process that I learned from a jeweler years ago when I acquired my first piece of gold jewelry with diamonds: my wedding ring.

Through the years, I’ve found a few other people who also use Murphys Oil Soap to clean jewelry, but it seems to be a little-known secret for the most part.

Murphy’s Oil Soap does not contain ammonia, bleach, or oils. It contains plant-based and coconut-based cleaning agents, filtered water, and natural fragrance.

It has worked perfectly for me for the past 15 years.

I tried using a couple of different ultrasonic jewelry cleaners, but I didn’t like the ones I found in department stores. They didn’t seem to be of professional quality. They were made of cheap plastic, lightweight, and chintzy. I also didn’t like the ongoing expense of having to buy new cleaning solution all the time. (A bottle of the concentrated jewelry cleaner typically lasts 6 or 8 uses.)

With my DIY jewelry cleaning solution, I can buy the cleaner in bulk and it will last for years! Plus, I don’t have to find space on my bathroom countertop to use — and store — another handy dandy gadget.

If I ever change my mind and decide to try another (inexpensive) ultrasonic jewelry cleaner, this is the one I’d get. Though I would probably want to do some research on true professional-grade ultrasonic cleaners first. Surely, the more expensive ones would work even better and last even longer — right?

Another Jeweler’s Advice For Cleaning Jewelry

Recently, for our 15th wedding anniversary, we upgraded my 14-karat yellow gold wedding ring for a 14-karat white gold wedding ring and anniversary band.

Wanting to do it right from the get-go, I asked the jeweler how to clean my new rings.

Here’s how to clean jewelry at home, according my jeweler:

1. Put 2-3 drops of dishwashing soap that has ammonia in it into a small glass.
2. Fill the glass with very hot water and mix well. (To make distilled water hot, microwave it.)
3. Place diamond ring inside.
4. Let it set in this cleaning solution for 30 minutes.
5. Rinse thoroughly with hot water.
6. Use a hair dryer (instead of a lint-free cloth) to dry the ring and make the diamonds sparkle.

By the way, this jeweler recommends not using a soft toothbrush to clean diamonds. The reason? He said if a diamond is loose in its setting, using a brush could send the diamond flying and you may not ever find it.

Ammonia And A Hair Dryer… Seriously?

After I got home with my new diamond rings, 2 questions came to mind:

#1 – Which brands of dishwashing soap have ammonia in them?

#2 – Use a hair dryer to dry diamond rings… really?

So I did some research and found others recommending the same thing: dish soap with ammonia and a hair dryer.

Though, I’ll be honest, I also found some people saying that you should never use ammonia on jewelry, and even some say not to use a hair dryer.

Since more than one professional said TO do these things, I’ve decided to follow the advice of my jeweler (and others) and use dish soap with ammonia to clean my jewelry and a hair dryer to dry my jewelry.

The safest solution is 1 part ammonia to 6 parts water. For the purest formulation, use distilled water (or at least bottled water) instead of tap water — unless you want hard water stains and calcium deposits that are naturally found in tap water to settle onto your diamonds. Distilled water is budget-friendly too. A gallon jug is just 99 cents at most grocery stores!

Here’s some discussion about dish soaps that contain ammonia:

I found bits & pieces from each of those discussions helpful when determining how to clean jewelry at home myself.

By the way, my jeweler’s recommendation to not use a soft toothbrush makes perfect sense. But since I’m not a jeweler with the “right” tools to clean all sides of a diamond, I still use a soft baby toothbrush very carefully — because I can’t imagine the liquid solution alone removes all of the body oils, hand lotion, sunscreen, and soap that acquires over time.

How do you clean your gold jewelry and diamonds? Have you learned any other tips and tricks that work?

I like to help people find clever ways to do things that will save time & money — so I write about “outside the box” Beauty Tips and Beauty Hacks that most people wouldn’t think of. With beauty products (like hair care, skincare, and makeup) and personal care items (like teeth issues, body odor, undergarments, and other topics that very few people enjoy talking about)… I share my own honest firsthand experiences that I think others would appreciate hearing about and find helpful. Especially for topics that are usually very “private” and most people don’t like to talk about publicly! When I’m not trying new beauty products and organizing all my “stuff”, you’ll find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).