Diamond maintenance in the comfort of your own home usually means using cleaning substances that you already use on a daily basis.
For instance, a lot of you probably didn’t know that your diamond rings can be cleaned with a toothbrush and some toothpaste. Yes, toothpaste is, in fact, used as a cleaning substance.
And since today’s emphasis is on cleaning your diamond ring and maintaining its sparkle, we will take the time to talk about how to clean a diamond ring with toothpaste, if it is any good, and how often it is recommended to clean your jewelry.
Stay tuned for a whole tutorial!
Cleaning Diamonds With Toothpaste
Let’s start by saying that using toothpaste as a primary cleaning substance for your diamond ring is not necessarily the best option. Simply, it does more harm than good to your gem, but we’ll get to that in a minute.
Usually, people take their diamond ring that’s been sitting in the closet or safe for a long time, and try to figure out the quickest way on how to clean it, of course, without having to buy any additional materials.
So, they just learn to make use of their teeth-cleaning equipment. The process consists of you soaking your toothbrush in lukewarm water, placing a few drops of toothpaste on it, and scrubbing the surface of your diamond.
This is mostly a superficial process, and it lasts until your hand gets tired, and you think that your diamond is as clean as a tear. After that, the diamond ring is put through a stream of lukewarm water, and finally left to dry on a towel.
From this viewpoint, you must think that this is a quick and efficient way to clean your diamond ring at home. However, we are here to look at the situation from a larger angle, and warn you of the potential danger.
Is This Cleaning Process Any Good?
The shortest possible answer would be – no! As we hinted at the beginning of this article, choosing to clean your diamond with what you brush your teeth with is not a good idea, and you should not adhere to this rule. Here’s why, and this is pure chemistry:
Although it’s a common myth that almost any cleanser can be used to clean your jewelry, it’s just a myth, and it should stay that way. With toothpaste, things are different, and you are actually damaging the condition of your diamond in the long run, rather than cleaning it.
Toothpaste, even if it’s in liquid form once you mix it with water, can scratch your diamond ring. This substance ranks 3/4 on the Mohs scale of hardness, and it’s highly abrasive.
Regular cleaning with toothpaste can actually scratch the surface of your diamond, and leave visible marks. In addition, the chemicals found in certain toothpaste brands that give them that “refreshing scent” are harmful and corrosive.
The Preferred Way to Clean Diamonds
It’s time to cut to the chase and talk about cleaning diamond rings the right way. What you need for this cleaning process is: a spare brush, water, soap, towel and a small bowl for your diamond ring.
Now, the process itself.
Take a small bowl and fill it with lukewarm water. Add a few drops of soap, and stir for a few seconds. After you have made a “bath” for your gem, take the diamond ring and place it inside the bowl. Your diamond ring should remain in the bowl for 5-7 minutes.
Prepare a spare toothbrush on the side and take out your diamond. Remember, you should be using a soft-bristled toothbrush for the cleaning process so as not to cause any scratches.
And of course, the toothbrush you use to clean your diamond ring should only be used for that purpose. Don’t risk using the same toothbrush for something else, such as brushing your teeth, for example.
After your diamond has been in the water for a few minutes, take it out, take your clean brush, and scrub your diamond back and forth-left and right. Practice this for a couple of minutes, without hasty movements and scratching the diamond.
After scrubbing the entire surface of the diamond, remove the brush, and run your diamond through a stream of lukewarm water. This is to wash away the last drops of soap from the edges of the ring.
Let your diamond dry for a few minutes on the towel, without wiping it, and there you have it – an effective way to clean your diamond, without having to go to the store.
How Often Should You Clean Your Diamond Ring?
Now that we’ve explained the right way to clean your diamond ring at home, the next question has to do with how many times you should practice this. It’s recommended that you clean the diamond ring:
- Once every two weeks to remove the daily dirt
- Once a month for deep cleaning
- Twice a year for professional cleaning and inspection
Let’s explain.
First, it’s recommended that you clean your diamond ring every two weeks by using the method we mentioned above (soap and water). This is better known as a weekly prevention of superficial dirt that’s accumulating on the surface of your diamond, and damaging its condition. In essence, this gentle-cleaning is the initial stage of maintaining your jewelry.
Secondly, we have the monthly deep cleaning. Although you’ve been abiding by the rules and cleaning your diamond on a weekly basis, it’s not enough. What you need to do is mark a day in your calendar, and set it aside for deep cleansing of your diamond ring.
This means using stronger substances than soap, of course. Here’s why you should be careful with this: your diamond ring is strong, but it is not 100% indestructible. You should take your diamond ring and soak it in a cleaner that does not contain too many harsh chemicals that could result in deteriorating its condition.
Lastly, we have the professional cleaning and inspection of your gem. Since this is done twice a year, it means that you’ll be making trips to your jewelry store after 6 months, and you shouldn’t be grumpy about this.
Buying a diamond doesn’t just mean paying for it and walkling out of the store for good. On the contrary, buying a HQ diamond ring comes with a warranty, and under it, you have the right to inspect your gem, or even return it if something goes wrong. However, we are currently interested in the part regarding just the inspection.
Under the warranty, you can request cleaning and inspection of your gem from your jeweler. And depending on the conditions under which you bought your diamond and what exactly is written in the warranty, this can be either free, or require you to pay a small amount of money. Either way, you should not skip this step.
What Not To Use For Cleaning
When cleaning diamond rings, especially at home, one should be very careful. This means not going for options that are harmful, just because they are close to you and available at the moment. With that said, let’s highlight two critical variants that should by no means be on your list for cleaning diamonds.
Harsh Cleaning Supplies
First on the list, and perhaps the most dangerous for your diamond ring are harsh chemicals that can be found in household cleaning supplies. Although you use these products to clean windows, kitchens and bathrooms, it does not mean that they will be useful in cleaning your jewelry.
If we’re being specific, here are a few chemicals that shouldn’t come in contact with your gem:
- PERC: Found in dry-cleaning supplies, spot removers, and numerous carpet cleaners, PERC is a neurotoxin that is extremely environmentally unfriendly. It can cause dizziness and headache with the person using it, and visible stains on your diamond.
- Triclosan: This chemical is most commonly found in dish-washing soap and detergents. Just as it is harmful to the bear hand, this aggressive agent can damage the condition of your diamond ring after just a few washes.
- Ammonia: When looking at cleaning supplies for your diamond, skip the ones that have Ammonia in them. This is a powerful irritant that can deteriorate the condition and overall appearance of your diamond, and leave it looking pale and feculent.
Ultrasonic Cleanser
Although you will find ultrasonic cleansers in many advertisements on the Internet, recommended as a top solution for diamond cleaning, hear us out before you buy it.
These machines are useful when it comes to encrusted dirt, and chances are they will get rid of everything down to the last detail. However, in the case of low-quality diamonds, or diamonds that are older, certain parts of your gem may become detached during cleaning.
Our advice would be not to rely too much on such gadgets when cleaning your diamond ring. Instead, if you really want to get rid of the encrusted dirt on your diamond, a smarter solution would be to turn to a professional for help.
Tips For Taking Care Of Your Jewelry
So far, we have successfully explained how you should clean your diamond in the right way, and what should NOT be used when cleaning. Now, let’s switch our focus to taking care of your diamond jewelry in general. Here a few tips:
Keep It Away From Skincare and Makeup Products
Since your makeup and jewelry will probably be in the same room, and nearby, you should at least separate and store them appropriately. By this, we mean that your bracelets, diamond rings, and earrings should not be stored in the same box as your skincare products (face peels, makeup removers, powder, etc.)
Mixing your diamonds with makeup products, especially those in liquid form, can cause the particles to enter the core of your diamond ring, and speed up the rusting process. Always practice buying a separate box for your jewelry!
Keep It In A Ziplock Bag
In case you are traveling somewhere, it is important to keep your jewelry in a ziplock bag.
Basically, you shouldn’t leave your diamonds in the open. Exposure to air and moisture can result in harmful substances accumulating on the surface and edges of your diamond ring, which will make cleaning them more difficult.
Additionally, after some time, the quality will decline significantly.
Be Careful With Light and Heat
The last thing you need to pay attention to is keeping your diamond away from strong light and heat.
If diamonds are of poorer quality, you should be careful how much they are exposed to light and heat. In the case of colored diamonds, for example, you should avoid excessive exposure to strong light. This can cause the color to fade.
Final Thoughts
We have successfully closed the topic on cleaning diamonds with toothpaste, and the efficiency of this method. Let’s just go over the most important facts once again.
Although you can clean your diamonds with toothpaste by mixing it with water and scrubbing the surface of your diamond, this is not a method you should practice. Instead, you should clean your diamond ring with the same brush, but instead of toothpaste, you can use soap.
Moreover, you should clean your diamond like this once every two weeks, then, you should do one deep cleaning once a month, and a professional cleaning and inspection twice a year.
When choosing cleaning agents, pay attention to the chemicals found in them. Many household cleansers contain harsh chemicals that can damage your diamond.
Also, to keep your diamonds in top-condition, keep them away from your skincare and makeup products, limit their exposure to strong light and heat, and store them in ziplock bags and boxes.