Wedding Blog
I was thinking about investing in a jewelry cleaner but I discovered a few supplies at home could also do the trick.
I’m obsessed with my Dust Off Spray - I use it to remove all the dust particles from my laptop keyboard and my digital cameras, especially in the areas which are difficult to reach. It works so well in removing dust that I wanted to see how well it cleaned my ring. I gently sprayed the rings individually a few times while they were dry and afterwards I soaked them for a few seconds in a jewelry cleaning solution. It’s pretty quick and the results turn out nicely. There are a few dust particles you can see that are stuck in the prongs, an you can simply extract them using fine tweezers.
The results are pretty good but I still recommend getting it cleaned professionally at least once or twice yearly.
So how do you clean your rings? I’ve heard so many different methods and I’d like to know what works best for you!
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Mr. Peacock is obsessed with cleaning my ring. It has a lot of exposed parts as it kind of hangs in the setting so I need to clean it pretty frequently. “I” got a steam machine for Christmas. It is a serious contraption which takes a few minutes to put together and then clean up at the end. Its also kind of scary to use because the hot steam comes out so quickly. It works really well, but I will probably stick to cleaning it with toothpaste and a little toothbrush in the shower unless Mr. Peacock is up for a cleaning. I love seeing it sparkle!
I find that warm water and a toothbrush work well for me. Sometimes I’ll use a little bit of mild soap too. I was told to never use toothpaste because it can wear down the coating on the ring (mine is coated in rodium).
I use an old head from my sonicare toothbrush. Just pop it on and squirt a little liquid soap and watch it shine right up.
I just got engaged (yay!), and my FI gave me a long lecture on ring care. I have a feeling he’s going to turn out like Mr. Peacock! I haven’t cleaned it yet, but I’m planning on using an old toothbrush and soap. Mrs. Bell Pepper, what cleaning solution do you use? The only ones I’ve seen say NOT to put jewels in it.
From THe Bride’s Guide blog by Darcy Miller from Martha Stewart Weddings: “As for keeping your diamond shiny, I learned this trick from Martha: Soak your ring in a mixture of 1/2 cold water and 1/2 household ammonia for 30 minutes. Drain on a paper towel, and voila! Your diamond is as good as new.”
I haven’t tried it yet, but I will. Even though ammonia sounds cary, Martha can’t be wrong, can she?
When I got my ring, they recommended 1/2 water and 1/2 Mr. Clean. They said to make sure that the Mr. Clean has NO ammonia in it though. Maybe I’ll try googling it because it seems odd that Martha would say ammonia.
What I did was buy a little glass jar with screw top lid from The Container Store and filled it with water and Mr. Clean. Every night when I go to bed I pop the ring in the jar. When I wake up in the morning I just rinse it under water and it’s good to go and sparkles like the first day I got it!
Our jeweler also told us to soak the ring for about 20 minutes in the half cup of boiling water and a half cup of ammonia mixture. Then rinse the ring really well. It works great! You can see the yucky dirt particles float to the top.
3 parts hot water, 1 part ammonia (think windex!) , a squeeze of dish soap in an ultrasonic machine.
To be really honest, I’ve never cleaned my ring myself! I’ve been engaged for a little over a year, so I should probably look into long-term care for my ring. I take it back to the jeweler every month (and whenever I happen to walk by) to get it cleaned and every 4 months I get it inspected… I haven’t had any trouble so far.
I use a jewelry cleaning solution that comes with a little dip tray and brush. I let it soak for 10+ minutes and then I rinse it with distilled water (no mineral deposits like with tap water) and then I use the air can to dry it off. The air can is really the key, its sparkles like new.
Oh yeah, I use the brush (that comes with the jewelry cleaning solution) after it has soaked to get in all the crevises, then rinse with distilled water, then the air can.
I think everyone should be careful with what they clean their rings with. We all have rings made of different metals and they will react differently to certain chemicals. I was careful to ask my jeweller what to use and sometimes I just use good ol’ warm water and my old toothbrush.
I just use an old toothbrush and water…and usually clean it every day in the morning before I leave the house.
I get my ring cleaned every time I walk by the jeweler (which is probably once a month or so). I’m too scared to clean it myself!
I read somewhere to use water and dishwashing soap. I dissolve a couple of drops of it in a little paper cup (like a Dixie cup), soak the ring in there for a few minutes and then I brush it with a soft toothbrush. It does a great job.
Dishwashing Soap. Soak for 5 to 10 minutes and BLING. =D
I had a jeweller recommend to me that if I wanted to do a quick steam clean I could use the steam function on our coffeemaker/espresso machine. I haven’t tried it yet but she said it worked pretty well…and a great reason to put that espresso machine you’re coveting on your registry!
My husband (weird saying that as we just got married yesterday!) is a jeweler and when we got engaged, he told me to soak in water and a drop of two of dishwashing soap. I do this about once per week, soaking it overnight (although you don’t need to soak that long). My ring ends up almost like new every time. For the deep cleaning, which we’ve done every six months, I give it to him to clean and reapply the rhodium.
Be careful of most of those store bought cleaners as I’ve used them in the past and ruined some of my jewelry. 
please tell me, how did you get such a clear picture of your ring! =)
I have a Jewel Jet:
It’s similar to what our jeweler uses. My rings are pave style w/little diamonds all around. And steaming is one of the most effective and safe ways to clean jewelry, especially the pave ones. I love it. Even though my jeweler offers free cleaning anytime, it’s just much more convenient to have one at home.
A spray of Windex and a rinse with water does a PERFECT job. It takes 10 seconds and is perfectly fine for the diamond and metal.
So many interesting and different ways to clean your rings! i was curious about the ammonia way of cleaning but to soak the rings for 30 minutes makes me feel kind of nervous.
jw, I used a macro setting to take the photo. it turned out pretty nicely!
I use Mr Clean. I learned the trick when I worked for Friedman’s Jewelers. I only clean it like once a month or for special occasions though because . 
I also use dawn soap on occasion depending on why it is dirty. If I’ve been cooking or accidentally put on lotion with my ring on, that’s when I’ll use dawn. For everyday grime and nastiness (like dog drool, dead skin, all that ick) I use the Mr Clean.
I won’t buy a sonic cleaner because I figure if I need a shake clean, then I’ll take it in and have them inspect before hand… just in case a prong is messed up and I didn’t notice it and a stone pops out.
Note to you ladies- make sure if you do at home cleanings, you check your prongs regularly to make sure none of your stones get loose. It is mighty expensive to replace one of those little buggers. When I worked at the jewelry store, I saw many women come in with loose side stones that were being held in place with the gunk (lotion, dead skin, etc) on their rings. That gunk was seriously the glue keeping those little stones in place.
Are there different solutions for different metals? it seems odd that one solution would work for all. that makes me nervous.
I just got engaged and wondered the same. And how often am I suppose to clean this thing? One of my brides had this killer contraption that she would set it in overnight, i guess it must have been a steamer???
I soak mine in a little dish with one part ammonia to 4 parts warm water and a drop or two of dish soap for 15 to 20 minutes. Then I use a toothbrush dipped in the solution to scrub the grime off, rise and dry and viola! Good as new. I found this information from Martha Stewart and Diamonds.com.
i’ve just started using fizzy denture cleaner - follow the instructions. i used a toothbrush when i rinsed it! and, it looks sparkly again. . .
I have a fabulous little jar of pink stuff I got from the jeweler, with a little plastic cage inside. It doesn’t say what it is, but it does say that it does NOT contain butyls, phosphates, bleach, or ammonia. You drop the ring in the cage, leave it a few minutes, pull it up and blot dry. I also like to drop in at Ben Bridge while I am browsing in the mall; they drop it in their sonic cleaner, and generally ooh and aah over it and make me feel special. I always clean it before a hockey game - I find it looks particularly fabulous under the big, high-powered stadium lights.
i know its late but i want to thank Mrs.BP for posting this. for the last few days i have wondered about cleaning my ring as it doesnt seem to sparkly as much as when i got it ( a mere 12 days ago). considering how much time i log staring at the darn thing, at first i thought i was crazy. but then realized that it was probably just dirty.
now….to use windex, Mr. Clean, or ammonia?????
decisions, decisions…..
thanks again!
My friend gave this pink little thing called “Steam Your Bling” and it seems to work pretty well… All it is, is a little container you put you rings (bling) into and then into your dishwasher on normal cycle. So far I like it. I guess the only thing you have to do it only use liquid soap in your dishwasher. I don’t know what other stones or metals you can use it with, but my ring is a diamond and white gold. I think there is more info on their website… It’s http://www.steamyourbling.com I think.
Good all!!!!
In terms of cleaning my ring, the jeweler who made my ring recommended 1/2 Mr Clean & 1/2 warm water mixture or soaking in water & dishsoap.The jeweler recommended not using any sort of brush which might loosen your stones & using cleaning mixtures with ammonia may cause rhodium to turn black. The Mr Clean & water mixture in a ultrasonic cleaner works wonders on my rings.
I use the sharper image ultrasonic cleaner once a week. It is amazing how shiny the ring is afterwards.
i use a tiny make up brush (that i don’t use on my face) and soap and warm water. i find the fine hairs of the brush work well to get into the tight little areas and is gentler than a toothbrush.
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Mrs. Bell Pepper, Philadelphia
Age and Occupation: 28, Resident Physician
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Resident Physician
Engagement Date: May 30, 2006
Wedding Date: June 2007
Venue: Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
About Me: I love whimsical details and design, everything that *sparkles*, sipping on hazelnut lattes, pugs, shopping for antiques and second-hand goods, scenic photography, delicate flowers, and checking out new restaurants in the city with my fianc??. We are planning our wedding at a unique city venue for about 75 close family members and friends. I have a lot of DIY ideas and I like to blog about ways to save money on your wedding.
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