If there’s something that we love here at Wedded Wonderland, it’s a stunning diamond ring. The shinier the better, and watching the way a diamond catches the light is a sight we don’t think we’ll ever get sick of. But of course, such breathtaking beauty can only come with a pretty hefty price tag, so when you’re dishing out bucket loads of cash, you expect to get your money’s worth.

A diamond ring is something you’d hope will sparkle and shine for the entirety of your ownership of it, but naturally, that won’t happen if you’re not taking good enough care of it. While you should regularly take a visit to your jeweller for a professional clean, there are certain things you can do at home in between visits, that will help you keep that million-dollar look.

What Not To Do

Before we get properly into the how of keeping your diamond ring clean, it’s important to focus on all the things you should be avoiding.

First, stop wearing it 24/7. We know that it’s easier said than done, especially for our more recent fiancees, but you need to learn to just put it away sometimes.

What we mean by this is, don’t wear it while you’re in the shower, don’t wear it while cleaning the house or doing the dishes, and don’t wear it when slathering yourself with moisturises and body lotions.

Why?

Well, it essentially damages your ring, and while it might not be immediately noticeable, it’ll accumulate and show over time. In the shower, the shampoos and soaps that you use can be abrasive to the band of your ring, and they can actually cause micro scratches. The term micro does suggest that yes, the scratches are too small to be seen, but they eventually build up to become a lot more noticeable. The same goes with wearing it while doing the dishes, with the added concern that you might hit it on one of your plates and potentially nudge a stone and set it loose. Also, in both the shower and the kitchen sink, there’s no guarantee that the ring won’t fall off your hand and down the drain.

Just like with the majority of jewellery, you shouldn’t keep them on while using any moisturises, because the ingredients in the products you use can dull the shine of your bling and even cause them to lose their colour. A similar thing goes for the natural oils in your skin, so it’s good to get the jewels off every once in a while.

The last thing we need to add here isn’t exactly going to affect how your ring will look, but it’s kind of important. Just in case any of you considered taking a dip in the pool or at the beach with your ring on, please don’t. The cold water can actually make your fingers shrink down a bit, which then makes your ring a lot more loose, ultimately causing it to fall off and into the murky depths of the water. And you can’t keep your ring shiny if there is no ring, right?

1. Warm, Soapy Water

Now to get into the at-home method to keeping your diamond ring clean, your first step is to clog up your sink and fill it up with some warm, soapy water. You can also use a bowl if you’re a little too paranoid to keep your ring anywhere near a drain. You don’t need anything fancy with the soap, a mild dish soap is all you’ll need. Now just pop your ring in and let it soak for ten minutes.

2. Gently Scrub

Find yourself a very soft bristled toothbrush and start scrubbing away at your ring. You want to be as absolutely gently as possible. We cannot stress this enough. Calm, light, and gentle.

3. Rinse

Once you’re done with the GENTLE scrubbing, give your ring a really good rinse. Don’t be shy here, because you want all the soapy suds and any dirt you brushed off to be completely gone.

4. Dry It Off

After rinsing, blot dry your ring with a micro-fibre cloth. Don’t use paper towel or any old rag, because you want something that’s a lot softer, which the micro-fibre definitely is.

Now that your ring is dry, you can pretty much stop here. But, if you do want that extra sparkle and shine, invest in a qood quality jewellery polishing cloth to give your ring one final rub.

And you’re done! Goodbye dull diamond, and hello sparkling stones.

Written by Hanan Merheb

Cover photo by @thecaratclub