How to Keep Your Engagement Ring Looking Beautiful – Tips for Cleaning & Polishing

Cleaning your engagement ring is easier than you might think. All you need is lukewarm water, a drop of mild washing-up liquid and a soft toothbrush.

In just a few minutes, you can remove everyday dirt and restore the ring’s shine. You don’t need any special products, and you can do it at home at your kitchen table. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to clean your ring step by step, explain the difference between gold and white gold, tell you what you can safely polish yourself, and when it’s time to take the ring in for professional polishing or rhodium plating.

Why Your Ring Becomes Dull

An engagement ring is worn every day, and everyday life takes its toll. Skin oils, hand cream, soap and cooking leave a thin film on both the metal and the stone. Diamonds also attract grease, and even a light coating on the underside of the stone can affect how light is reflected through it. The result is that the diamond may appear less clear and vibrant than it actually is.

The good news is that the dirt is almost always just on the surface. With gentle cleaning at home, you can restore most of its lustre, without needing any special equipment.

Cleaning an Engagement Ring – Step by Step

If you wear your ring every day, it’s a good idea to clean it regularly. This prevents build-up from accumulating to the same extent, and the ring retains its lustre over time. Here’s how to clean your engagement ring at home, in a way that’s gentle on both the metal and the diamonds.

1. Fill a bowl with lukewarm water and add a drop of mild washing-up liquid. Do not use hot water. Sudden changes in temperature are not good for gemstones.
2. Leave the ring to soak for 15–20 minutes so that the film of grease and soap dissolves.
3. Gently brush with a soft toothbrush, paying particular attention to the area beneath the stone where dirt tends to accumulate. Do not apply pressure; let the brush do the work.
4. Rinse the ring in lukewarm water. Put the plug in the sink first, or rinse it over a bowl.
5. Dry with a lint-free cloth and allow the ring to air-dry completely before putting it back on.

Cleaning Gold or White Gold Rings – How Care Differs

The method above works for all our metals, but there are a few differences worth bearing in mind when polishing.

Gold withstands cleaning very well, but is a relatively soft metal that can be scratched by abrasive materials. The higher the carat, the softer the gold. An 18-carat gold ring is softer than a 9-carat one and deserves extra care.

White gold has a thin surface layer of rhodium, which gives it a bright, mirror-like finish. Nowadays, all white gold rings are rhodium-plated as standard. The coating is hard-wearing, but should be treated with care. When cleaning white gold, we therefore recommend using a soft brush and mild washing-up liquid, and avoiding polishing compounds which can wear down the surface unnecessarily.

Polishing & Cleaning

If you want to refresh the shine between cleanings, a polishing cloth designed for gold is a good tool. It removes minor dullness and fingerprints without damaging the metal. On white gold, the polishing cloth should be used sparingly, as the rhodium plating must not be polished away.

However, avoid home remedies such as toothpaste and bicarbonate of soda. These are abrasive and can cause small scratches in the metal. Silver polish is designed for silver and should not be used on gold rings. If the ring has deeper scratches or a dull surface that does not disappear when cleaned, a goldsmith can help restore its lustre through professional polishing.

Check the Setting

Cleaning is also a good opportunity to check that the ring is in good condition. Look at the setting and check that the prongs are snug against the stone. If a stone feels loose or makes a faint rattling sound, the ring should not be worn until it has been checked by a jeweller. Minor adjustments are often easier to fix when detected early.

Rings with lots of small stones, such as wedding bands and pavé-set designs, may need a little extra care. Dirt can easily accumulate between the stones, and a soft toothbrush can help to reach these areas. Brush gently along the row of stones to clean thoroughly without putting unnecessary strain on the settings.

Rhodium plating – when your white gold ring needs a new shine

Rhodium plating involves applying a new layer of rhodium to the ring – the same treatment that gives white gold its bright, white finish. Over time, this layer gradually wears away, usually starting on the underside of the ring where it is most exposed to contact and wear. An early sign is that the metal begins to take on a slightly warmer tone on the most exposed parts.

What to Avoid

The best care is preventative care. Please store the ring in its box when you are not wearing it, and avoid leaving it loose amongst other jewellery. Diamonds are one of the hardest materials in existence and can scratch both metals and other gemstones on contact. Remove the ring when you:

• Swim in a pool or the sea; chlorine and salt water wear down both the metal and any surface coatings.
• Exercising, lifting weights or working with your hands – metal can bend and gemstones can get damaged.
• Cleaning with strong cleaning products or gardening.
• Apply a generous amount of hand cream or sun cream and wait until it has been absorbed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I clean my engagement ring?
Regular cleaning goes a long way if you wear the ring every day. It only takes a few minutes and helps to preserve both the diamond’s lustre and the metal’s finish. A professional service about once a year is a good complement to this.

Can I use an ultrasonic cleaner at home?
Be careful. Ultrasonic cleaning is effective, but in rare cases the vibrations can affect stones that are already loose in their settings. If you’re unsure, water, washing-up liquid and a soft brush are always a safe option.

Can I polish the ring with toothpaste?
No. Toothpaste contains abrasive particles that can scratch the metal. On white gold, it can also wear away the rhodium-plated surface. Instead, use a polishing cloth designed for jewellery if you want to restore the shine.

How do I know when my white gold ring needs re-rhodium plating?
When the bright white surface starts to take on a slightly warmer tone – often first on the underside of the band – it may be time to have the ring re-rhodium plated. How quickly this happens varies depending on how often the ring is worn, but it is usually a matter of years rather than months.

How do I clean a ring with lots of small diamonds?
In the same way as a solitaire ring, but with a little more patience. Feel free to leave the ring to soak for a bit longer and brush along the rows of stones; this will loosen the dirt between the stones without you having to apply pressure. Do take the opportunity to check that all the stones are securely set after cleaning.

Keep Your Ring Sparkling

With just a few minutes here and there, you can keep your engagement ring just as sparkling as the day you received it. Would you like more advice on how to look after your ring in everyday life? Read this Care Guide