When it comes to the most expensive pieces of jewelry you’ve ever owned, like your diamond engagement ring, you should take care of them often. How about using items around your house to clean rings at home? It’s affordable and gives instant results.
Jewelry cleaners can run upwards of $6, which isn’t bad, but almost free is better. If you’re looking for a good jewelry cleaner that works, you may be surprised at what you find here. (Banana jewelry cleaner, anyone?!)
Regardless of the method used, always bring a gentle touch when cleaning your diamond engagement ring. If you’re not careful, you could loosen the diamond or scratch the metal.
Check out these 14 DIY ways to clean your diamond engagement ring at home with household items. Download The Krazy Coupon Lady app for more tips and the best jewelry deals.
1. How to clean rings with ketchup — especially great for polishing tarnished silver.
If you’ve ever wondered how to clean a tarnished ring, especially one made of silver, look no further.
Ketchup can completely transform your tarnished silver engagement ring within 15 minutes, thanks to the acid from the tomatoes and vinegar. Submerge your ring in a shallow bowl of ketchup and let sit for five to 10 minutes (don’t leave it in too long or the acid could cause damage).
Remove the ring and scrub it with a super soft (and clean) toothbrush. Rinse with warm water, dry, and you’re good to go
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2. Use beer as a jewelry cleaner to make your gold shine.
How to clean rings at home with beer? Bet you never thought you’d be asking that.
Pour a bit of lager on a soft, clean cloth and gently rub your ring — but not your diamond. Then dry the band.
Hops used in beer brewing contain alpha acids that help to polish dirt and grime off gold jewelry. Lighter beers contain fewer hops, so the acidity is just right to polish the metal while protecting your ring.
A couple things to note: don’t use a dark beer, and make sure your diamond engagement ring is solid gold or gold-plated without gemstones.
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3. How to clean rings with vodka: just pour and wipe.
Pour vodka on a clean cloth and use it as a jewelry cleaner. Wipe your jewelry with it — or set your ring in a shot glass of vodka, take out, and dry.
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4. Apply vinegar and tea tree oil for any type of metal.
Place your ring in a jar. Pour in half a cup of vinegar and a few drops of tea tree oil for a DIY jewelry cleaner. Tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant, and it’s also antifungal.
Leave the ring soaking overnight. In the morning, take the ring out and clean it with a toothbrush that has a little baking soda on it. Wash and rinse with water.
5. Lemon juice, water, and dry instant milk is a great DIY ring cleaner for silver.
Mix one tablespoon of lemon juice with half a cup of water and dry instant milk. Let your ring soak overnight, and it’ll be sparkling clean the next morning.
6. How to clean silver rings with a banana (yes!).
How to clean rings with a banana? Not only are bananas a great source of potassium, but they do wonders for silver.
Blend a banana with water to make a DIY ring cleaner paste. Apply the paste to the ring using a toothbrush or a soft cloth. Let the banana paste dry, rinse with water, and pat dry.
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7. Use Windex with hydrogen peroxide to clean a silver or gold ring.
These two partners in crime will help you clean a silver or gold diamond ring. In a small bowl, combine equal parts Windex and hydrogen peroxide.
Let your diamond engagement ring sit in the solution for 10 – 15 minutes. After that, use a soft toothbrush to remove any extra built-up residue. Then rinse the ring and dry with a clean cloth.
8. Clean rings with dish soap and warm water.
This trick will work for your platinum, gold, white gold, and silver diamond engagement rings. It’s the most highly recommended method for cleaning rings across the board. (See the FAQ at the end of this article.)
Use a few drops of Dawn dish soap and warm water. Soak your jewelry for 20 – 40 minutes, and use a gentle toothbrush to scrub the ring. Rinse and dry.
9. Use SimpleGreen to clean all metal types.
How to clean rings is a question jewelers get a lot. The pro who made my diamond engagement ring said to skip all the expensive store-bought jewelry cleaners and invest in Simple Green. It’s safe to use on your ring and will gently remove any built-up grit and grime.
Spray Simple Green on your diamond engagement ring, then gently scrub with a toothbrush. Rinse with warm water and dry. I do this every couple days to keep my ring sparkling bright.
10. Apply toothpaste and a toothbrush on any type of metal.
Put a little toothpaste on an old toothbrush and use it to make your diamond engagement ring sparkle instead of your teeth. Clean off the residue with a damp cloth.
It’s best to use a mild toothpaste for cleaning your gold objects. Tooth-whitening pastes can potentially damage your jewelry, so stay away from those.
11. Clean gold rings with sodium-free seltzer water or club soda.
Put the jewelry into a small strainer and place it in the bowl of plain seltzer water to soak for about five minutes. Swish it around, fishing out each piece to go over settings and crevices with a soft toothbrush. Return items to the strainer and rinse under running water. Dry with a soft cloth.
12. How to clean gold rings with a denture tablet (weird, but it works!)
This DIY tip works well on gold and platinum bands. Plus, it’s safe for diamonds or other hard stones. Drop a denture tablet into a glass containing a cup of water and set your ring into the glass. Let it sit for a few minutes, and then remove your ring and rinse.
13. Use baking soda and water to remove tarnish from silver.
Make a thick paste with 1/4 cup baking soda and two tablespoons of water. Apply paste with a damp kitchen sponge and gently rub, rinse, and buff dry.
To polish gold jewelry, cover it with a light coating of baking soda and pour a bit of white vinegar over it. Then rinse clean.
14. Polish silver with aluminum foil and baking soda.
Line a tray with a piece of crumpled aluminum foil and place your jewelry on the foil. Sprinkle a layer of baking soda over the jewelry, then pour hot water over it.
The tarnish will transfer from the jewelry to the foil. You may need to flip or move the jewelry around so all sides come in contact with the foil. Remove your ring and rinse it well with water.
15. Buy the best reviewed ring cleaner under $10 on Amazon and do it the old-fashioned way.
The Connoisseurs Precious Jewelry Cleaner is only $5.55 (at the time of this writing). It has 4.5 stars with over 59,000 Amazon ratings. Reviewers note that they can’t tell the difference between a professional cleaning and this ring cleaner. They also say there’s no residue left after you use it.
It works for gold, white gold, and platinum. For white gold, be sure not to let it soak overnight so as not to rub off your ring’s rhodium plating.
How to Clean Rings: Frequently Asked Questions
How to clean diamond rings:
First, never use toothpaste (or any other abrasive) on a diamond. Never use bleach, although an ammonia solution is fine.
Beyond that, a mild detergent like dish soap and warm water along with a soft bristle toothbrush to gently scrub works just fine. Make sure to clean the back of the diamond if you can access it. That’s one spot where dirt and grime likes to accumulate.
How to clean Moissanite rings:
You’ll want to clean your Moissanite ring at least once a month to keep it from looking overly dull. Dish soap, warm water, and a toothbrush work.
How to clean an opal ring:
For opals, a mild soap and water wash with a toothbrush scrub works just fine, too. Never ever use an ultrasonic cleaner on your opal, as the stone can crack from the vibrations. Don’t use bleach, cleaners, or chemicals either. Doublets or triplets can become damaged from water.
How to clean a tungsten ring:
Dish soap and warm water works on tungsten rings, too. Let your ring soak in the solution if it has stubborn residue that won’t come off after you gently use a toothbrush.
How to clean a pure titanium ring:
Like the other methods, gentle is best here. Soak in a combination of warm water and mild soap for five minutes. Remove any remaining dirt with a soft cloth.
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