jewelry polishing cloth

Read on to find out the best methods for cleaning rings with some storage solution recommendations.  All rings become dull and lose their luster over time. Learn if cleaning rings means you have to go to a jeweler or if you can clean your rings at home.

We’ve created a complete guide on how to clean and store your rings.  Keep them sparkling and ensure your precious jewelry pieces last a lifetime.

You will find tips for cleaning gold rings, silver rings, platinum, demi-fine jewelry, pearls, and diamond engagement rings.

Reusable Jewelry Polishing Cloths for Cleaning Rings

Dust, dirt, sweat, and personal hygiene products can all discolor and tarnish gold, silver, and platinum.  However, it’s easy to get your rings sparkling again with some simple home cleaning tips.

When self-cleaning your jewelry, you don’t want to use abrasive cleaning products that could damage your precious pieces. So if in doubt, keep it simple.

Jewelry cleaning cloths are designed to be gentle with fragile metals. And they can be relied upon to clean all the precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, rose gold, white gold, and silver.

For more metal-specific ring cleaning and storage tips, as well as some homemade methods, read on.

Check out the Connoisseur ultra-soft jewelry cleaning/polishing cloth for silver and gold available from Walmart online at a great price! The lighter side of the cloth cleans and the darker side polishes.

cleaning rings

silver cleaning cloth

Here is the cloth for the silver

How to Clean Gold Rings at Home

This delicate jewelry cleaner kit will help clean rings in 30 seconds. The modern & compact cleaning kit from Connoisseurs which includes a dip tray and touch-up brush and polishing cloths for both silver and gold, is available from Walmart online at under $10!

cleaning kit

Alternatively, for a homemade solution to clean your fine gold rings, fill a small bowl with warm water and add a teaspoon of regular dish soap. Allow your rings to soak in the solution for 10-15 minutes.

If the tarnishing is particularly bad you can add half a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate or a little soda water to help lift the grime. If necessary, brush with a very soft toothbrush to remove any stubborn debris.

Rinse well with warm water and dry immediately with a soft lint-free towel.

Does Beer Clean Fine Gold Jewelry?

beer for cleaning jewelry

Light Beer for Cleaning Gold Jewelry

Yes, it does. Beer is excellent for cleaning and shining fine gold rings. Specifically a light beer.

Hops (a flower used during the beer brewing process) contain alpha acids which are great at cleaning and polishing gold.

Just dip a clean and soft cloth in a little light beer and gently rub the ring. Once you’re done, dry it with a clean cloth.

How to Clean Gold-filled, Vermeil, and Gold-plated Rings

Similar to cleaning fine gold, fill a small bowl with warm water and a teaspoon of mild dish soap to clean demi-fine rings. But instead of letting the ring soak, dip a soft towel in the water and rub the gold-filled, vermeil, or gold-plated rings gently.

For nooks and crannies, or any stubborn tarnishing, you can use a q-tip.

With gold-filled, vermeil, or gold-plated rings it is vital to dry the rings immediately to prevent tarnishing.

vermeil ring

Check out this 14k yellow gold vermeil infinity Ring from Aurate New York. If you are quick there are special discounts available.

Cleaning Rings made out of Platinum

Jewelers recommend cleaning rings made out of Platinum regularly to keep them clean and sparkling. Although incredibly durable, platinum can lose its natural shine due to simple everyday products like hand creams and soaps.

Luckily there are some easy options to help keep your platinum rings clean and sparkling at home.

Product-wise, some easy and convenient jewelry cleaners can be used on platinum. Like the Fine Jewelry Cleaner from Connoisseur mentioned in the gold cleaning section above.

Alternatively, a solution of warm water and dish soap is also cheap and easy to clean a platinum ring. Allowing it to soak for 20-30 minutes will clean any residue and restore the ring to its original luster. You can leave it to dry naturally or use a lint-free cloth.

How to Clean Silver Rings

Although silver rings generally maintain their shine when worn frequently, cleaning rings is advised for the ultimate sparkle.

Check out this best-seller sterling silver amber leaf ring from Ruby and Oscar.

silver amber leaf ring

The best method for cleaning silver rings is a simple mixture of warm water and a teaspoon of mild dish soap or baby shampoo. Allow the rings to soak for 5-10 minutes before rinsing with warm water.

To dry silver rings, gently rub them with a jewelry polishing cloth.  Don’t use paper towels because they scratch the silver.

You may find other methods online to clean silver jewelry involving, vinegar, baking soda, or a mixture of lemon and olive oil.

If using these methods, be careful cleaning silver rings containing gemstones as they could be harmed by vinegar and baking soda.

Cleaning Rings with a Gemstone

Different types of gemstones will react differently to brushing and cleaning chemicals. So it is always best to first determine the type of gemstone and its hardness before deciding on the best cleaning method.

A gemstone’s hardness is a measure of its resistance to scratching. And Mohs Hardness Scale is a great tool to understand where your gemstones sit on the hardness scale.

https://www.nps.gov/articles/mohs-hardness-scale.htm

Understanding what your gemstone is compatible with will also help you to use the proper cleaning method.  For more information on cleaning various types of gemstones, check out the Gem Society’s guide to maintaining gemstones.

https://www.gemsociety.org/article/care-maintenance-gemstones

Below, we’ve outlined instructions for cleaning diamonds, amethyst, jade, opals, and pearls

How to Clean Diamond Rings

For the precious pieces in your jewelry collection, you could invest in an Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner.

The Fosmon Jewelry cleaner uses only water and its ultrasonic waves quickly remove dirt and grime without any harsh chemicals. There are 18 preset timer settings so that you can clean almost anything in a few minutes or anything up to 30 minutes. Thus cleaning rings becomes a doddle! The machine generates 42000 Hz of ultrasonic waves.

ultrasonic jewelry cleaner

Alternatively, a homemade mixture of warm water and mild dish soap will remove grime from fine diamond jewelry.

Allowing a diamond ring to soak for 15-30 minutes is recommended. Then gently brush the band and diamonds with a soft, clean toothbrush to remove any remaining dirt.

Once clean, rinse the ring with cold water and dry it with a soft, lint-free cloth.

This method also works for jade stones, opals, and amethyst.

How to Clean a Pearl Ring

Pearls are different from gemstones.  And the cleaning process is too.

Pearls should not be soaked. And the temperature of the water is important.

Water that is too hot or too cold can damage pearls. So mix a solution of lukewarm water with just a few drops of mild dish soap.  Then dip a soft cloth into the water and gently wipe the pearls.

You can wipe the ring with the same solution. To remove any remaining grit from the ring band, use a soft toothbrush to gently brush it away. Never use the toothbrush on the pearls or you may damage the surface.

Lastly, use a soft cloth to pat the pearls dry, being careful not to rub.

4 Top Tips to Care for Your Rings

Cleaning rings frequently is a great start to caring for your rings. However, there are some general care tips you can apply in between cleans too.

1.    Remove Your Rings Before Exercise

Removing your rings before exercising will ensure that no unnecessary strain is put on your ring. Certain exercises can be forceful enough to loosen the stones over time or change the shape of the band.

Additionally, sweat will dull the sparkle of your rings.

When removing rings before exercise be sure to store them in a special ring pouch to avoid them being scratched in your bag. Check out these multi-colored elegant embroidered pouches available from Walmart. There are 3 sizes to choose from.

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2.    Remove Rings Before House Cleaning

Because all metals and gemstones react differently to cleaning products, it is advisable to remove rings before cleaning.

Common household cleaners, for example, contain chemicals like bleach and chlorine that can corrode and dull the surface of your rings.

Therefore, removing your rings before cleaning and ensuring they are stored in a safe place, will keep them sparkling like new for longer.

Check out this cactus jewelry dish tray available from Walmart online

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3.    Remove Rings Before Showering or Swimming

The occasional shower is not going to adversely damage your rings. Over time, however, certain contaminants and chemicals in the water can tarnish and dull your rings.

You can prevent this, by removing your rings before you shower and storing them in a safe place, like the ring dish mentioned above.

Chlorine in swimming pools can also be damaging to precious metals and gemstones. Additionally, your hands can change size when in the pool or the ocean. So it’s best not to risk rings slipping off and getting lost.

4.    Avoid Resizing Your Rings Too Much

While it’s perfectly normal for fingers to change size over a lifetime, it is not advisable to resize your rings too much.

Changing the size of your ring too many times can make it more fragile and susceptible to irreparable damage.

If you are considering resizing your ring more than once, speak with your jeweler for advice first.

How to Store Your Rings Correctly

First off, before storing your rings, always ensure they are clean and dry by following the cleaning tips mentioned earlier.

Removing any tarnish or grime from rings that will be stored for over a week is especially recommended. Storing tarnished rings with untarnished rings will only cause them to tarnish too.

Moisture is one of the main culprits for causing rings to tarnish. So ensure your rings are completely dry before storing them. For example, if you washed your hands, or got caught in the rain, make sure you dry your rings before putting them away.

High humidity is another cause of rings becoming tarnished. So if you live in a hot climate think about putting on the air conditioner in the room where your precious rings are stored. Alternatively, you can use silica packets within your jewelry box to absorb excess moisture.

Silica gel dessicant

How to Store Fine Gold Rings & Engagement Rings

Always store your fine jewelry so the pieces are not touching one another. Diamonds, for example, can scratch other stones or metals.

In addition, never store pearls inside a plastic jewelry box or pouch. Instead, use a wooden or leather box with felt lining, as plastic can cause the condition of pearls to deteriorate.

Using a compartmentalized jewelry box like the one below makes storing your rings and jewelry much easier. The box is divided into 3 layers with a high-definition mirror. It is finished with PU anti-scratch leather and can be divided into two parts. The first part with a lock can be for more precious items. It is available from Walmart

jewelry box

When traveling, this more compact jewelry box from Walmart online is the perfect place to store rings and other jewelry. It’s also ideal for keeping precious pieces separate from your demi-fine rings. It is available in blue, pink, and black and is lined with soft velvet. It is small enough to pop into your handbag and is perfect for a trip out of town.

jewelry travel case

How to Store Silver Rings

Silver rings are best stored in a felt-lined jewelry box. The felt aids in absorbing any excess moisture that could tarnish the rings.

However, silver rings maintain their shine when worn frequently, so try to remember to alternate your silver ring choices and wear each one as often as possible.

Before storing your silver rings, remember to clean them and dry them completely.

Check out my post: WHY MEN’S SILVER RINGS ARE THE EPITOME OF COOL

Check out this Hives and Honey rectangular case fully lined with anti-tarnish felt available from Walmart online at a special price.

jewelry organiser

How to Store Vermeil, Gold-Filled & Gold-Plated Rings

To maintain the sparkle of your vermeil, gold-filled, and gold-plated rings, store them in a felt-lined jewelry box. Also, ensure your demi-fine pieces are kept separate from other pieces to avoid any scratching from heavier metals or gemstones.

Alternatively, you can wrap your demi-fine rings in a soft cloth and store them in a wooden drawer. An air-tight zip lock bag is another great option for storing demi-fine rings to protect them from corroding.

Whichever storage option you choose always keep your demi-fine rings away from direct sunlight.

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Conclusion

Whether your rings are precious pieces or demi-fine, cleaning rings is important and it’s natural to want them to sparkle like new. Gold, platinum, silver, vermeil, or gold-filled rings will last longer and shine brighter with the proper care and storage.

And hopefully, our guide for cleaning and storing your rings has helped.

For more helpful guides on choosing and caring for your rings, be sure to keep an eye on our blog. We also appreciate your feedback on what you’d like to learn about rings. So feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments below.

You’ll find direct links to all the rings and products listed in our blog about cleaning and storing rings.

Check out my post: Jewelry Allergy: How to avoid this really annoying issue! 

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