How to Clean Diamond Ring With Toothpaste (Step By Step Guide)

Lindsey, do you know how to clean a diamond ring with toothpaste? This is one of the questions our readers ask a lot. Well, we´ve got you covered.

From your grandma’s antique round-cut wedding ring to your very own halo-cut engagement set, diamonds come in an array of shapes and sizes and are so much more than just jewelry to their owners.

For these reasons, it is so important to keep your diamond ring in the best shape possible by cleaning it every so often, or any time it gets visibly dirty.

You can clean a diamond ring with toothpaste, hot water, and mild soap, using a soft bristled toothbrush to wipe away debris and a clean cloth to dry it up.

Here are the 8 steps you need to clean your diamond ring with toothpaste, which include:

Step 1: Mix Water and Soap

Step 2: Soak Your Diamond Ring

Step 3: Grab a Toothbrush and Scrub

Step 4: Add Your Toothpaste

Step 5: Go Back to the Soapy Solution

Step 6: Soak the Ring a Second Time

Step Seven: Dry Your Diamond With a Soft Cloth

Step Eight: Finish Up By Air Drying

How to Clean Diamond Ring With Toothpaste

For those of you looking to clean their diamond rings at home, here is a quick and simple step by step guide to follow.

Keep in mind that diamonds can be scratched with abrasive materials, and the chemicals in some tubes of toothpaste can corrode the metals quickly.

What You Will need

Before you can have it, you should first gather all of the items required to accomplish the task at hand. Here is a list of what you will need when cleaning a diamond ring with toothpaste. 

• A small bowl (A cereal bowl or small mixing bowl will do just fine)
• A mild liquid soap (Think Dawn)
• Toothpaste (No gel)
• Warm Water (Do not boil the water)
• Soft bristle toothbrush
• A soft, clean, lint free cloth

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How to Clean Your Diamond Ring

Now that you have all your supplies laid out, it is time to use a little elbow grease to get the job done. Here are some detailed step by step instructions to help you restore your ring’s shine. 

Step 1: Mix Water and Soap

The first step to cleaning your diamond ring is to fill the small bowl with lukewarm water. Make sure the water isn’t too hot. (There are some jewelers out there that recommend boiling water to clean your diamonds, but this can be a dangerous idea. Unless you know what you are doing, boiling water can harm your ring.)

Now place a few drops of the mild soap into the bowl of water, stirring it up well. Use a mild dishwashing detergent such as Dawn to ensure the solution is gentle on the stone.

Step 2: Soak Your Diamond Ring

Once your soap is mixed into the water thoroughly, drop the diamond ring into the solution and allow it to soak for no more than 10 minutes.

Any longer than ten minutes is not recommended as it can lead to corrosion. 

Step 3: Grab a Toothbrush and Scrub

Dip your soft bristled toothbrush into the soapy water, then gently scrub the diamond portion only. Make sure to clean every bit of the diamond before moving on to the next step.

Do not attempt to scrub the ring with a hard bristled toothbrush. Doing so can and will lead to subtle yet noticeable scratches on your diamond.

Step 4: Add Your Toothpaste

Add a minimal amount of toothpaste to your toothbrush and clean only the diamond using a circular scrubbing motion.

Keep the momentum slow and methodical to ensure you keep the diamond from being damaged in any way. 

To ensure a deeper and more efficient clean, you should consider toothpaste with baking soda or peroxide in the ingredients.

Step 5: Go Back to the Soapy Solution

After giving your diamond a good rub down with the toothpaste, you should rinse the toothbrush off and recoat the ring with the water and soap solution.

Before attempting this step, do a double check to ensure the toothpaste is no longer on the toothbrush.

Once you are sure it is clean, dip the brush back into the soapy water and clean the diamond once more. Doing this is essential to ensure the toothpaste is cleared away.

Step 6: Soak the Ring a Second Time

Now you want to drop the ring back into the bowl of soap and water. Let it sit here for only a few minutes, allowing it to loosen the remaining residue from the ring. 

This step is crucial because it will remove any leftover abrasives or chemicals that can cause damage to your diamond if left on for too long.

Step 7: Dry Your Diamond With a Soft Cloth

Using a clean, soft, and lint-free cloth, preferably cotton is the best way to dry your diamond ring. Making sure the fabric you use is soft and clean is crucial because even the most minor debris can scratch diamonds. 

Rub the cloth over the entire stone and wipe away as much moisture as you possibly can.

Step 8: Finish Up By Air Drying

Finally, you should lay your diamond ring on top of the cloth and allow it to sit out and air dry for an hour or so. Giving it time to finish drying 100% will prevent it from rusting. 

how to clean a diamond with toothpaste >> Check out the video below:

What is the Best Toothpaste for Cleaning a Diamond Ring?

A non-gel toothpaste is the best option for cleaning jewelry. While many professionals will tell you not to use toothpaste at all, all of them agree the ingredients in the gel can be damaging. 

The best type of toothpaste to use is a basic paste with baking soda. Baking soda is a fantastic cleaning agent on its own and can work wonders on your diamonds. 

You can even clean your ring with just a baking soda and warm water mixture, nixing the toothpaste altogether. Either way, be careful not to get the solution near the metal.

Should You Use Toothpaste for the Metal Portion of Your Ring?

You really shouldn’t get the toothpaste near the gold or silver ring band. Toothpaste can be pretty abrasive and can stretch your jewelry.

All you need to clean the metal portion of your ring is some warm water, a gentle soap, and an old toothbrush.

If your diamond ring isn’t very dirty and you are cleaning it just to freshen it up, you can simply drop it into the water, soapy mixture, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe it clean with a soft cloth.

Isn’t Toothpaste to Abrasive for Diamond Rings?

Depending on who you ask, some professionals will tell you never to clean your ring with toothpaste. They will tell you that doing so can scratch the diamond and damage the metal band. 

There is some truth to this and science to back it up. While most people believe that if toothpaste is safe for your teeth, it should defiantly be okay to use on diamonds since they are harder.

This is absolutely true; on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, diamonds rate a 10 of 10, whereas the hardness of tooth enamel is a 5.

Which means any toothpaste that doesn’t scratch your teeth shouldn’t be an issue for a diamond, right? Technically yes, that is correct. However, not all kinds of toothpaste are good for your teeth.

When choosing a toothpaste to clean your diamond jewelry, make sure it doesn’t have harsh additives like those in whiting toothpaste or tarter control products.

What is the Best Way to Protect Your Diamond Ring?

Keeping your diamond ring securely locked away in a tightly sealed container or a quality jewelry box is going to protect it from the environment while hiding it from the world at the same time.

Who wants to lock up their favorite jewelry in order to keep it safe? When there are many things, you can do to protect it while it can still be shown off.

• Take it for inspection– Taking your ring for inspection by a professional jeweler can ensure the diamond is in good shape, and they can coat it with a protective agent if needed.
• Take it off when cleaning- Household cleaners can wreak havoc on a diamond ring. The abrasives can scratch the diamond and metal, while the chemicals can create cloudiness or spots on the stone. 
• Don’t wear your ring in the pool- When hanging out poolside or enjoying a night in the hot tub, take off your diamond ring. Chlorine can be very harsh on jewelry. 
• Take it off When Doing Tough Jobs– If you are working on a project that requires a lot of hard labor, remove the ring to avoid any damage. 
• Don’t wear when baking or cooking- Remove your jewelry when baking or cooking food. This will reduce the amount of gunk that can cake up inside the jewelry requiring more cleaning the necessary.

Diamond Ring Cleaning FAQs

How Often Should You Clean Your Diamond Ring?

If you wear your ring daily, you should clean it once every 4-6 weeks. If it is something that only comes out on special occasions, a good cleaning can be done twice a year.

Is it Safe to Use Toothpaste to Clean All Types of Jewelry?

While toothpaste is relatively safe to use on diamonds, it is not a good option for cleaning many other gems, stones, and metals. Only use toothpaste on a diamond ring and be very careful not to scrub the surrounding materials.

Do Diamonds Get Dirty Easily?

Diamonds are strong and resilient stones. However, they can quickly accumulate dirt and debris, causing gunk to build, especially on the jewelry you wear every single day.

Things like hair products, lotions, sanitizers, food, etc., can cause your diamond to look dull or discolored.

What Other Products Can You Use to Clean Your Diamond Ring?

While toothpaste works really well for cleaning diamonds inside your ring, it isn’t the only option out there. You can also use warm water and soap, baking soda and soap, or rubbing alcohol.

You can also purchase a diamond jewelry cleaner or simply take your ring to a professional. 

How Much Does it Cost to Have Your Diamond Ring Clean By Professionals?

Professional cleaning isn’t really all that expensive. Most places you go will charge between $25 and 50 dollars. You are essentially paying for the person’s time, which doesn’t take very long at all. 

Summing Things Up

While cleaning your ring with toothpaste isn’t the best solution for long-term care, it is a great way to get stuck dirt and debris off your diamond quickly.

As long as you are careful and only use the products recommended above, you shouldn’t have any problems getting your diamond to shine like it did when it was first placed on your finger.

References

https://www.brides.com/story/how-to-clean-engagement-ring