Don't know where to post this but how do I clean my wedding rings?

[Swifey]

Both my rings are platinum and diamond and they are a looking not as sparkling as before, probably because I never take them off!! I could take them back to the jewellers as I have done once before but I was wondering if anyone had any good ideas on here??? Thanks x

Fairy liquid and an old toothbrush gently all over brings mine up nicely but nothing matches a proper clean and polish from the jeweller. Mine advises an annual MOT to ensure the stones haven't loosened etc. and does it for free.

Jeweller

Gin! But only a thimble-full - don't want to waste it. ;)

Soak them in vodka for 20 mins and buff clean with dry cloth. Sparkles them up well

if it is just gold or platinum and diamonds, soak in warm water with fairy liquid, then soft brush the next day round the back of the mount if necessary. Gold and diamonds both attract grease from the skin (you can tell people who wash up by hand because they have shiny jewellery). You do not need any abrasive polish or cleaner such as toothpaste.

Grease is (was?) used to capture gold particles in mining and make them float to the top of water tanks (this is true), hence the story of the golden fleece.

Opals in particular, but also pears and emeralds, need careful cleaning if plain soapy water will not do it.

There is an objection to vigorous brushing because it can dislodge stones or catch in claws and bend them. So be careful rinsing under the tap as a stone may fall down the plughole.

You can also buy a jar of Goddards jewellery dip for gold and silver, which I suspect is just a fancy detergent, or John Lewis own brand. A jar will last for years.

Yes I've seen the jars of stuff in John Lewis you can soak them in. Either that or go back to the jewellers. Mine also cleans them for free, though I haven't been in for ages now. Also, I take mine off to wash up - I keep a ring tree in the kitchen to put them on.

I think the jewellery cleaner is mostly isopropanol, which I think is rubbing alcohol.

Makes me wonder if you'd get the same results with surgical spirit, partly because I bought a massive bottle today. It took me nearly two decades to get through the previous bottle, which was about a third of the size, but they didn't have any small bottles. I might have to clean a lot of jewellery - I mostly buy it for cleaning earring posts from time to time anyway, so now I just have to clean the rest of it.

I've found the best thing for cleaning platinum and diamond jewelry is an Ultrasonic cleaner. You just fill it with water, switch it on and the ultrasonic waves clean gently but very very effectively.

It's a good idea to take your rings back to the jeweller to get them serviced though, they'll check any prongs, clean and give a proper polish!

I always think it a bit risky to take rings off for washing up or whatever. It just multiplies the risk of losing them or forgetting to put them back on. I have worn all of mine all day every day for 18 years (apart from when I was in hospital for operations) and they still sparkle like new.

Also, I noticed if you wash your hands with molten brown it sparkles rings up nicely

I clean mine with bicarbonate of soda and a toothbrush. I make a paste of a tbsp of bicarb and a few drops of water- I cover the rings in the paste and gently scrub with the toothbrush. Then rinse and dry my rings. Blindingly shiny

Soak in barely diluted biological detergent overnight. Don't scrub or anything, they'll sparkle. But make sure it's biological.

Put a denture tablet in a little water in a glass and stick the rings in there too. Leave it for a bit, about 10mins. Take out, put plug in plughole and rinse (to avoid losing anything!), dry on a towel and gently rub whilst drying. If it's really dirty then gently brush with a toothbrush before rinsing, but I've only ever had to go that far once when we got an old ring that hadn't been cleaned in years. They come out all sparkling.

None of us have dentures, but we have the tablets in the house solely for this purpose!