When you first buy your wedding ring, it’s sure to be shiny and stunning. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely to stay that way since everyday wear and tear leads to dings, scratches, and grime buildup, which can make your once-dazzling ring look dim and dingy.
The good news is you don’t have to sit idly and let your ring’s brilliance diminish. There are things you can do to keep your ring in mint condition. Keep reading to learn some of the dos and don’ts of proper wedding ring care.
DO Take Your Ring Off in Certain Instances
Wedding ring materials vary in durability, from the soft luxury of 18K gold to the unbeatable strength of tungsten. But no matter what your ring is made of, you’re better off to leave it home for certain activities.
Active endeavors like sports, weightlifting, and manual labor often involve heavy or rough equipment that has the potential to scratch or bend your ring. If your ring is made from tungsten or ceramic, it could even shatter if exposed to heavy force from such equipment.
Other activities can also cause damage to your wedding ring. For example, sand from a beach day could get lodged in the ring details or under gemstones and cause scratches or fading.
DON’T Take Your Ring Off in Public Areas
While it’s best to remove your ring before certain activities, you should remove it at home or immediately put it in a safe place when not at home. You should also avoid taking it off in a public area, even for simple tasks like washing your hands.
Removing your ring is an easy way to forget it or fall victim to petty theft. It can also easily be knocked on the ground and lost.
Rather than run this risk, always keep your ring on in public.
DO Inspect Your Ring Regularly
Even with the best preventive care, small scratches or dings can happen, so inspect your ring regularly. This can be as frequently as once a month or as spaced out as once a year. All you have to do is check the surface of the ring for any blemishes, take a look at the overall shine of the ring, and inspect any details, gems, or engravings.
During your inspection, take note of scratches, low shine, or built-up dirt and grime. This will help you catch small issues early to keep them from causing damage to your ring.
DON’T Use Chemicals on Your Ring
If you notice dirt or grime during your inspection, you may be tempted to clean your ring with cleaning products like bleach or alcohol. However, harsh chemicals are the last thing you should use on your ring. These chemicals can take away the shine of the ring and even damage gemstones. Your ring is also vulnerable to damage from chemicals in perfume, lotion, chlorine, and sunscreen. So always remove your ring before applying these products or swimming in a chlorinated pool.
DO Clean Your Ring With Gentle Solutions
Even though you can’t use chemicals on your ring, you can still keep it clean with simple home remedies. The best method for cleaning your ring is to put a small dot of dish soap on a soft-bristled toothbrush and gently brush your ring using circular motions. This removes grime and dirt while keeping gems and other details safe.
DON’T Forget to Schedule Professional Maintenance
Cleaning your ring at home is a great way to keep it shiny and fresh, but a professional cleaning and polish is the only way to thoroughly shine the ring and remove scratches or blemishes.
If your ring has seen better days, reach out to us to schedule a professional cleaning or polishing, and we’ll have your ring looking like new in no time.
