Ring Care 101
Your engagement ring is something that you want to take care of and keep around forever, but how exactly are you supposed to take care of it in certain situations? Listed below are the situations where you NEED TO take off your ring and when you could but don’t have to. We have also included some awesome cleaning techniques to help keep your ring nice and sparkly for your big day and after.
When to Definitely Take Off Your Ring
At the Gym
This is indisputable. Not only will taking it off before the gym keep it from getting gross and sweaty, it will also keep it from getting stolen! Even if you are generally a trusting person, don’t follow your instincts. An engagement ring is more that an expensive piece of jewelry, it is also a symbol of the love between you and your fiancé. You don’t want to lose that. We recommend that you leave your ring at home where it is safe before leaving for the gym. Plus you definitely do not want to get your ring caught in a piece of equipment!
Doing House Work
When moving furniture around your house or doing heavy lifting, it is definitely a good idea to take your engagement ring off. Not only could this heavy lifting dent and damage your ring, but it could also hurt your fingers by having that weight pressing on your ring. So if you do not want to lose a finger when moving your couch, consider taking off your ring.
When to Think About Taking it Off, But isn’t Necessary
Taking A Shower
When wearing your ring in the shower you have to think about how the environment affects your ring. If you normally wash with a fragranced body wash, you might want to abstain it from touching your ring. Scented body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and soap can leave an unwanted residue on the cracks of your ring. On the other hand, it isn’t the worst thing if you wear your ring in the shower, it might even be good for it if you go about it the right way! Here are some ways to keep it clean in the shower!
DIY
When cleaning your ring in the shower you can go about it a bunch of different ways. The first way is by taking a clean toothbrush in the shower with you and putting an unscented soap on it and then gently brushing your ring with it. Don’t apply too much pressure or else you might dislodge some of the diamonds. Another option is to have a clean washcloth and gently rub your ring with it. These cleaning methods will make your ring shiny and clean.
Cleaning Around the House
When tidying up around your house and washing the windows, you can consider taking your ring off. The harsh chemicals found in some cleaners can cause damage to your ring. You can prevent this damage by using all natural cleaners or wearing gloves while you wash the windows, scrub the floor, and other household chores.
DIY
An easy DIY for cleaning your engagement ring if it has been in contact with cleaner is to get a big bowl and fill it with hot water. After filling it with hot water mix in some dishwashing soap and gently rub your ring. This will make your ring sparkle and be brighter than ever.
Painting
Whether painting is your hobby or you are conquering a home improvement project, getting paint on your ring is a possibility. If you are confident in your painting skills you may choose to not take off your ring, but in case you do end up getting paint on your engagement ring, here is a DIY of how to remove paint off of your it.
DIY
Number one, do NOT chip the paint off of your ring if it is dried. This can remove some of the finish off of your ring which will make it a lot less sparkly. Instead of picking of the ring with your finger, try soaking it in a bowl of hot water with a small amount of dish soap, most latex and acrylic paints will break apart after soaking in soap for five minutes. After the five minutes is up, take your ring out and remove the remaining paint with a toothbrush.
Swimming in the Pool
Swimming in the pool can be risky for two reasons, your ring might slide off in the water and the chlorine has potential to damage your ring. The chlorine can cause the metal in your ring to deteriorate if it is in it for a prolonged period of time. So if you are just going for a dip feel free to leave your ring on, but if you are planning on floating around for a bit, you may want to consider leaving your ring inside.
DIY
After coming out of the pool, rub your ring dry with your towel to remove any surface chlorine that is left from the pool, afterward wash it with warm water and a bit of soap to get the rest of the chlorine off. If you come out of the pool and your ring looks discolored, there really isn’t a DIY that can fix it. You will have to take it to a jeweler and have them work on it to restore it to it’s original state.
Putting on Lotion and Makeup
A daily habit for every woman out there, putting on lotion and makeup can build up on your ring and cause it to lose its surface brilliance. All of that eye shadow and Bath and Body Works lotion can cake up the cracks also leaving your ring look everything but breath-taking.
DIY
Scrub your ring with a toothbrush and dish soap and then rinse it off with hot water. This will rid your ring of the gunk leftover from your lotion and makeup. If your ring is still not shiny enough, consider soaking it in a bowl of ammonia that has been diluted with three times the amount of water.
Cooking/Baking
There are plenty of opportunities for your ring to get gross while cooking and baking, the flour and eggs that are going into your recipe can end up between your the diamonds on your ring if you are not careful. This can be a messy situation that requires careful cleaning so that the shine on your ring isn’t diminished.
DIY
First thing first, grab a toothbrush and gently scrub around all the crevices of your ring to dislodge any food or bunched up flour. After all the grub has seemed to be scrubbed out, soak your ring in hot water for 5 minutes. This will make sure that all the grime is out of your ring leaving your ring squeaky clean.
Sleeping
This is one of the only scenarios where you won’t damage your ring in the process, but you might damage your partner. If you have a particularly sharp diamond resting on your finger, you might want to consider taking it off before jumping in bed, especially if you move a lot in your sleep. There is also the possibility that you might lose your ring in the sheets sometime during the night, you don’t want to wake up panicking because you don’t know where your ring is.
DIY
If your partner’s face is scratched throughout the course of the night, neatly apply a bandage if blood is drawn and write a note of apology so that there are no hard feelings 🙂
Keeping your ring clean can become quite the hassle if you live an active life style where your hands are constantly getting dirty. Keep your ring looking bright and sparkly with these easy tips and guidelines for knowing when and why to take off your ring.
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