Diamond rings with platinum settings look gorgeous and are increasing in popularity. Unfortunately, they can start to appear dull over time due to everyday dirt and grime. Luckily, there are ways you can restore that shine and get your ring looking as beautiful as ever!
You can make your platinum ring shiny by cleaning it with a platinum-specific jewelry cleanser, using a tarnish remover cloth, using an ultrasonic cleaner, washing it with warm water and mild dish soap, or getting it professionally polished.
In this article, I’ll explain how to restore a platinum ring’s shine and make it even shinier so it looks as beautiful as possible on your finger. I’ll also offer some suggestions for keeping your ring as clean as possible. Let’s get to it!
1. Use a Gentle, Platinum-Specific Jewelry Cleaner
The best way to restore a ring’s shine is to clean it, and luckily, there are many great jewelry cleaners available that remove all debris and grime without stripping the metal. You can use two main types of jewelry cleaners with platinum: liquid and foam.
My favorite liquid jewelry cleaner is the Hagerty 7-Ounce Jewelry Cleaner from Amazon.com. This cleaner is safe to use on diamonds, gold, precious stones, and, most importantly, platinum. It comes with a dip basket, so you’ll have a place to dip your ring into the cleaning solution. It also has a soft-bristled brush that you can use to scrub the ring and restore it to its shiniest state.
To use a liquid cleaner, follow these steps:
- Remove your platinum ring.
- Check your cleaner’s instructions to determine if the manufacturer recommends diluting the solution. If they do, dilute the appropriate amount.
- Put the cleaner in a bowl.
- Dip the ring into the cleaning solution (if the cleaner is gentle enough), and allow it to sit in it for a moment. If the cleaner isn’t gentle or safe for use on precious stones, don’t submerge the ring in the cleaning solution and apply it directly to the brush instead.
- Remove the ring and scrub it with a soft-bristled brush. Avoid using brushes with hard, coarse bristles, as these may be strong enough to strip the metal and diminish your ring’s appearance.
- Rinse the ring with clean water.
- Repeat the process until you’re happy with your ring’s cleanliness and shine.
- Buff with a clean and dry microfiber cloth.
If you want to try a foam cleaner, I recommend the Connoisseurs All-Purpose Jewelry Cleaner from Amazon. It’s safe for use on all kinds of different jewelry, including gold, diamonds, gemstones, pearls, platinum, and costume jewelry. The formula is also non-toxic and biodegradable.
Using a foam cleaner is easy. Follow these steps for the best results:
- Apply the foam directly to your ring.
- Wait for at least thirty seconds, but don’t let the foam sit on your ring for more than a minute.
- Use a brush to scrub if necessary.
- Rinse with water.
Just like with a liquid cleaner, you’ll need to use a soft-bristled brush if you have any stubborn grime that the cleaner alone can’t remove.
I recommend these VIVAGO Biodegradable Bamboo Toothbrushes from Amazon.com because they’re made with natural and sustainable bamboo, so they’re completely recyclable, including the packaging. The bristles are soft enough that they won’t damage your platinum jewelry, and they’re also securely attached to the handle so they won’t fall off, even after scrubbing.
2. Use a Tarnish Remover Cloth
Polishing cloths are great tools for keeping a ring looking fresh and shiny. These cloths are usually effective in removing tarnish and buildup, and high-quality ones also include elements in their formula that prevent new tarnish from forming.
I recommend always having a tarnish remover cloth on hand while traveling so you can restore shine in a jiffy, without having to carry around a bottle of cleaner or other tools.
Tarnish forms when metal reacts with a non-metal compound, such as oxygen. Platinum typically doesn’t tarnish but a tarnish remover cloth still cleans the platinum and reduces its dirty and dingy appearance.
Even if your platinum ring isn’t very dirty yet, regularly wiping it with a tarnish remover cloth will make it appear shinier. Just ensure that your ring is completely dry when using this cloth.
The Mayflower Products Pro Size Polishing Cleaning Cloth (available on Amazon.com) is made in the United States and cleans, shines, and protects platinum, gold, and silver jewelry. The inner part of the cloth is treated with non-toxic ingredients that aren’t harmful to you or the jewelry. The large size might be a bit excessive for just a ring, but the size may come in handy if you have other jewelry pieces that need polishing.
3. Use an Ultrasonic Cleaner
Ultrasonic cleaners are effective and quick ways to clean any jewelry, including platinum, but you should be extremely careful if your ring has a gemstone. These cleaners can be too powerful and damage the prongs and stones if you’re not careful.
Suppose your ring doesn’t have a gemstone or isn’t too delicate. Then, you can use an ultrasonic cleaner.
Simply place the jewelry in the cleaner compartment with water and adjust the timer according to the cleaner’s specifications. Then, the cleaner uses sound-wave technology to scrub the ring until it is shiny again.
Use a lint-free microfiber towel to dry your ring when the timer goes off.
The Magnasonic Professional Ultrasonic Jewelry Cleaner (from Amazon.com) can effectively clean a ring in just a few minutes, thanks to the 42,000 Hz of ultrasonic sound waves it generates. The digital display is easy to read and comes with five useful preset cleaning cycles.
The 20 oz (600 mL) capacity is generous, but even if you only want to clean your ring, it won’t get lost because of the secure basket.
4. Wash the Ring With Warm Water and Soap
Suppose you don’t have any jewelry cleaner on hand, but you still want to do something to restore your platinum ring’s shine. Fortunately, you’re not completely out of luck! You can DIY an effective and gentle cleaner with warm water and dish soap.
I recommend using this Dawn Dish Soap EZ-Squeeze Platinum Dishwashing Liquid from Amazon because the no-mess cap and squeeze design of the bottle makes for less mess. The formula also has a grease-cleaning power that is four times faster and more effective than other dish soaps. You may also like the refreshing rain scent.
To make your own jewelry cleaner, follow these steps:
- Fill a bowl with warm water.
- Add a little bit of gentle dish soap. You don’t need that much, so I recommend only adding a few drops.
- Place your platinum ring in the bowl and allow it to soak for at least half an hour.
- Scrub the ring with a soft-bristle brush if it still appears dull.
- Pat a microfiber cloth on the ring to absorb the moisture, and give it time to air dry.
This method is an easy and effective way to restore a ring’s shine, and you can use dish soap that you may already have on hand.
To make this method even more effective, swap the plain water with carbonated water if you have some. The carbonation helps loosen the dirt, so you won’t need to scrub as much.
5. Take It to a Jeweler To Have It Professionally Polished
Usually, you can restore your ring’s shine yourself, but in some dire cases, you may need to enlist a professional’s help.
Platinum is extremely dense, meaning deep cleaning and polishing requires specialized equipment, such as commercial buffers and buffing compounds. Many jewelers use professional steam cleaners to remove built-up debris, and they know how to handle your ring with utmost care to avoid damage.
An annual checkup of your precious jewelry is highly recommended. During this time, you can ask the jeweler to inspect the piece for any damage, especially to the prongs.
Understandably, many people are concerned about taking their ring to a jeweler because they’re afraid the jeweler will somehow damage their ring. Here are my tips for picking a reputable jeweler:
- Choose a jeweler with credentials. You want to ensure that the person tending to your ring is educated and able to care for it properly. You should ask all potential jewelers for their credentials and choose one with education from a gemological school, such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). In GIA programs, students learn the science and techniques they need to know to deal with metals, gemstones, and diamonds.
- Ask around. Good jewelers usually have a positive reputation in the community, so try asking your friends and neighbors if they have any jeweler recommendations. If your friend had a good experience with a jeweler, you’d probably have a good experience too.
- Select a jewelry store that’s a member of a professional organization. Professional organizations, such as the Jewelers of America, provide education and updates to all members. If a jeweler is a member of this organization, they’re more likely to be up to date on the best techniques for handling fine jewelry.
- Choose a jeweler that abides by a Code of Professional Practices. The Code of Professional Practices is a series of ethical and environmental commitments that the best jewelers agree to make. Jewelers that agree to this code practice integrity and truthfulness and fully and accurately disclose all relevant information to jewelry owners.
A knowledgeable and ethical professional can restore your ring’s shine most effectively. They can even make your ring shinier than you can with proper tools and techniques. So if you choose the right jeweler, you can get your ring’s best shine without worry or anxiety.
6. Avoid Getting Your Ring Dirty in the First Place
This last method doesn’t really help if your ring is already dull, but if you just got your ring or if you just took the time (and money) to get your ring clean, you should do everything you can to keep it clean and shiny, so it doesn’t just get dull again right away.
Here are my top tips for platinum jewelry care:
- Remove your ring when you use any cleaning chemicals. Some cleaning agents, such as bleach, are extremely abrasive and cause scratching on platinum. Scratches dull your ring’s appearance and can often only be fixed by a professional, so it’s best to avoid your ring touching these chemicals altogether.
- Remove your ring when you’re doing an activity that involves frequent use of your hands. Gardening, lifting weights, and several other activities require you to use your hands a lot, which increases the chances of scratching your ring. It’s better to err on the side of caution and avoid wearing your ring during these times.
- Don’t go in the pool with your ring on. Chlorine is one of the most harmful chemicals to platinum. Not only does it dull platinum’s shine, but it also causes noticeable discoloration if exposed to chlorine frequently. Therefore, you should always remove your ring before entering the pool.
- Keep your ring separate from other jewelry. Because platinum scratches easily, other jewelry pieces will likely cause a few scratches if they’re all stored together. If you want to keep your ring in the same place as your other jewelry, you should place it in a cloth jewelry bag first to avoid interaction.
- Clean your ring regularly. If you’re using gentle cleaners, there’s no harm in cleaning your ring regularly, and this practice helps prevent significant moisture or dirt buildup, which is more difficult to remove than just one layer of grime. Regular cleaning can also prevent you from having to pay a professional to clean your ring.
If you follow these tips, your platinum ring will stay shiny for longer, and you won’t have to use any of the above methods as often to restore shine.
Conclusion
If you wear your platinum ring regularly, it will likely appear dull after some time. However, there are many things you can do to make it shinier, including:
- washing it with gentle jewelry cleaner
- wiping it with a tarnish remover cloth
- placing it in an ultrasonic cleaner
- washing it with warm water and soap
You can also take your platinum ring to a professional jeweler to have it polished. Once you have restored the shine, I recommend taking proper care and caution to avoid dulling your ring’s shine again soon.
