How to Clean a Diamond Ring at Home (and When Ammonia Is Safe)

A diamond ring that blazed on the wedding day can look grey and tired a few years later. Before you reach for anything strong, here is the good news, in the words of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA): "Dirt won't break or chip your diamond, but it will dull its appearance."

In this guide I'll show you the gentle method the experts agree on, when a mild ammonia solution is reasonable, and the one mistake under the kitchen sink that is truly dangerous.

Why a diamond goes dull

GIA puts it simply: "Diamonds are natural magnets for grease." The oils from your fingers stick to the stone and affect its brilliance and fire. The Jewelers of America adds the rest of the bathroom shelf: sunscreen, lotions and shower products leave a film on jewelry, "making it appear dull and dingy."

That film gathers where you never look. GIA says the back of the stone, under the setting, is where the most oil and dirt collect. So that's where the cleaning matters most.

Start with soap and water

GIA, the American Gem Society (AGS) and the Jewelers of America describe nearly the same method:

1. Fill a small bowl with warm water and a drop or two of mild dish soap.
2. Soak the ring for a few minutes, up to about 20.
3. Brush gently with a soft toothbrush that, in GIA's words, "should be new and reserved exclusively for cleaning your jewelry." Work on the back of the stone.
4. Rinse in a second bowl of warm water, or over a closed drain.
5. Dry with a soft, lint-free cloth, and let it air-dry completely.

Use warm, not hot, water: GIA warns that heat and sudden temperature changes "may also fracture some gems." And skip the old toothbrush from the bathroom. A jewelry insurer points out that it carries toothpaste residue, which scratches. For diamond jewelry, GIA suggests a soak like this once or twice a week.

When mild ammonia is safe

GIA says it is "safe to clean most diamond jewelry with a mild solution containing ammonia." So the short answer is yes, sometimes.

But the experts don't all agree, and the reason matters. AGS warns that "ammonia, Windex, denatured alcohol, acetone and other harsh cleaning agents can dull or pit the surface of softer gemstones," and that the right strength is hard to judge at home. GIA itself cautions that ammonia cleaners "can be too harsh for delicate gems or vintage jewelry," and that ammonia damages the polish on softer gems "such as malachite, turquoise and coral." Porous gems such as pearl, coral and turquoise shouldn't meet ammonia-based cleaners at all. And the Canadian Conservation Institute notes that ammonia "can dissolve copper in some conditions." Sterling silver and low-karat gold both contain copper.

So Volume V takes a narrow line: mild ammonia only on diamonds, rubies and sapphires set in solid gold or platinum, and only when soap and water haven't done the job. If you use it, open a window, dilute plain household ammonia with plenty of warm water in a glass bowl, keep the soak short, then rinse thoroughly and dry. Keep children and pets out of the room: the New York State Department of Health says ammonia irritates the eyes, throat, lungs and skin.

Never mix bleach with ammonia. The CDC says: "Never mix bleach with ammonia or any other cleaner." Together they form toxic gases called chloramines, and some window and glass cleaners contain ammonia. If someone breathes fumes or swallows a cleaner, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (U.S.).

Bleach is bad for the ring itself, too. GIA says chlorine bleach "can pit or damage gold alloys," so take rings off before you clean with bleach, and before a chlorinated pool or hot tub.

About the trick in the video

The video above mixes household ammonia 1 part to 6 parts warm water, soaks for 5 minutes, brushes, and rinses over a closed drain with a window open. It keeps pearls, opals, turquoise, coral, emeralds, treated stones, and plated and glued pieces out, and offers dish soap as the gentler choice. Those cautions match GIA's and AGS's warnings, and they are good ones.

What the sources don't support is the promise to restore "any" jewelry to brand new. The video's own list of exclusions shows it can't. Try the soap and water first.

What not to use on a diamond ring. Toothpaste: GIA says abrasives "such as household cleansers or toothpaste" can scratch gold and other metals. Baking soda: AGS calls it "too alkaline for cleaning jewelry safely." Vinegar and lemon juice: AGS says both are "too acidic and abrasive."

Volume V, Clean It Right, gives the gentle bath in full, checks the popular cleaning tricks against GIA, AGS and museum conservators, explains which stones and metals each cleaner must never touch, and lists the pieces that belong with a jeweler instead.