The Boiling Water Method If you're aiming to clean heavily soiled jewelry that's made completely from gold, or gold jewelry that contains “strong” gemstones like diamonds, boiling is a good way to go.
Many are unsure if boiling a diamond ring is an acceptable cleaning method, but it is! At-home cleaning with boiling water is a safe and effective way to clean it.
For that reason, it is recommended that you not attempt to clean your diamond by boiling it. Boiling is no more effective than other methods of cleaning and carries a greater risk of damage to the stone and to the jewelry's metal parts.
Hot water is an easy (and cheap) cleaning solution for hard metal jewelry. Steam and heat loosen dirt and debris from jewelry, making it a snap to wipe away. Simply place your pieces in a heatproof container, then slowly pour in boiling water until they're covered.
The purpose of deep boiling is to try and reach internal dirt, which the boiling materials can reach via a tiny crack known as an “open inclusion” the tiny bit of black graphite (“fix” as it's known by diamantaires) trapped inside the diamond. These tiny dots are trapped in the diamond when it is formed.
The best way to clean a diamond at home is to put it into a bath of warm water and a few drops of dish soap. Let it soak for 20-40 minutes and wipe it dry with a lint-free cloth. If stubborn stuck-on dirt remains, repeat the process but scrub the ring gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush this time.
To clean diamonds, professional jewellers will use a specialised device referred to as an Ultrasonic Jewellery Cleansing Bath to get your piece sparkling once again. This device uses vibration and ultrasonic sound waves to lift the dirt and other pollutants off your diamond.
A simple plan to keep your diamond jewelry looking beautiful is to soak it in a gentle degreasing solution, such as water with a few drops of mild dish soap, once or twice a week. After you remove the diamond from the cleaning solution, use a soft, clean toothbrush to remove any remaining dirt.
The best mixture of cleaning solution for diamonds is ammonia or mild dish detergent with water. The ratio of this solution should be a quarter cup of ammonia to one cup of lukewarm water. After mixing the solution, simply let the piece of diamond jewelry soak in the solution for 20-30 minutes.
There are many common cleaning products that people may think are good to clean diamond rings with, but they can actually be quite damaging. Chlorine bleach, abrasives (like toothpaste or baking soda), or acetone should never be used on any jewellery.
While vinegar is slightly acidic and needs to be used with caution on more porous stones, it will do a fabulous job on your diamond ring. Simply mix a half cup of white vinegar with 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Stir until the baking soda is totally dissolved, then soak your diamond ring in the solution for 2–3 hours.
Deep boiling or deep cooking
Since acid doesn't corrode the diamond itself, but only the dirt that has entered the stone, the process allows dirt to be removed so the polished diamond looks better. Deep boiling is a long process that lasts 10-12 hours. It is done using a mixture of extremely strong acids, at high heat.
The Boiling Water Method
If you're aiming to clean heavily soiled jewelry that's made completely from gold, or gold jewelry that contains “strong” gemstones like diamonds, boiling is a good way to go.
Place your jewelry into a bowl of boiling water and let it soak for 10-15 minutes. Then remove leftover grime by brushing it with a soft toothbrush.
Jewelers use ultrasonic cleaners with high frequency sound waves and chemicals, which create bubbles that latch on to the dirt on the diamond. The high frequency sound waves pull the dirt away from the stone and bring them up to the surface.
If you have gold in your diamond ring, the ideal method to clean it is by using boiling water, as it does not contain any chemicals. However, be reminded of the fact that cleaning jewelry using boiling water is not a good option if it contains gemstones other than diamonds.
Diamonds are exceptionally delicate, and thus, they require the utmost care. Harsh chemicals like acetone, chlorine, bleach and other abrasive substances like baking powder and toothpaste will damage your diamond beyond repair.
A diamond is the hardest natural substance on earth, but if it is placed in an oven and the temperature is raised to about 763º Celsius (1405º Fahrenheit), it will simply vanish, without even ash remaining.
If you heat the diamond in the open air, it will begin to melt and burn at around 700 degrees Celsius (1,292 degrees Fahrenheit). Burning a diamond without oxygen, however, will make it change into graphite (a crystalline form of carbon) before transforming into a fluid.
2. Diamonds don't shatter when exposed to high heats. Because it takes millions of years to form diamonds below the earth's surface, they are exposed to massive amounts of heat and high pressure. As a result, diamonds are incredibly durable and aren't susceptible to damage from high heat.
Diamonds will burn at about 1562°F (850°C). House fires and jewelers' torches can reach that temperature.
"The best way to clean diamond rings is to make a solution with warm water (almost hot) and dishwashing soap. Soak your ring for about 20 to 40 minutes, gently brush the stone with a very soft toothbrush, and then rinse under warm running water," advises Mann. "If needed, repeat."