If the cloudiness of your diamond is caused by external factors, such as a greasy film or dirt, it's possible to fix it and regain its original sparkle. The way to do so is by simply cleaning the ring using warm water, soap, and ammonia-based cleaners. If you can't do it yourself, take it to a professional cleaner.
A diamond that has not been cleaned for a while can look milky due to a buildup of film and dirt on its facets. Cloudy diamonds can also have diminished transparency from inclusions or other characteristics intrinsic to the crystal from which they are cut.
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.
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.
If the cloudiness of your diamond is caused by external factors, such as a greasy film or dirt, it's possible to fix it and regain its original sparkle. The way to do so is by simply cleaning the ring using warm water, soap, and ammonia-based cleaners. If you can't do it yourself, take it to a professional cleaner.
The short answer is no. Toothpaste is not a good option for cleaning your ring. Toothpaste contains scrubbing particles to polish your teeth, but these particles are often harder than the metals in your ring, especially gold or white gold. Using toothpaste on your jewelry could cause scratches or pitting in the metal.
Vinegar & Baking Soda
Start by pouring 1/2 cup white vinegar and 2 tablespoons baking soda into a shallow bowl. Mix the solution until the baking soda is completely dissolved. Then, soak your diamond ring in the solution for two to three hours. Rinse your ring under cold water and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth.
Dish Detergent & Warm Water
The best homemade jewelry cleaning solution is a mixture of a few drops of Dawn dish detergent in warm, not hot, water. Let the piece sit in the solution for a few minutes, longer if it's very dirty, then gently scrub with a new, baby-size, soft toothbrush.
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.
Clarity issues are the main reasons why a diamond can look cloudy. This is fundamentally due to the nature/severity of the inclusions and things tend to get worse as you go lower in clarity grades (e.g. SI1 and below).
The oils, lotions and soaps you use everyday can leave traces that accumulate over time and create a filmy layer over the stones, making them lose their sparkle.
Keep the diamond clean.
A diamond that's dirty will not sparkle. Diamonds have an affinity for grease, so it's important to clean them regularly. Find out how to keep your diamond clean.
Cloudy diamonds aren't always bad, depending on the severity of the cloudiness. If the cloudiness doesn't take up a large portion of the diamond—specifically the table—then it can still be a beautiful stone. Or if there are a few small clouds on the edges, it won't take away from the diamond's beauty.
Cloud. A group of tiny pinpoints found inside a diamond, too small to distinguish individually. In higher clarity diamonds, clouds are often difficult to detect under 10x magnification. Occasionally with lower clarity diamonds, you may see a note on the grading report that clarity is based on clouds not shown.
Hand sanitizer is also known to leave a cloudy film over your diamonds so definitely wash your ring frequently! Luckily, you don't have to take off your ring while you're washing your hands-which is a big plus right now as we are all washing our hands extra often these days.
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.
Use Ammonia
Work is required to keep your diamond shining bright. Diamond jewellery can be cleaned by soaking it in a solution of one cup of warm water and one-fourth cup of ammonia for about 15 minutes.
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.
Diamonds, for example, fair poorly when exposed to salt. These chemicals could potentially eat away at the fine polish that gives diamonds their beautiful shine and luster. Many precious metals, as well, don't react well to be exposed to salt.
Chlorine bleach or abrasives (such as household cleansers or toothpaste) should never be used when cleaning diamond jewelry. Chemicals like chlorine can damage some of the metals used to alloy gold for diamond settings and abrasives can scratch gold and other metals.
Lemon juice is another old wives' tale that we're about to bust. It's a popular DIY solution, but should not be used for cleaning your jewelry. Lemon juice is very acidic and abrasive for cleaning jewelry. The acidity in lemon juice will discolor, tarnish and scratch your jewelry pieces.