Keep your jewelry shining with our comprehensive guide to cleaning and care.
Wear jewelry after perfume, lotion, and hairspray. Remove it first when undressing.
Remove rings during workouts, lifting, or hands-on chores to protect prongs and bands.
Take pieces off before showering, swimming, or cleaning. Chlorine and detergents are the worst offenders.
Heat and direct sunlight can affect organic gems and pearls. Store in a cool, dry place.
Keep your jewelry radiant with simple care and everyday maintenance at home.
Fill a small bowl with warm ( not hot ) water and add a few drops of mild dish soap. Avoid detergents that contain bleach or whitening agents.
Let the piece rest for 5–10 minutes. Use a soft baby toothbrush to lift residue from prongs and the underside of the stone, where light enters.
Rinse under warm running water (cover the drain). Pat dry ( never rub ) with a clean lint-free microfiber cloth.
Diamonds are known for their brilliance and durability, but regular care is essential to maintain their sparkle. Clean diamond jewelry at home using warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap. Soak for 5–10 minutes, then gently brush around the stone and setting with a soft toothbrush, especially underneath where buildup occurs. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a lint-free cloth.
Although diamonds are extremely hard, they can still chip if impacted, so handle them with care. Avoid harsh chemicals that may weaken the setting. For long-term care, periodic professional inspection helps ensure stones remain secure and radiant.
Gold jewelry is timeless and easy to maintain with simple at-home care. Clean yellow and rose gold using warm water and mild soap, soaking briefly to loosen dirt before gently brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Rinse well and dry with a soft cloth to restore shine.
While pure gold does not tarnish, alloys such as 14K and 18K may develop slight dullness over time. Rose gold, due to its copper content, is naturally more durable and develops a soft patina that adds character. Avoid harsh chemicals or abrasive materials, as they can affect the finish and natural tone of the metal.
White gold and platinum require thoughtful care to maintain their refined appearance. Clean both metals using warm, soapy water and a soft brush, then rinse and dry thoroughly. White gold is coated with rhodium, which gives it its bright finish and may need re-plating over time as it naturally wears with use.
Platinum, on the other hand, develops a subtle patina that many appreciate for its understated elegance. Avoid exposure to chlorine and harsh chemicals, especially for white gold, as they can damage the surface. When cleaning pieces with stones, pay close attention to settings where residue can build up.
For effective and safe jewelry care at home, using the right tools and essentials will help preserve the beauty of your pieces:
Maintaining your jewelry with regular care helps preserve its beauty and extend its life:
• Store Properly: Keep jewelry in a cool, dry place, ideally in a box with separate compartments to prevent scratches.
• Insure Valuables: Protect important pieces against loss, theft, or damage by maintaining records and considering insurance coverage.
• Remove During Activities: Take off jewelry during activities that may expose it to chemicals, impact, or abrasion, such as swimming or cleaning.
• Avoid Ultrasonic Cleaning at Home: Ultrasonic cleaners can loosen stones or damage delicate pieces; professional cleaning is recommended.
• Check Settings Regularly: Inspect your jewelry for loose stones or wear and address any issues promptly.
• Keep Away from Chemicals: Avoid contact with perfumes, lotions, and household chemicals that may cause damage or discoloration.
• Polish Softly: Use a soft, lint-free cloth to maintain shine without scratching.
• Clean Regularly: Routine cleaning helps prevent buildup and keeps jewelry looking its best.
• Handle with Care: Treat each piece gently, especially those with intricate designs or delicate gemstones.
The questions we hear most often from Fortevia customers, answered directly.
Yes. Lab-grown diamonds and moissanite are both highly durable and designed for daily wear. The setting, not the stone, is where most wear occurs over time. Remove your ring before heavy-duty tasks and have the prongs checked annually and it will last for generations.
Occasional contact with water will not damage a diamond or gold setting. However, daily shower use leads to soap, shampoo, and conditioner residue building up underneath the stone, which dulls its brilliance over time. Removing your ring before showering is a simple habit that significantly reduces cleaning frequency.
For rings worn daily, a gentle at-home clean once or twice a month maintains brilliance well. A quick wipe with a dry microfiber cloth after each wear removes surface oils and extends the time between deeper cleans. Bring the piece in for a professional clean once a year.
Moissanite and lab-grown diamond share very similar physical properties, and the care routine is essentially the same for both. Moissanite rates 9.25 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it highly resistant to scratching. Use the same warm water and mild soap method described in this guide for both stone types.
Yes. Chlorine is harmful to gold alloys. Extended exposure weakens the metal at a molecular level, particularly in white gold settings that rely on rhodium plating. Even occasional pool exposure adds up over time. Remove your ring before swimming in a pool or hot tub.
Touch the stone lightly with a fingernail and see if it shifts or wobbles. You can also listen for a subtle rattling sound when you tap the piece gently. If the stone moves at all, stop wearing it immediately and have it inspected. A loose prong left unaddressed can result in losing the stone entirely.
White gold requires the same cleaning routine as yellow and rose gold, but it has one additional maintenance step: rhodium re-plating. The bright white finish comes from a thin rhodium coating over the gold alloy. This coating wears gradually with daily use. Most people re-plate their white gold rings every one to two years, depending on how frequently they wear them. The process is quick and inexpensive at any jeweler.
