Diamonds can become smudged and dirty throughout every wear even if you are careful about what you do when you wear your jewel. The natural oil in skin, soaps, lotions and other materials can cause a film to develop on a diamond. As a film develops, the jewelry will not sparkle naturally and will become a bit dull. Diamonds even collect dust when you’re not wearing them, so the time comes at one point or other that you will need to clean your jewel.

In order to keep the shine and natural brilliance that is associated with a beautifully cut diamond, you will need to clean it once or twice a year at least. Many people resort to taking their jewelry to a store where they can leave their piece for a professional cleaning. Some settings may require this depending on what type of metal and what type of dullness has occurred. For example, if your stone is set in silver, it may be best to have a professional clean it with a special silver cleaner that will provide a deep clean of the metal as well as the setting area.

But for many people, it isn’t necessary to resort to professional services to have jewelry cleaned. One method is using a soft brush with mild soap and water to clean your piece. Gently brush the diamond and setting so as to loosen any foreign material. Be careful not to scrub vigorously because you don’t want to accidentally loosen a setting. After cleaning, rinse thoroughly and dry with a lint-free cloth or you can purchase a jewelry cloth to carefully dry the stone.

Another method of cleaning is to soak your diamond in a solution of half ammonia and half water for 30 minutes. After soaking, gently brush the setting with a soft brush. Dry carefully with a soft cloth. If you don’t want to mix your own solutions, there are jewelry cleaning kits found at many department and jewelry stores that will provide you with maximum and safe cleaning ability. All the materials you need to clean your jewelry is included in the kit.