back to Everything Diamonds

How to Clean Diamond Earrings

by Clean Origin
Last updated on September 12, 2023

Have you ever wondered how to clean diamond earrings? Your diamond stud earrings might be overdue for a good cleaning.

Diamonds sparkle, shine and glisten. However, they are also prone to getting dirty and, without the proper care, can lose the glitter we know and love them for. Never fear, we’ve compiled this quick and easy guide to help you clean your diamond earrings to restore their sparkle and shine. Read on to find out!

CERTIFIED ROUND BRILLIANT 4-PRONG DIAMOND STUD EARRINGS IN 14K GOLD
CERTIFIED ROUND BRILLIANT 4-PRONG DIAMOND STUD EARRINGS IN 14K GOLD

Diamond Jewelry, While Resilient, Can Still Get Dirty

Diamond jewelry is a lifelong investment. You wear it for years, pass it down through the generations, and keep it sparkling forever. It’s resilient, but it can still get dirty. Over time, diamond earrings accumulate dirt and grime that can harm both you and the diamond. But why does it matter if your jewelry is dirty? It still is just as valuable, right? Not really…in fact, there is a myriad of reasons to clean your diamond earrings, including:

Having Clean Diamond Earrings Protects You

If you’re not cleaning your diamond earrings, you’re exposing yourself to a world of potential harm.

Think about it: You’ve got your sparkly diamonds in your ears, which means that every time you touch them with your hands, they’re picking up all kinds of dirt, grime, and germs from the day. And then, when you put those same hands to your face—to scratch an itch or adjust your glasses—you’re transferring those germs directly onto your skin.

Not only is this gross, but it’s also potentially dangerous. If one of these germs is a virus or bacteria, it can cause illness or infection. And if you touch a surface that already has germs on it after touching your earrings? You’ve just spread those germs even further and made yourself more likely to get sick.

Protect from Loose Diamonds

Have you ever thought you were wearing an earring only to go to adjust it and be surprised to find it no longer in your ear? It can happen a lot! As diamond earrings are worn in the ear, wax, hair, and dust would find their way into the nooks and crannies of the earring backing. In turn, this increases the chances of your backing falling out without you realizing it. And if your earring backing falls out, there’s no stopping your diamond earring from slipping out as well!

Maintain the Value of Your Earrings for Years to Come

1/2 CT TW ENCHANTED DIAMOND STUDS
1/2 CT TW ENCHANTED DIAMOND STUDS

If you want to maintain the value of your diamond earrings, it is essential to keep them sparkling and clean. Consider the difference between dusty or cloudy-looking diamond stud earrings and clear, shining diamond stud earrings – despite costing the exact same. You would think the shining diamond was more expensive.

Maintaining clean diamond earrings shows pride in your fine jewelry. If you take the time needed to clean your diamond earrings, you will be rewarded with years of fiery diamonds that you can proudly show off to the world.

DIY vs. Professional Cleaning

EMERALD-SHAPED DIAMOND STUD EARRINGS
EMERALD-SHAPED DIAMOND STUD EARRINGS

DIY Methods and professional cleaning methods both offer concrete pros and cons when it comes to cleaning diamond earrings. We’ve taken the time to break both of them down below to provide you with a better understanding of what might serve your needs best.

DIY Pros and Cons

When you manage to DIY the cleaning of your diamond earrings, you save a lot of money! Professional cleaning costs up to $20 per cleaning, which quickly adds up if you are committed to preserving your diamond’s shine. When you clean your diamonds yourself, you just pay money for the supplies that you can reuse time and time again.

In addition to cost, when you clean your diamond earrings yourself, you can save time by cleaning your diamonds in your own home. You no longer have to wait for a representative to meet with you and then wait while they wash your earrings. You are saving your precious time.

Finally, cleaning your diamond earrings allows you to understand your earrings intimately. How often have you taken the time to sit with your diamond earrings and get to know them? When you clean them yourself, you have a hand in the process from start to finish, allowing you to familiarize yourself with the feel of the diamond’s carat, metal, and nooks, and crannies. This could help you down the road recognize that something is off if the earrings (heaven forbid) ever fall out, allowing you to find them quickly and securely.

Of course, there are cons to cleaning your diamond earrings yourself. Namely, you may not be able to get as deep a clean as a professional could. However, you could easily remedy this with the right equipment and practice. While you may need to try a few different methods of cleaning your earrings before you find the right one, you will eventually become a pro at cleaning them!

Professional Cleaning Pros and Cons

CERTIFIED PEAR DIAMOND STUD EARRINGS IN 18K GOLD
CERTIFIED PEAR DIAMOND STUD EARRINGS IN 18K GOLD

Professional diamond earring cleaning brings you peace of mind that your diamond jewelry is clean. The professionals know what they’re doing, and so you can rest easy knowing that your diamond earrings are well taken care of and thoroughly cleaned. Plus, while they are being cleaned, you can do a little shopping and maybe pick up another pair!

If you return to the jeweler where you bought your diamond earrings, you may be able to receive free cleaning. This is not always the case, though, so be sure to double-check before you head out.

As with the DIY methods, there are some cons to having your earrings professionally cleaned. Most worryingly, there have been some instances of jewelers losing diamond earrings in the past. Dropping your precious metals off at the jeweler’s always comes with some risk, and it’s essential to understand that before you go.

Methods of Cleaning Your Diamond Earrings

CERTIFIED PRINCESS DIAMOND STUD EARRINGS IN 18K GOLD
CERTIFIED PRINCESS DIAMOND STUD EARRINGS IN 18K GOLD

If you’ve weighed the pros and cons and decided to clean your diamond earrings yourself, you must determine what method you want to use. There is no one-size-fits-all method for cleaning your diamond earrings which is good because there are certainly enough methods to go around.

Dish Soap Solution and Warm Water

One of the easiest ways to clean your earrings is to utilize the materials you already have at home, in this case, liquid soap or dishwashing liquid. To use this method, simply fill a small bowl with a few drops of dish soap, and let your earrings soak in the cleaning solution for a minimum of 10 minutes before removing to scrub gently with a soft-bristle toothbrush. Finally, you can buff the diamonds with a soft brush before drying them with a lint-free cloth.

Ammonia and Warm Water

Looking for something a little more substantial than simply dish soap? Try ammonia! Here, you’ll combine one part of ammonia with one part of warm water. Submerge your earrings into the washing liquid and soak like the dish soap method for ten minutes. After they’ve finished soaking gently rub with a soft-bristled brush and buff dry with a microfiber cloth.

You’ll want to wear gloves for this method as ammonia can be aggravating if it gets on your skin.

Hydrogen Peroxide

According to Molly Maid, hydrogen peroxide is another solution that makes cleaning your diamond earrings at home a breeze. Fill a container halfway with the cleaning solution and drop your earrings in to utilize hydrogen peroxide. Let your diamond earrings sit for 20 minutes, or even consider allowing them to sit overnight before scrubbing with a jewelry brush to remove tarnish and letting them air dry on a flat surface. Et voila! Clean diamond studs!

Baking Soda

Looking for less harsh chemicals? How about Baking Soda? For this method, soak your diamond earrings clean in a mixture consisting of one cup of warm water and two teaspoons of baking soda. Allow your earrings to sit for 5-10 minutes while the cleaning agents work their magic. After your diamond earrings have soaked enough, gently scrub with a soft toothbrush to get into all of the nooks and crannies. Soak in some cold water to ensure all of the cleaning agents are gone before patting dry with a microfiber cloth.

Store-Bought Cleaning Solution and Kit

If none of these methods suit your fancy, you should consider purchasing a jewelry cleaning kit. Sometimes, these kits include effective ultrasonic jewelry cleaners that utilize blasts of warm water and professionally made cleaning solutions. You have to place them in the kit, hit the settings, and walk away!

Materials to Have On Hand While Cleaning Diamond Earrings at Home

LUMINESCENT ROUND HALO DIAMOND STUD EARRINGS (1 CT. TW.)
LUMINESCENT ROUND HALO DIAMOND STUD EARRINGS (1 CT. TW.)

Before you begin cleaning your diamond earrings, you’ll want to ensure that you have the materials you need. Once you’ve chosen a method, the materials become pretty straightforward, but it doesn’t hurt to have a little of everything at home should you want to try out multiple methods.

These materials include :

  • Mild liquid detergent or dishwashing liquid
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Ammonia
  • Hot Water
  • A small bowl
  • A clean cloth, lint-free cloth, microfiber cloth, or other absorbent material
  • A soft toothbrush or soft brush or soft-bristled brush

It helps to place all of your diamond earring cleaning materials in a safe place with good light, so you have everything ready for when you need it.

How Often Should You Clean Diamond Earrings?

Now that you know how to clean jewelry, you may wonder how often you should clean your diamond earrings.

Generally, it is recommended to clean your lab grown diamonds once to twice weekly with a simple cleaning method. This will help prevent buildup and save you time and money in the long run.

Take Pride in Your Precious Jewelry!

Diamond Stud Earrings
Diamond Stud Earrings

Diamonds are rare and should be treated as such. As stated above, it is essential to clean your diamond earrings weekly to maintain their sparkle. What’s wonderful about the cleaning methods noted above is that they just aren’t for one type of diamond earring or jewelry. You can utilize these methods to clean your lab grown iamond engagement ring and other gems and stones.

Consider investing in a jewelry box to maintain the cleanliness of your diamonds further. This is great as it will keep everything in one place and prevent fine jewels from getting lost.

At the end of the day, proper storage and cleaning can pay off in the long run. Your future self will thank you when you clean your diamond earrings weekly!