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Contents
- Cleaning
Moissanite at Home – 3 Easy Methods- #1 – Soap and Water
- #2 – Using a Cleaning Cream
- #3 – Using an Ultrasonic Cleaner
- Cleaning
off the Moissanite Oil Slick - Tips for Caring for Moissanite Safely
Moissaniteis’s high durability, exceptional
sparkle and fire and similarity to diamonds make it a popular option for
engagement rings and other fine jewelry.
However, regardless of how durable moissanite is (Mohs 9.25 out of 10), regular maintenance and cleaning is necessary to keep moissanite jewelry sparkling and looking its best.
Here’s how to clean moissanite safely and
easily at home.
Cleaning
Moissanite at Home – 3 Easy Methods
There are many ways to clean moissanite at
home. We’ve narrowed our favorite options down to these three ways:
#1 – Soap and Water
Cleaning moissanite with soap and water is
the easiest and most effective method and ideal for light dirt buildup. Simply,
use a mild liquid soap and warm water to clean the moissanite jewelry.
- Fill a bowl or small container
with warm water and add some drops of mild soap. Ensure that the soap doesn’t
contain harsh chemicals which can negatively impact your jewelry. If washing in
the sink, don’t forget to plug it up to avoid inadvertently losing your
moissanite down the drain! - Place your moissanite jewelry
into the soapy solution and use a soft cloth or a toothbrush to slowly wipe or
brush the jewelry. Make sure you get into the hard to reach areas, where grime
buildup is often at its worst. - Rinse the moissanite under
running water and wash it thoroughly to remove any soapy residue. - Finally, wipe the moissanite
with a lint-free clean cloth. This gets rid of any hard water stains and other
residue that could remain on the moissanite jewelry.
#2 – Using a Cleaning Cream
If your moissanite has any stains (more on
this below), appears cloudy or has a tougher grime buildup than usual, using a
commercial cleaning cream is an excellent way to restore its brilliance.
- Silver polishing cream, like this one, is an excellent option as it works well on moissanite and takes off surface stains. First rinse the moissanite to wet the surface, as this helps the cream to move around the stone more easily.
- Use a soft brush with even bristles or a non-abrasive cloth and place a small amount of the polishing cream on it.
- Hold your moissanite jewelry in one hand and apply the polishing cream thoroughly, making sure you rub the surface of the moissanite carefully. Do this for a few minutes or until you feel the moissanite is clean. You may need to rinse and repeat if necessary.
- Rinse the stone thoroughly and check if any stains or cloudiness is remaining. If the stone looks clean and brilliant, dry and buff it with a soft clean cloth.
#3 – Using an Ultrasonic Cleaner
An ultrasonic cleaner is an excellent way
to remove tough stains and is handy if you’re short on time. Because moissanite
is hard and tough enough, it can withstand an ultrasonic cleaner without
suffering damage.
- These devices work by creating vibrations in the water, which force out dirt and grime from even the hidden nooks in the jewelry. It’s an easy way to clean your jewelry and are an affordable piece of equipment to invest in. This ultrasonic cleaner has over 6500 5-star reviews and appears to be perfect for moissanite jewelry.
- Fill the ultrasonic cleaner with a cleaning solution, or liquid soap as per the instructions of the machine.
- Place your moissanite jewelry inside the container and closing the lid, turn the cleaner on. It takes between half a minute to up to 2 minutes to clean moissanite jewelry thoroughly in an ultrasonic cleaner. If required repeat the process.
- Take the jewelry out and wipe it dry with a lint-free cloth.
A point to note – while moissanite is tough enough to be cleaned in ultrasonic
cleaners, make sure that the setting is equally tough. For example, if it’s a pave set moissanite ring,
you risk the pave stones falling off due to the intense vibrations of the
ultrasonic cleaner.
Cleaning
off the Moissanite Oil Slick
Because moissanite contains silicon in its
composition, it tends to repel oil and dirt from attaching onto its surface. As
a result, moissanite keeps clean and brilliant longer and is also easier to
clean in general.
However, sometimes moissanite get what’s
known as an oil slick – an oily rainbow-colored film that clings to the surface
of the stone and is specific to moissanite. Sometimes, it’s only visible if
seen at a certain angle or in specific lighting conditions.
This is a layer of organic build up, caused
by exposure to oils, chemicals and the residue of hard water on the stone. It
can be annoying and hard to clean off, but it’s not a permanent stain and
should come off if cleaned properly.
Note that this oil slick is common in older
moissanite and low-quality moissanite stones (particularly those from China). High-quality
moissanite will rarely have this problem.
The best way to get rid of the dreaded oil
slick is as follows:
- Using a silver polishing cream, like this one, and a toothbrush or soft cloth, rub the stain carefully and rinse thoroughly. You may need to repeat this process but the stain should come right off.
- Use a Silver Polishing cloth, like this one which has thousands of 5-star reviews, to work the stain out. If you’ve purchased your moissanite from a retailer like Charles and Colvard, inform them about the oil slick and ask for advice. They sometimes will send you polishing cloth that works to get the stain right off.
Tips for Caring for Moissanite Safely
Maintaining your moissanite engagement ring will keep
it sparkling for longer.
See this ring here
Always store your moissanite separately in a pouch
or fabric-lined box. This is not so much to protect the moissanite as to keep
it from scratching your other jewelry, as moissanite is extremely hard.
Another point to note is that although moissanite is
a tough stone, it’s wise to protect it from hard blows and unnecessary
exposure. Even diamonds, the hardest stones, can chip and crack if not taken
care of properly, and the same can be said of moissanite too.
Avoid moissanite coming into contact with harsh chemicals, including chlorine, cosmetics, lotions and other household chemicals. These won’t damage the moissanite as such, but it will add to the buildup on the stone and reduce its sparkle. It’s always a good idea to put your moissanite jewelry on last, after applying your makeup and perfume.
If you’re looking to browse moissanite jewelry, click here.
If you want to learn more about this amazing gemstone, check out our in-depth article here where we cover everything you need to know about moissanite.
TagsMoissanite
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