Silicone wedding rings are excellent for people who want to protect their metal rings from wear and tear. Silicone rings are especially good for people who work in healthcare or food service, as well as those who exercise a lot or do other activities that require frequent hand washing or contact with abrasives. Both silicone and metal rings last longer and look better when they are properly cared for.
How To Take Care of Metal Rings
There are several steps to caring for traditional metal rings. You should protect, examine, and clean your rings regularly. Although professional cleanings by a jeweler are the gold standard, there is a lot you can do to keep your metal rings fresh between professional cleanings.
- Protect. Abrasive cleaners, sweat, and dirt, and other factors can cause your metal rings to look dingy and even scratch the finish. To protect your rings from environmental damage, take them off before hitting the gym, cleaning, taking a shower, and so on. If you wash your hands a lot at work, consider taking them off before clocking in. Be sure to have a safe, soft, dedicated spot for your rings when they’re off.
- Examine. Although gold, diamonds, platinum, and other fine jewelry materials are strong and durable, they may weaken by being twisted or bent out of shape. This is especially true of prongs, which are delicate and easily bent. Although prongs can be repaired or replaced, loose prongs can cause stones to fall out. Therefore, you should periodically inspect your rings to be sure everything is intact.
- Clean. To clean metal rings, soak them in jewelry cleaner for a few minutes and then brush them with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush or jewelry cleaning brush. Be sure to get along the sides and under the stone with your brush. You can also steam clean metal rings, but you’ll have to be careful not to burn your fingers while working with steam.
How To Take Care of Silicone Rings
Silicone rings require less maintenance than metal rings to stay in good condition. However, they are not entirely maintenance-free, and they do need to be cleaned regularly. The good news is that silicone rings are easy to clean at home.
All you really need to clean a silicone ring is soap and water. Every time you wash your hands, make a point of moving your silicone ring around a bit so you can get soapy water to the underside of it, too. When your silicone ring needs more of a deep clean, try this: add some hot water and a few drops of dish soap to a cup, then put your silicone ring in the hot, soapy water and let it soak for a while. When you take it out, try brushing it with an old toothbrush. That should be all you need to do!
Whatever kind of material your rings are made from, it’s important to keep them clean. Clean rings look more attractive than dirty ones and are less likely to hold onto bacteria and grime. Clean rings are the best rings.
