How to Clean Diamond Earrings: Get Real Results
Have you ever looked at your diamond earrings and said, "These used to be a lot shinier than they are now?" If so, you’re not alone. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) estimates that 80% of diamond jewelry loses the majority of its brilliance over time due to residues from lotions, hair products, and so on.
Researchers warn that dirty earrings can irritate sensitive ears or create infections. Yes, that's why there is a weird scab on your ear. The glow-up you deserve is simple, safe, and outright satisfying.
This guide will give you the concept of how to clean your diamond earrings so they look new, not forgotten at the bottom of your jewelry box.
Why Cleaning Diamond Earrings is More Than Pure Vanity
Diamonds are tiny mirrors. When they are oily and dirty, they reflect less light, which takes away from their sparkle. Generally, just from daily wear, skin oils, makeup products, and even hairspray leave a greasy film.
Like most people, you might be touching your earrings more than you even realize, sometimes just to reacquaint yourself with them!
So cleaning your earrings is less extra and more a necessity—for your ears and your diamonds.
Read More: Our blog post on Best Earrings for Sensitive Ears
What You Will Need to Clean the Diamond
Before you get started with cleaning your diamond, you want to have all the following items readily available:
- A small bowl
- Warm (not hot!) water
- A few drops of mild dish soap (Dawn or Palmolive are best)
- A soft-bristled toothbrush (a baby or lint-free adult toothbrush will work well)
- A lint-free or microfiber cloth
Note: To avoid any drama with the drain, use a fine-mesh strainer or a plug.
Step By Step: Clean Diamond Earrings at Home
Step 1: Create a Soapy Bath
Take the bowl and put some warm water in it. Add a few drops of dish soap and then swirl the bowl around until you have created a soapy solution. You’ve created a cleaning solution—nothing fancy, just the basic ingredients.
Step 2: Soak Your Earrings
You can then gently place your earrings into your bowl and allow them to soak for 15-20 minutes.
This will loosen up the dirt/gunk that you may not be able to see. Sometimes when I am feeling impatient, I only soak for about 10 minutes and it still works. The longer soak is always better for cases of stubborn buildup, but 10 minutes is a good idea too!
Step 3: Lightly Brush
One earring at a time, make sure to brush the diamond and the setting around it lightly. You do not need to brush like you are scrubbing a frying pan. Most importantly, pay extra attention to the back, where all that oil likes to trickle down and hide.
Step 4: Rinse and Dry
Rinse the earrings in running cool water. Plug the drain, just in case (trust me, you do not want to explain to the plumber how you lost a diamond earring).
Step 5: Inspect and Shine
Hold them up to the light. Check for cloudy spots. If you come across any, go through the steps again. Normally, one time through is all it takes.
Also Read: Our blog post on How to Remove Flat Back Earrings
What Are the Natural Cleaning Options?
If you aren’t a fan of dish soap or want to stay as natural as possible, there are a few options:
Baking Soda Paste
Mix a small amount of water with baking soda to form a paste. Gently dab it on with a brush, clean as you did above and rinse. This works well if you want to dissolve grime, and it is still gentle enough on solid metals.
White Vinegar Soak
Soak your earrings in vinegar for 10-15 minutes, then brush and rinse them off. Vinegar naturally disinfects things, so this is worth considering when you think about the bacteria that could be building up over time.
Note: These mitigation methods are safe for diamonds and solid gold. These methods are not safe for anything glued, plated, or anything with soft stones (pearls or opals are soft stones). Use at your own (sparkly) risk.
Check Out: Our blog post on How to Take Off Earrings: Tips and Tricks
Expert Tips to Make Sure They Are Safe and Clean
When cleaning diamond earrings, we are not simply putting them in soapy water and calling it a day; it is really about knowing when to clean them, how to clean them to make sure they do not get damaged, and what not to do.
1. Check the Setting Before You Start
Before you even pick up the toothbrush, complete a quick wiggle test. Gently nudge the stone with your finger. If it moves even a little, walk away. Cleaning a loose diamond is like brushing a loose tooth; something is going to fall out.
Jewelry professionals, Alicia J Diamonds and Diamonds Factory, would agree that a quick test could save you from the shock of when your diamond creepy crawls down the sink.
2. What Is the Recommended Frequency for Cleaning Your Earrings?
If you wear them daily, I would recommend cleaning them once a week. But if you are like me and sometimes forget because…life, every 10-14 days will still keep them looking like they just survived a skincare product explosion.
According to Diamonds Factory, a weekly cleaning is preferable. According to me, do your best, and don't beat yourself up when you don't.
3. Store Them Wisely
I used to throw my earrings in a random bowl on my dresser. It was a cute bowl, but a horrible idea. Earrings rubbing against each other or, as was the case for me, a metal chain with earrings? That's the perfect recipe for scratches and lost backs.
Use a soft pouch, a jewelry box with dividers, or even small zip pouches when traveling. Beseen Jewelry swears by this, and I do too—after I learned the hard way from a tangle of earrings and necklaces.
Also Check: Our blog post on How to Clean Diamond Earrings
What NOT to Do When Cleaning Your Diamond Earrings
Okay, stop right now before you become a DIY diva and grab the first cleaning product you can find. Not everything you see on TikTok should be near your jewelry box. Here is what to stay away from:
No toothpaste: It might be minty-fresh magic for your teeth, but it's way too abrasive for diamonds and especially for the metal setting. Tiny scratches = duller sparkle over time
No bleach or ammonia: These are industrial-strength cleaners, not jewelry polishers, and can weaken metals, loosen settings, and even mess with the natural brilliance of a diamond.
No viral TikTok hacks: While we appreciate creativity, lemon juice, baking soda explosions, and soda baths (yes, even ketchup) should stay at brunch—not be on your earrings.
Paper towels: It may not seem like there could be damage to the diamonds, but trust us, even paper towels are coarse enough to create very fine scratches. Always use a microfiber or lint-free cloth.
Final Takeaway!
Cleaning your diamond earrings isn't rocket science; it's a matter of principle. Whether you want to take it easy with dish soap or take a more natural route, it's just a matter of consistency.
They're too beautiful to be dull, dirty, and neglected. So are you. So when somebody asks you how you keep your diamonds looking fresh, you can smile and say, "Oh, just a little DIY sparkle therapy."
And you might even have a funny story that goes along with almost losing one down the sink? That’s even better. We've all been there.
FAQs
How do you clean diamond earrings at home?
Simple: warm water + mild dish soap + soft toothbrush. Soak, brush gently, rinse with warm water, and pat dry with a microfiber cloth. No special tools, no problems. Just a little spa day for your sparkle.
What is the safest way to clean diamond jewelry?
The classics: mild dish soap, lukewarm water, and a super-soft brush. No bleach, no hacks, no toothpaste. And if you are not sure about the setting or the stones, don’t mess with it; go to a professional.
How to make diamonds sparkle?
Remove the dirt. Oils, lotion, and dirt all block light. So clean it regularly, don’t touch the stones with your fingers, and let the skincare dry before wearing it. Clean diamonds = maximum shine. It’s that easy.
Does toothpaste clean diamond earrings?
Technically? Maybe. Should you? No. Too abrasive. What does plaque do? It scratches metal and dulls shine. Just soap and water—none of your earrings need dental advice.
Do diamonds really lose their shine?
Not permanently, but temporarily, yes. Through normal wear, surfaces pick up the buildup of daily activity, which is dulling and prevents light from reflecting. The good news is, a quick clean will have it sparkling like nothing ever happened. Shine on.
