PEGAFFI · Education Guides · Design Your Ring
Lab Grown Diamond Care: How to Clean and Protect Your Jewelry
2026-09-22 · 5 min read
A lab grown diamond is exactly as hard as a mined one — a perfect 10 on the Mohs scale — so the stone itself is nearly indestructible. What dulls a ring is never the diamond wearing out; it's film. Lotion, soap, skin oil and everyday grime build up on the facets and block light. The care routine below keeps the sparkle at day-one levels and protects the part that is actually delicate: the setting.
The 5-minute home cleaning routine
- Fill a small bowl with warm water and a few drops of mild dish soap (nothing with moisturizers).
- Soak the ring for 20–30 minutes to loosen buildup.
- Gently scrub with a soft, clean toothbrush — pay attention to the underside of the stone, where grime collects.
- Rinse under warm running water. Close the drain first. Always close the drain.
- Pat dry with a lint-free cloth. Let it air-dry fully before wearing.
Do this weekly for daily-wear rings and monthly for occasional pieces. Avoid toothpaste, baking soda and abrasive cleaners — they don't harm the diamond but they scratch gold and strip rhodium plating from white gold.
When to take your ring off
- The gym — bars, weights and dumbbells bend prongs and chip even diamonds on a direct hit.
- Swimming — cold water shrinks fingers (rings slip off), and chlorine attacks gold alloys over time.
- Cleaning — bleach and harsh chemicals pit gold and can cloud some treated stones.
- Lotion, sunscreen and perfume — apply first, let dry, then put jewelry on. Last on, first off.
- Gardening and heavy housework — grit is abrasive and prongs catch on everything.
About ultrasonic cleaners
Home ultrasonic machines are popular, and for a solid solitaire in perfect condition they're fine occasionally. But the vibration can loosen stones in pavé or halo settings, shake a stone with a feather inclusion, or finish the job on a prong that was already weakened. Our rule: ultrasonics are for your jeweler's bench, where someone checks the setting before and after. At home, soap and a soft brush do everything safely.
The annual check-up that saves diamonds
Prongs wear down microscopically every day — it's normal. Once a year, have a jeweler check prong tips, tighten any loose stones and give the piece a professional clean. This single habit is the difference between a ring passed down for generations and a diamond lost down a drain. PEGAFFI pieces include a complimentary annual inspection and clean — book it with your order number.
Storing your jewelry
- Store pieces separately — diamonds scratch everything, including other diamonds.
- Use a fabric-lined box with compartments, or individual soft pouches.
- Keep chains fastened and laid flat to prevent knots.
- Away from humidity: not the bathroom windowsill.
Every PEGAFFI piece ships in a lined presentation box designed for long-term storage, with a care card inside. Register your order with us and your annual inspection is on the house, forever.