All precious things need to be cared for every once in a while. Especially if you're wearing your engagement ring every day, tiny bits of products like hair spray, moisturizer, or hand soap may deposit on your ring. The consequence is a less shiny setting and a not-so-sparkly diamond. To avoid this and keep your jewels as pretty as can be, giving it a quick cleanse can help!

MORE: Wearing your engagement ring every day

Here are 5 steps to a clean and sparkly engagement ring at home:

1. Use dishwashing soap, shampoo or body wash as a cleanser.
2. Soak the sparkler in the solution with warm to hot water for 20-30 minutes.
3. Gently clean with a very soft toothbrush.
4. Rinse with warm water (...but don't let it fall in the sink!)
5. Pat dry with a soft polishing cloth (if you have bought your engagement ring at My Diamond Ring, your order comes with one!).

DO

• Cleanse and dry your ring gently.
• Use a brush with soft bristles.
• Close the plug of the sink when rinsing your ring to avoid it falling into the drain.

DON'T

• Never use aggressive household cleaners such as bleach, chlorine, or acetone: Such harsh chemicals may break down some of the base metals in your ring.
• Never use abrasive products like toothpaste, baking soda, or any powdered cleaners: They can easily scratch metals.
  
• Don't use ultrasonic jewelry cleansers for your diamond jewelry at home. Especially pavé stones might be loosened by the vibrations which, unlike a jeweler, you can't fix yourself.

It's important to have your ring professionally checked at the jeweler every once in a while: A professional will give your ring a thorough cleanse and check the prongs – meaning they'll make sure the diamonds still sit securely in place. Such professional maintenance should be done roughly once a year.

At My Diamond Ring, we offer a complimentary Lifetime Guarantee on all our engagement rings to make sure your ring stays as beautiful as on its first day! This includes:

• Annual prong tightening
• Annual polishing
• Annual rhodium plating and cleaning

MORE: 12 reasons to buy your engagement ring at My Diamond Ring!