In the last couple of years, you’ve likely used more soaps for your hands and hands as well as other soaps. It has led many of our clients to wonder, “Is hand sanitizer bad for my engagement ring?”.
Read on to find out more about the effects hand sanitizers have on your jewelry, and the best way to keep your hands and your jewelry clean and sparkling.
Will Hand Sanitizer Damage My Moissanite?
Hand sanitizer is composed of rubbing alcohol. It does not harm moissanite or alter the quality, integrity, or shine of your stone. It can leave an oily residue on stones, which can dull the shine. However, it’s not permanent and is simple to repair.
Effects on Metal
The answer to this question is more complicated and comes down to the kind of metal your jewelry is made of and the type of hand soap you’re employing.
Hand sanitizers can be found in two types: alcohol-based and nonalcohol-based.
Alcohol-based products are safe for jewelry since alcohol is the principal substance that kills germs. However, the buildup could cause wear and tarnishing and result in the metal losing its shine.
Certain metals, like Yellow Gold and Platinum, are typically immune to hand soap. In these instances, it is possible that there will be no noticeable change to the metal following exposure to soap.
White gold is, however, more likely to be damaged through hand sanitizers. This is due to the fact that the plating of white gold is rhodium that wears off. It’s not unusual for jewelry made of white gold to require a replating at some point. However, regular use of hand soaps can increase wear and cause tarnishing.
The rose gold color is one more that you should be cautious about when using because the chemicals used in hand sanitizers interact with copper elements that give rose gold’s unique color.
In the end, using hand sanitizer on all “plated metal” rings might need more frequent visits to the jeweler in order to have it cleaned and refinished.
However, non-alcohol-based products typically employ chlorine-based chemicals to kill germs. The chlorine compounds may react with water, releasing free chlorine. Free chlorine radicals are highly sensitive and may cause tarnishing to jewelry, particularly if it is constructed from sterling silver.
Effects on organic Gemstones
Hand soap and hand sanitizer usually include alcohol that may harm organic gemstones. If your ring is made with an organic stone such as pearls, opals or coral, remove off the ring before applying hand soap. It could cause ruin and dry out the stones.
It is also not recommended to allow sanitizer to touch the ring you’re wearing if it’s stones that are porous like turquoise, as it can cause the stone to become discolored. Emeralds are a favorite of all, however, keep in mind that they require additional care. Emeralds naturally contain inclusions as well as small cracks which can be treated using oil. Hand sanitizers may cause the oil to dry up and cause the emeralds to lose the color and clarity.
Cleaning Your Jewelry
You should not stop using hand sanitizer, so here are some suggestions to prevent any harm to your engagement ring.
1. Set your ring inside a jewelry dish or in a necklace chain that you wear around your neck to allow you to safely use hand sanitizer to cleanse your hands without worrying about the possibility of damaging the jewelry.
2. Use gloves to shield yourself from chemicals touching your rings.
3. Make sure to clean your engagement ring every week on a basis using warm dish soap and water to guard yourself against bacteria that build up on the engagement ring.
In conclusion, hand cleanser is not generally detrimental to moissanite however it may leave a filmy substance that can build up on stones, which can affect the sparkle. The impact on metal is contingent on the kind of hand sanitizer and the metal employed for the application, with platinum, and yellow gold generally being resistant, while white and rose gold might require frequent visits to the jeweler to refinish.
