How Often To Clean Moissanite

Moissaniteis's high durability, exceptional sparkle and fire and similarity to diamonds make it a popular option for engagement rings and other fine jewelry.

However, regardless of how durable moissanite is (Mohs 9.25 out of 10), regular maintenance and cleaning is necessary to keep moissanite jewelry sparkling and looking its best.

Here's how to clean moissanite safely and easily at home.

Contents

Cleaning Moissanite at Home – 3 Easy Methods
- #1 – Soap and Water
- #2 – Using a Cleaning Cream
- #3 – Using an Ultrasonic Cleaner
Cleaning off the Moissanite Oil Slick
Tips for Caring for Moissanite Safely

Cleaning Moissanite at Home – 3 Easy Methods

There are many ways to clean moissanite at home. We've narrowed our favorite options down to these three ways:

#1 – Soap and Water

Cleaning moissanite with soap and water is the easiest and most effective method and ideal for light dirt buildup. Simply, use a mild liquid soap and warm water to clean the moissanite jewelry.

Fill a bowl or small container with warm water and add some drops of mild soap. Ensure that the soap doesn't contain harsh chemicals which can negatively impact your jewelry. If washing in the sink, don't forget to plug it up to avoid inadvertently losing your moissanite down the drain!
Place your moissanite jewelry into the soapy solution and use a soft cloth or a toothbrush to slowly wipe or brush the jewelry. Make sure you get into the hard to reach areas, where grime buildup is often at its worst.
Rinse the moissanite under running water and wash it thoroughly to remove any soapy residue.
Finally, wipe the moissanite with a lint-free clean cloth. This gets rid of any hard water stains and other residue that could remain on the moissanite jewelry.

#2 – Using a Cleaning Cream

If your moissanite has any stains (more on this below), appears cloudy or has a tougher grime buildup than usual, using a commercial cleaning cream is an excellent way to restore its brilliance.

Silver polishing cream, like this one, is an excellent option as it works well on moissanite and takes off surface stains. First rinse the moissanite to wet the surface, as this helps the cream to move around the stone more easily.
Use a soft brush with even bristles or a non-abrasive cloth and place a small amount of the polishing cream on it.
Hold your moissanite jewelry in one hand and apply the polishing cream thoroughly, making sure you rub the surface of the moissanite carefully. Do this for a few minutes or until you feel the moissanite is clean. You may need to rinse and repeat if necessary.
Rinse the stone thoroughly and check if any stains or cloudiness is remaining. If the stone looks clean and brilliant, dry and buff it with a soft clean cloth.

#3 – Using an Ultrasonic Cleaner

An ultrasonic cleaner is an excellent way to remove tough stains and is handy if you're short on time. Because moissanite is hard and tough enough, it can withstand an ultrasonic cleaner without suffering damage.

These devices work by creating vibrations in the water, which force out dirt and grime from even the hidden nooks in the jewelry. It's an easy way to clean your jewelry and are an affordable piece of equipment to invest in. This ultrasonic cleaner has over 6500 5-star reviews and appears to be perfect for moissanite jewelry.
Fill the ultrasonic cleaner with a cleaning solution, or liquid soap as per the instructions of the machine.
Place your moissanite jewelry inside the container and closing the lid, turn the cleaner on. It takes between half a minute to up to 2 minutes to clean moissanite jewelry thoroughly in an ultrasonic cleaner. If required repeat the process.
Take the jewelry out and wipe it dry with a lint-free cloth.

A point to note – while moissanite is tough enough to be cleaned in ultrasonic cleaners, make sure that the setting is equally tough. For example, if it's a pave set moissanite ring, you risk the pave stones falling off due to the intense vibrations of the ultrasonic cleaner.

Cleaning off the Moissanite Oil Slick

Because moissanite contains silicon in its composition, it tends to repel oil and dirt from attaching onto its surface. As a result, moissanite keeps clean and brilliant longer and is also easier to clean in general.

However, sometimes moissanite get what's known as an oil slick – an oily rainbow-colored film that clings to the surface of the stone and is specific to moissanite. Sometimes, it's only visible if seen at a certain angle or in specific lighting conditions.

This is a layer of organic build up, caused by exposure to oils, chemicals and the residue of hard water on the stone. It can be annoying and hard to clean off, but it's not a permanent stain and should come off if cleaned properly.

Note that this oil slick is common in older moissanite and low-quality moissanite stones (particularly those from China). High-quality moissanite will rarely have this problem.

The best way to get rid of the dreaded oil slick is as follows:

Using a silver polishing cream, like this one, and a toothbrush or soft cloth, rub the stain carefully and rinse thoroughly. You may need to repeat this process but the stain should come right off.
Use a Silver Polishing cloth, like this one which has thousands of 5-star reviews, to work the stain out. If you've purchased your moissanite from a retailer like Charles and Colvard, inform them about the oil slick and ask for advice. They sometimes will send you polishing cloth that works to get the stain right off.

Tips for Caring for Moissanite Safely

Round brilliant moissanite engagement ring

Maintaining your moissanite engagement ring will keep it sparkling for longer.

See this ring here

Always store your moissanite separately in a pouch or fabric-lined box. This is not so much to protect the moissanite as to keep it from scratching your other jewelry, as moissanite is extremely hard.

Another point to note is that although moissanite is a tough stone, it's wise to protect it from hard blows and unnecessary exposure. Even diamonds, the hardest stones, can chip and crack if not taken care of properly, and the same can be said of moissanite too.

Avoid moissanite coming into contact with harsh chemicals, including chlorine, cosmetics, lotions and other household chemicals. These won't damage the moissanite as such, but it will add to the buildup on the stone and reduce its sparkle. It's always a good idea to put your moissanite jewelry on last, after applying your makeup and perfume.

If you're looking to browse moissanite jewelry, click here.

If you want to learn more about this amazing gemstone, check out our in-depth article here where we cover everything you need to know about moissanite.

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