DIY Life

Recently, it was my tenth anniversary. Ten years -- and ten pounds -- later, my diamond engagement ring needed to be resized.

Now, I am the first to admit that I completely abuse my ring: I rarely clean it, and I never take it off. So, it experiences soap scum, hair conditioner, dirty dishes, gardening, you name it. I describe my diamond as the frosted glass my husband gave me when he asked me to marry him.

When my husband picked my ring up from the jeweler's and opened the classy velvet pouch, he burst out laughing, asking the jeweler if he was sure that they gave him my ring. Well, it seems as though they cleaned it as well as sizing it. Honestly, I had forgotten what a beautiful ring I wore every day for the last ten years.

In my earnestness to keep my ring sparkly, I'll share with you the cleaning tips I gleaned from the Internet.

• Soak your diamond in hot water.
• Submerge the ring in window cleaner for ten seconds.
• Use an old toothbrush to remove stuck-on dirt particles.
• Soak your jewelry in a mild detergent / water mix.
• Use a dental Water Pik to clean the diamond and setting directly.

And some don'ts:

• Toothpaste will scratch the gold setting, so avoid this commonly used cleaner.
• Boiling water can crack gemstones, even diamonds, so... be cool!

I guess I don't need a new diamond ring after all....