Does Using Hand Sanitiser Affect Your Engagement Ring?

 With COVID-19 pandemic continuing to affect daily lives, Hand Sanitiser has become more important than ever before. Good hand hygiene is the most important thing during the pandemic. While it is one of the best ways to contain the spread of the virus, the question now arises whether using hand sanitiser is safe for your engagement ring? So, the answer is – Excessive use of hand sanitiser not only harms your skin but also affects your rings (dulling the sparkle of gems and metals or even loosening your ring's setting). Using hand sanitiser while wearing a ring is probably not going to make any quick harm to your ring, however can cause wear and tear over the long haul as the chemicals in sanitiser leave a residue, which dulls the sparkle and shine of stones after a timeframe.

The impact of hand sanitiser on a ring varies on its metal and furthermore the kind of sanitiser you're utilizing. Alcohol-based sanitisers don't cause quick harm. Yellow Gold is less vulnerable to damage from hand sanitiser, in light of the fact that there's no layer or film that can become discolored or worn.  On the other hand, Platinum is likewise extremely safe since it doesn't respond with the chemical compounds of sanitiser. However, you still need to be cautious and ensure it is routinely cleaned to keep the shining of the ring.

Effects of Hand Sanitiser on Metal:

●        Gold:

Jewelry made from pure yellow gold (22-24K) is less vulnerable to damage from Hand Sanitiser in comparison to less purity like 9k to 20k. This is because less pure gold is mixed with other alloys such as silver, nickel, copper or zinc, which responds when it comes in contact with liquor and different chemical compounds present in sanitiser: isopropyl, ethyl liquor and aroma.

On the other hand, White and Rose Gold are most at risk from these hand sanitisers. The rhodium plating in white gold reacts to the chemical composition of sanitiser, which results in damage.  Meanwhile, the copper element, that gives rose gold that beautiful pink hue, also reacts with the Sanitiser’s chemicals.

●        Sterling Silver:

Sterling silver rings are among the metals that are most vulnerable to damage from Hand Sanitisers, as they are more susceptible to discoloring with reaction to the chlorine-based compounds of sanitiser. If you’re using alcohol-free hand sanitisers, we suggest you put your ring aside when applying. Completely dry your hands before putting the ring back on your finger.

●        Platinum:

Platinum is just as safe as yellow gold. It doesn’t react with the chemical compounds present in hand sanitizer. Although, we still recommend you to be cautious and continue with regular cleaning to avoid any residue that will dull the shine of your ring. 

Effects of Hand Sanitiser on Gemstones:

●        Diamonds: 

Hand Sanitiser will have a severe immediate impact on the diamond of your ring, yet it will lose its shine over the time. Because of the residue of the chemical compounds, a layer will start forming on the diamond. It would take around 15-20 days to show and afterward it would increase and harm the shining of diamond.

●        Tanzanite:

The frequent use of hand sanitizer can reduce the shine of precious gemstones. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can pit the outer layer of soft gemstones like pearls, opals, turquoise, and Tanzanite. Any sort of sanitizer can even result in crystalline gemstones to lose their sparkle.

●        Pearls: 

Alcohol in the hand sanitizer can change the outer layer of the pearl, with two possible damages being a loss of radiance and change in color—white pearls, for instance, will become yellowed if over and over exposed to such chemical compounds. Pearl rings ought to be taken off when applying hand sanitizer. It is advisable to put rings back on after a few minutes.

●        Other semi-precious stones:

In case you're stressed over building up of grime on your gemstone, a straightforward solution is to eliminate your precious item when you apply hand sanitizer. Obviously, you need to be aware of your space. Alcohol-based sanitisers might not harm diamonds but it may pose a threat to other softer gemstones. So, we suggest you take utmost care of your gemstone before applying Hand Sanitiser.

3 ways to protect your jewelry from hand sanitizer:

With the prevailing situation, we can't avoid using hand sanitisers, and one needs to use it consistently. However, we will recommend some simple ways to protect your jewelry from hand sanitizer.

●        Keep you jewelry in box for the time-being:

The first way to protect your jewelry is to remove it before disinfecting your hand and then once it’s completely dry, wear them again. If you’re too concerned over your jewelry’s safety, keep it safely in your locker till the pandemic gets over. Try not to wear any jewelry if you can't clean your jewelry everyday properly.

We strongly recommend washing your rings once per week in diluted dishwashing liquid in tepid water with a soft-bristles toothbrush. Rinse it completely with clean water and let it dry totally before wearing it.

●        Gentle cleaning:

Alcohol-based sanitizer can pit the outer layer of your softer gemstones. In an off chance that these stones came into contact with sanitizer, don’t worry. Just use a soft damp cloth soaked in mild dishwashing liquid and lukewarm water to gently clean the stones. 

●        Get Expert’s Advice:

Keeping eyes on your jewelry 24x7 is not possible. If you’re taking every possible step to save your favorite jewelry pieces, it can only extend your chances toward safety, but can’t guarantee you. If in any way a sanitiser has damaged your jewelry piece, it is strongly recommended to get in touch with an expert rather than searching on the web. They may have other effective ways to revive your damaged jewelry pieces. Apart from this, make sure your jewelry is not in regular contact with hard surfaces, which can result in damage (scratches or reduced shine) to your jewelry.