The Future is Bright: Cleaning and Caring for Mens Class Rings
When you graduate from high school or college, one of the best souvenirs you’ll take away from that time is your class ring. This ring shows school spirit, helps you connect with other alumni, and reminds you and those around you of the amazing things you’ve accomplished. But riding around on your hand all day, your class ring can get pretty beat up.
It’s a good idea to clean men’s class rings every so often. Read on to learn why this is important and how to keep your class ring looking sharp.
Why Should You Clean Your Ring?
Before we dive into how to clean your ring, let’s talk some about why you should. Your class ring is a commemoration of your time in school. It represents the values of your school, your accomplishments while you were there, and some of the primary interests and characteristics that make you unique.
Your class ring should last you a lifetime, and the well-made ones will. But because your ring sees daily wear, use, and exposure to the elements, it will need a little TLC to stay in tip-top condition. After all, your ring gets exposed to everything your hands do, and its nooks and crannies can hold onto all sorts of dirt and grime.
Protect Your Ring from Damage
As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that holds true with your class ring, too. The first step to keeping your ring in good shape is to protect it from damage as much as possible. Of course, your ring will get exposed to some wear and tear, but the more you can avoid more serious damage, the better.
Take your ring off before you do any hard manual labor, such as working on a car or doing lawn work. You should also take your ring off before engaging in any contact sports, including football or hockey. And always try to keep your ring from making contact with harsh chemicals, especially acids or mercury, as these can damage its surface.
Start With Warm Water
In general, it’s a good idea to clean your class ring once a week or so to keep it in its best condition. This will help to keep dirt and grime from building up, which will make it easier to clean next time. And no, wearing your ring in the shower doesn’t count as cleaning it – it needs its own proper cleaning at least twice a month.
Start by running about a cup of lukewarm water into a sink, bowl, or glass; you want it slightly warmer than body temperature. Add about half a teaspoon of mild dish soap to this water, and swirl it. You aren’t looking for suds and bubbles; you just want the soap mixed in.
Soak Your Ring
Take off your class ring and put it into the soapy water to soak for a few minutes. Soaking like this will soften up any dirt or grime that’s become compressed in the crevices of your ring. And mixing in the dish soap will cut through oil from your hands and any other substances that may have built upon it without damaging the surface coating.
You need to let your ring soak for about three to five minutes to let everything soften up. You can swirl it around from time to time if you like, but this shouldn’t be necessary. Make this a part of your weekly routine – on Saturday mornings, while you’re brushing your teeth, getting dressed, and getting ready for the day, let your ring soak in its warm, soapy bath.
Scrub Gently
After three to five minutes have passed, it will be time to pull your ring out of the water. The water should have dissolved any oils from your hands and maybe removed some of the grime, but there could still be gunk lurking in the engravings on your ring. You’ll need to give it a gentle scrubbing to get all the dirt washed away.
Get a soft, clean washcloth or a soft, clean toothbrush and gently scrub your ring, focusing on the engraved areas. Do not scrub the stone if you have one, as this can damage the polish on the gem. And be absolutely sure you don’t scrub too hard; this can scratch the finish on your ring and leave it vulnerable to more wear and tear down the road.
Dry Your Ring
Once you’ve given your ring a gentle scrub, rinse it off with cold water, making sure the water is running clear. It may be a good idea to do this in another glass or bowl or to stop up the sink while you do. Nobody wants to spend their Saturday morning taking a sink apart or trying to fish a ring out of the u-bend in your pipes.
With your ring cleaned and rinsed, get a dry, clean cloth and gently wipe it dry. You want to use a soft cloth – microfiber if possible – to ensure the surface doesn’t get scratched. And pay special attention to the engraved areas and the seam around your stone, so you make sure no moisture lurks there, creating a breeding ground for mold and mildew.
Get Your Ring Professionally Cleaned
Cleaning your ring with the method we’ve discussed once a week will keep it in excellent shape for many years. However, every now and then, it’s a good idea to get your ring professionally cleaned. Not only do they have specialized tools that can get into those tiny crevices you can’t reach, but they can also provide some polishing and recoating services to keep your ring gleaming.
Learn to Clean Men’s Class Rings
A class ring is an heirloom that will last you for decades if you take proper care of it. Wash it every week with the technique we’ve discussed here, being careful not to scratch it or damage the coating. And once every few years, it’s a good idea to send it off for a professional cleaning.
If you’d like to find the best men’s class rings on the market, check out the rest of our site at Class Ring Museum. We offer sterling silver class rings of museum quality for as low as $249. Shop our selection today and start designing a class ring that will last you a lifetime.