If there’s one thing that you’ll treasure with your life, it’s your wedding ring.

However, unless you take it off when you’re doing day-to-day tasks, it’s going to be subject to quite a lot of wear and tear.

So how do you keep your wedding and engagement ring in tip-top condition?

Clean Your Ring with Care

Over time, your ring will start to collect dirt, oil, debris and various lotions, which could dull the metal and cloud any diamonds or stones. To clean, use a mild soap liquid and warm water to soak the ring, before brushing it carefully with a soft toothbrush (always check the manufacturer’s guidelines before doing this, though).

There are also specialist diamond cleaners that you may want to try – but be sure to check they’re suitable for using with other stones as some won’t be.

Get It Professionally Cleaned

If you’re unsure what products you can use to clean your ring, it’s worth seeking the advice of your jeweler. Equally, a regular clean at a jewelers is recommended for not only keeping it in pristine condition but for checking that the prongs holding any stones in place are still strong and secure.

Identifying any loose prongs early is key to avoiding that frantic search for lost stones.

Avoid Chemicals

When you use any chemical-based products or abrasive solutions, it’s a good idea to remove your ring or wear gloves. These harsh cleaners could erode the metal or stone and may dull their overall finish.

Know When to Take Your Ring Off

As well as removing your ring to do the household chores, you may want to consider taking it off when you do other activities, such as swimming – especially when you’re in cold water.

Cold water can make your fingers shrink in size which means there’s a risk your ring could slip off. Equally, if you’re swimming in the sea, tidal surges may add to this risk.

Store It Safely

When you do take your ring off, be sure not to just leave it on the windowsill or your bedside table as it could easily fall off and lodge itself somewhere. And certainly don’t place it near the edge of the sink as the last thing you’ll want is it slipping down the drain!

Make a habit of putting it back in its original box as this will make sure it’s safe, secure and easy to find.

Make Sure Your Ring’s Insured

Finally, how much is your ring worth?

While it will have a high-street value, it’ll also have a lot of sentimental value which will probably deem it “priceless.” However, even though you won’t want to think about having to replace your wedding ring, it is still worth insuring it for its monetary value. You may be able to do this by including it in your house insurance policy or you may want to take out a separate policy for it.