Silicone is an ideal material for many rings due to its combination of durability and style, plus its resiliency. Silicone doesn't scratch or dent like metal does, and it's ideal for jobs where you want to wear your ring despite using your hands often -- at the same time, though, it's important for owners and wearers of silicone rings to realize that they're not impervious to any risks, and one that may be possible is staining of the ring.

At Enso Rings, we offer a wide selection of silicone rings, from our Disney and Star Wars collections to numerous other design formats. In addition, we also provide expert tips on how to care for any of our silicone rings in several areas, including both stain prevention and stain removal. Do silicone rings stain, and how can this be noted and avoided? In addition, if your ring does stain, how can you go about cleaning it? Here's a primer. 

Do Silicone Rings Stain?

Yes, they can. When exposed to certain organic materials, such as those from certain foods and drinks, silicone can stain. This is true even if the ring itself isn't physically colored -- that's because the material of the ring itself is essentially one shade of bright white or light beige.

For instance, a substance like wine -- which is known for staining many materials -- may be able to seep into the ring and affect it. So may darker drinks, such as colas and coffee, as well as certain dyes that are used in foods like dessert sauces or tomato sauce.

Preventing Silicone Ring Staining

If you're looking for ways to keep your silicone ring free from staining, it's important to practice good hygiene habits when wearing the ring. Some things to avoid include:

  • Showering while wearing the ring. Hot water may be able to seep into the ring and stay there, causing staining or other damage. 

  • Washing your hands with harsh soaps and chemicals, including those used in dishwashing. This can affect the finish of the silicone and lead it to become discolored or to take on a dull appearance.

  • Wearing the ring while cleaning and working with harsh chemicals, such as bleach and other household cleaners. Again, this can lead to negative chemical reactions that may cause staining or otherwise affect the finish of the silicone.

  • Wearing your ring after sweating excessively: This is because sweat may contain trace mineral salts that can discolor the silicone.

  • Wearing your ring in major stain-risk settings: If you're handling a substance you know will stain, simply remove the ring during this process so there's no added risl.

While you can typically get away with some of these behaviors every now and then, we do not recommend wearing your ring constantly during them. 

Our next several sections will go over a few different formats or approaches our clients take for cleaning their silicone rings.

Standard Dish Soap Cleaning

Even if your ring hasn't specifically been stained recently, cleaning it every few day or weeks with some basic hot water and dish soap can help it stay looking new and refreshing. To do this, just remember to use a mild soap that is free of chemicals or perfume. 

Dish soaps meant for hand-washing dishes are preferred over other varieties due to their lower risk of chemical residue. Do not bother with dishwasher soaps, which may actually contain harsh chemicals that can damage the ring and discolor it.

Periodic Deep Cleaning

Every couple months or so, depending on how often you wear the ring, you may want to perform a deep cleaning that goes beyond simple hand-washing. This can be done by washing the ring with any dish-detergent soap and then removing it from your hand, placing it in a bowl of warm water with one tablespoon of white vinegar for three minutes. Then, rinse off the ring under lukewarm water and pat dry with a lint-free cloth.

Gentle Scrubbing

For certain tough stains that regular dish soap and vinegar didn't get rid of, you can try using a special brush designed for cleaning jewelry. These brushes often have soft bristles on one side and stiffer ones on the other, allowing them to both gently agitate the ring and remove any stains.

When using this type of brush, it's important not to scrub too harshly; the idea is to use a gentle amount of pressure for a short period of time. This can help you keep your ring looking great for many years to come.

Boiling in Water

For especially deep stains that won't come out using other methods, you may want to try boiling the ring in a bit of water. To do this, simply place your ring in a bowl or other dish and add enough water to submerge about half the ring's width. 

Bring the water to a boil on your stovetop, then allow the ring to sit in it for about 20 minutes. If there's still dirt on it after this point, you should be able to wipe it off easily with a soft sponge.

Dishwasher

Finally, one of the great benefits of silicone rings is that they can be cleaned in your dishwasher! Just remember to remove them before you set the dishwasher on its "heated dry" cycle. Doing so may lead to the ring becoming discolored or taking upon a dull appearance.

Also, if your silicone rings are highly textured with ridges or grooves, it's important that they do not get jammed in between any of the dishwasher's water-intake valves, which can cause damage.

For more on how to prevent silicone ring staining or remove stains once they're present, or to learn about any of our wide selection of silicone rings, speak to the staff at Enso Rings today.

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