Where You Can (and Can't) Wear Your Engagement Ring

After you get engaged, chances are, you’re going to want to rock that engagement ring anywhere and everywhere you go. While there are plenty of places you can (and should) wear your bling, there are also some places where wearing your ring is a no-no if you want to keep it clean, safe, and sparkly. Let’s make this easy. The diamond experts at The Clear Cut helped us outline where you can wear your engagement ring and where you can’t wear your engagement ring.

You CAN wear your engagement ring during your normal day-to-day activities.

Your engagement ring is a symbol of your commitment and upcoming marriage to your partner, so it makes total sense that you’re going to want to wear it as often as possible.

And the good news? For most of your normal, day-to-day activities, you can absolutely rock your bling. Going to work? Wear your engagement ring. Swinging by the grocery store? Wear your engagement ring. Meeting friends for dinner? Wear your engagement ring.

You CAN’T wear your engagement ring to bed.

There is, however, one place you go every day that you shouldn’t wear your wedding ring—and that’s to bed.

Some people experience slight swelling in the hands overnight—and if your fingers swell while you sleep, it can not only feel uncomfortable, but it can make it harder to get your ring off in the morning. Plus, your ring can get snagged on your sheets, your blanket, your pajamas. It’s just not fun.

Wearing your engagement ring to bed could also put you at risk for injury. Diamonds can be sharp—and you don’t want to wake up in the middle of the night after scratching your face with your engagement ring.

Photo Credit // Unsplash

You CAN wear your engagement ring while tidying up—as long as you avoid harsh cleaning products.

There’s no need to take off your wedding ring for household chores like sweeping, laundry, or making the bed. There is, however, one exception to that rule—and that’s if you’re tackling any deep cleaning where you’ll be using harsh cleaning products that could damage your ring.

If you’re cleaning includes bleach, ammonia, or any other harsh chemicals, do yourself (and your diamond) a favor and take your engagement ring off beforehand.

You CAN’T wear your engagement ring in the shower.

A shower is great for keeping you clean—but your ring? Not so much. All the products you use to clean your face, hair, and body can latch onto your diamond, creating a film that makes it look cloudy, dull, and all-around dirty.

Not to mention that you don’t want your ring to slip off your finger and down the drain. Anyone who’s seen Apollo 13 knows that. So, don’t wear your ring in the shower and wait to put it back on until all your after-shower grooming activities (like slathering on lotion) are complete.

You CAN wear your engagement ring when you travel…

If you want to keep your ring on your finger during your travels (whether that’s on your honeymoon, your bachelorette party, or any other upcoming trips), there’s no reason you can’t.

Just make sure to take the proper steps to keep your ring safe, like bringing along a ring stand to securely hold your ring while you sleep and never, ever leaving your ring unattended in a hotel room or vacation rental property.

You also shouldn’t travel with your engagement ring unless it’s insured. Read more about engagement ring insurance here.

Photo Credit // Unsplash

...but you CAN’T wear it to the beach.

One travel destination that’s not the best fit for your engagement ring? The beach. Taking care of your skin at the beach means a lot of sunscreen. All that sunscreen will leave your diamond looking cloudy and dirty (and it’s also a pain in the neck to clean!).

Plus, the ocean can spell disaster for your ring. Not only will the sand and saltwater quickly dirty up your ring, but your fingers actually get slightly smaller when you swim, and it goes without saying that losing your engagement ring in the ocean? Not exactly a day at the beach.

Engagement Ring Care Tips: How to Clean Your Ring at Home

No matter where you do or don’t wear your engagement ring, you always want to keep your bling as safe and sparkly as possible. Here are a few tips to keep it that way:

• Get your engagement ring insured. It doesn’t matter how careful you are or where you do/don’t wear your ring. Things happen, and you want to make sure you’re insured and covered should your ring gets lost, stolen, or damaged.
• Diamond looking dull? Clean up your ring at home. Wearing your ring certain places (like in the shower) can leave it looking dull. Get it back to sparkling with a simple at-home engagement ring cleaning. Fill a bowl with warm water and a few drops of Dawn dish soap and let your ring soak for a few minutes. Remove the engagement ring from the bowl, scrub with a soft-bristled toothbrush, and rinse off the excess soap with warm water (just make sure your sink drain is covered). Dry with a soft cloth or paper towel, and your ring will shine like new.
• When in doubt, wear a stand-in ring. If you’re going somewhere that makes you feel uneasy about wearing your wedding ring, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. When in doubt, leave your ring in a safe, secure place at home and wear a stand-in ring. You can get a cute silicone version for less than $10.