Dirty Diamonds? Time to Fire Up the Machine

So my engagement ring looked like I'd been digging in the mud. Seriously, zero sparkle. Grabbed that ultrasonic cleaner from the back of my closet - forgot I even had it after my aunt gave it last Christmas. Figured "What's the worst that could happen?"

Setting Up the Station

First things first: cleared my kitchen counter. Didn't wanna accidentally knock the machine into the sink while wrestling with settings. Plugged it in - green light blinked like crazy. Panicked for a sec thinking it was broken, then spotted the tiny reset button near the cord. Pushed it, solid green light. Victory!

Mixed the solution like the sticker inside the tank said: lukewarm tap water + three drops of mild dish soap. Measured wrong at first - poured way too much soap. Looked like bubble bath! Dumped half out, added more water. Pro tip? Warm water bubbles better than cold. Science!

The Great Ring Dunk

Stared at my grimy ring wondering "do I risk this?" Said screw it and dropped it in the basket. Set timer for 3 minutes like YouTube tutorials said. Hit start... nothing happened. Stood there like an idiot for 30 seconds before realizing I forgot the lid! Slammed it shut, machine suddenly went BRRRRR. Scared my cat off the fridge.

Watched dirt literally float off the diamond through the lid. Gross brown clouds swirling around. Metal basket vibrating like crazy but holding up. DO NOT open mid-cycle - almost did when my phone rang, remembered the warning sticker just in time.

Aftermath & Game-Changing Finds

Timer beeped. Fished out the ring with tweezers (included!). Rinsed under cold water - holy sparkles Batman! But saw gunk still stuck in side prongs. Round two baby! Dropped it back in, slammed lid, set for 90 seconds this time.

Result? Like new. Zero scratches. Two things I learned the hard way:

• Shake off excess water BEFORE drying with microfiber cloth (water spots are sneaky)
• Set machine on TILE not wood - accidental water spill warped my cabinet edge

Would I use it again? Absolutely. Took longer to find the machine than to actually clean the ring. Next time? Doing all my jewelry at once. That machine's earning its keep!