Gold, a precious metal prized for its beauty and valued by nearly every culture, may be broken if not treated properly. It may develop a grimy film of skin oils, hand lotions, soap, and other residues due to scratches or dents. This film can make the gold look dull. Exposure to harsh chemicals also can damage the surface of the gold.
It is thought to be bad luck to take off your wedding ring, but when it comes to working around harsh chemicals you can prevent a lot of damage to your ring by slipping it off your finger and leaving it in a safe place until later. You should take your wedding rings off whenever you go swimming, as the chlorine in the pool is very damaging. Also, take your bands off or wear gloves when you are doing the cleaning with household cleaning products.