You’ve said yes, and now you have a gorgeous, sparkly piece of jewelry on your left ring finger. It’s one of the most valuable rings you’ll ever own, not because of the monetary value, but because it represents your loving relationship and the commitment that you have to one another. Even though it feels great to wear it all the time, there are certain situations that you should take your engagement ring off so that it doesn’t get lost or damaged. Here are six common instances in which you should remove your engagement ring.

1. Cleaning

When cleaning your house, you are vigorously using your hands to scrub, buff and scour many different surfaces and crevices. You might be wearing rubber gloves, but those won’t protect your ring from getting banged up against hard surfaces, such as countertops and floors. There’s also the possibility of damaging the stone and setting, which would require a jeweler’s expertise to reset. Further, if you’re using household cleaners that have harsh chemicals, like bleach or ammonia, those can alter the color of your ring band and stone. If you’re planning on doing any kind of deep cleaning, especially if you’re using cleaners with chemicals, take your engagement ring off beforehand.

Photo Credit: Lifehack

2. Swimming

Swimming in a pool and in the ocean are both bad ideas when wearing your beautiful engagement ring. The chlorine in pools can discolor your wedding band, and the salt water in the ocean can slowly damage your ring and its setting over time. Further, the cold water you’re swimming in can cause your fingers to “shrink,” making it easy for your precious ring to slip off your finger and disappear into the depths of the ocean (or pool filter). Keep your engagement ring in a safe place when you plan to go for a swim.

Photo Credit: Baby World

3. Beauty and Moisturizing

Getting ready to go out? Moisturizing before bed? You may not realize it, but you could be damaging your wedding ring. Lotions, moisturizers and sunscreen are all prone to building up on your ring, causing the brilliance and shine to become dull and flat over time. Hairspray, perfume and makeup are also bad for your rings, especially if they’re part of your daily routine. The grime will build up over time and your pretty diamond ring will lose its natural sparkle. When you’re applying lotions or cosmetics, remove your ring and wait for your hands to dry before putting it back on.

Photo Credit: KBR Flickr

4. Working out

Playing sports and working out can cause you to apply pressure to your ring, like if you’re swinging a tennis racket or lifting weights. The precious metals that your wedding band is made out of are malleable or soft, meaning that if you’re constantly putting pressure on your ring in the same spot, it will bend and the shape can change. If the ring gets bent too much, the stone’s setting can get bent as well and cause the stone to fall out. When you plan on working out or playing sports, we suggest keeping your ring safe in the locker room or at home.

Photo Credit: Multi Gym

5. Gardening and Yard Work

Yard work and gardening require a lot of physical exertion, and you’ll most likely be using some heavy-duty tools. Even if you’re wearing gloves, you run the risk of chipping your diamond or knocking the ring’s setting loose when you’re using your hands so much. If you’re not wearing gloves, you can seriously damage the ring if you accidentally hit it against something, or you could even lose it in the dirt if you’re planting seeds or pulling weeds. Since you’re at home anyway, take your engagement ring and wedding band off before starting to tackle the yard.

Photo Credit: Linda Edgecombe

6. Baking and Cooking

As you’re kneading the dough, it’s possible for your ring to get stuck and lost in your food! There are so many different foods that are good to mix with your hands, like meatloaf, marinated meats and pretty much all baked goods. Even if you know you’re being careful to not serve your ring for dinner, the leftover residue from whatever you just mixed is tough to get off and will leave a film on your ring, making it lose its natural luster.

Photo Credit: Savoury Image

As you can see, there are plenty of everyday activities that you could be doing and unintentionally putting your ring at risk to be lost or damaged. If you’re determined to maintain your beautiful engagement ring and wedding band’s brilliance and shine, it’s important to remove them before you partake in any of the above. Damaging it or making it dirty are both unfortunate, but losing your engagement ring would be devastating. Whenever you do choose to take it off, make sure you store it in a safe place you’ll remember.