How to clean silver from dark deposits

Silver has been known to mankind since ancient times. Coins, cutlery, jewelry and other products are made from it. However, over time, the surface of the silver may tarnish. In this article we will look at the main methods that will help you remove dark deposits from metal and return it to its original appearance.

All life hacks can be used at home, so if you need to clean silver quickly and effectively, read to the end.

But first, a few important points.

How to Determine the Best Way to Clean Silver

To answer this question, three nuances should be taken into account:

Product quality;
Pollution level;
The presence of other elements (gilding, stones, etc.).

Before you start cleaning silver, you should remember that using any aggressive means is only appropriate for things that are entirely made of silver.

If there are stones or some kind of coating on this or that object, then it is wiser to use gentle products. It is better to entrust the cleaning of any miniature jewelry to a specialist.

Today you can buy a variety of cleaning agents for silver. They can be liquid or paste-like.

When cleaning silver, you should avoid using hard brushes or sponges to avoid damaging the items.

Gold plated silver chains

With gold-plated chains, the cleaning methods will be similar, but not all will be the same. For example, ammonia and soap solution are good for removing dark plaque from gold-plated items. But using products with abrasive particles, even the smallest ones, is not recommended. The gold layer in such jewelry is very thin, and therefore it is very easy to damage it. You need to handle such products very carefully and regularly wash them in soapy water or wipe them with a cloth soaked in ammonia. It is also important to polish with a felt cloth or flannel.

How to clean silver at home

First of all, prepare a soap solution and wash your silver items in it to remove grease and other contaminants.

Then you need to rinse the silver accessories in water and wait until they dry.

Toothpaste and powder

The powder must be diluted with water until a thick mass is obtained. There is no need to prepare anything for toothpaste, the main thing is that it does not have any impurities.

This mixture should be applied to a napkin and begin to process silver objects with it. It is very important to make movements in one direction and in a straight line.

At the end of the entire procedure, it is worth rinsing the metal with clean water and polishing it with an appropriate cloth.

The method described above cannot be considered delicate, so it should be used for things made of silver that are not of great value.

Soda

Using soda you can easily and efficiently clean silver. To do this, you need to dilute soda with water to a mushy state and apply it to silver objects.

After 10-15 minutes, rinse off the mixture with water and wipe dry with a napkin.

You can clean silver items more carefully using a soda solution. To do this you will need:

Boil a glass of water, add about 20 g of soda to it and stir everything;
If you are using non-aluminum cookware, then a piece of foil should be placed at the bottom of the container;
Then you need to put the jewelry in the hot solution and wait 15-20 minutes.

Citric and other acids

Here is another option on how to clean silver from darkening using citric acid.

Take a half-liter container and add 100 g of acid to it;
Place the container in a water bath, having first placed some copper object inside it;
When the solution begins to boil, place silver accessories in it for 15-20 minutes.

If the decoration is not very large and dirty, it is enough to wipe it with a cloth soaked in vinegar. You can also use a 10% citric acid solution.

Salt

An interesting fact is that the most common salt can also give silver a shiny appearance. To do this, do the following:

In one liter of hot water you need to dissolve 50 g of salt and 20 g of cream of tartar. Place silver items in the resulting liquid and wait 15-20 minutes.
Pour 1 liter of water into an aluminum container. When it starts to boil, you need to add 20 g of salt, soda and some detergent. After thorough mixing, you need to put silver objects inside the container and boil for half an hour.

Special means

Owners of any silver jewelry are recommended to have in their arsenal special cleaning products designed for this metal. The fact is that their composition is specially designed for this material, so the process of cleaning from dark deposits will be as gentle as possible. The following remedies are effective:

Aladdin solution. You need to lower the product into it for only 10-20 seconds, maximum 2 minutes. After this, the chain needs to be removed and polished with a special cloth that comes with the kit. But this product is not recommended for use if, in addition to silver, the product contains organic stones and enamel-coated elements.
Special foams or liquids for caring for silver items. The foam product should be applied to the product for 2 minutes and then removed with a soft, clean cloth. If you use a liquid, the cleaning process is slightly different: you need to put the product in this composition for 4-8 minutes. Such products are also not suitable for items with organic stones and enamel.
Paste "Talisman". You need to rub the darkened area with it, and then remove the product using the microfiber cloth included in the kit. GOI paste has a similar effect, although the paste itself must be applied to a cotton or woolen cloth, which must first be moistened in gasoline or any other solvent.

How to quickly and effectively clean silver

Not everyone knows that you can quickly and effectively clean silver using such a simple product as ammonia.

To do this, the surface of the metal must be wiped with a swab dipped in it. If the item has darkened too much, then it should be placed in a 10% solution of ammonia and left in it for 10-15 minutes.

In addition, you can clean silver in the following ways:

Mix water, ammonia and tooth powder in a ratio of 5:2:1. Then process the metal with the resulting mass. After 15 min. rinse the product in water;
Mix ammonia with hydrogen peroxide in equal proportions. You need to dip silver items into the resulting liquid and wait 15 minutes;
Pour a little ammonia into the tooth powder and form a thick mass. Then, using a soft cloth, apply this composition to the silver.

How to clean silverware

Regardless of frequency of use, silver cutlery needs regular cleaning.

Important!
To maintain the attractive appearance of the appliances, they are never washed in the dishwasher. Noble metal requires careful handling and manual cleaning.

The most popular method is to rub the products with tooth powder. It is quite soft, and at the same time penetrates into the recesses. Ammonia is also used:

Combine alcohol and water in a ratio of 1:10.
Place the dishes in the solution for 30-60 minutes (depending on the degree of contamination).
Rinse the devices with running water.

How to clean silver from blackness

We invite you to familiarize yourself with some more methods that will allow you to efficiently clean silver at home.

Pour into the container any carbonated drink (Coca-Cola, Sprite, etc.) that contains phosphoric acid. Then you should put the silver item inside the container and boil for 10 minutes.
Take washing powder and dilute it with water until a thick mass forms. Place the silver item there and boil for 10 minutes.
Spray the silver with window cleaner and gently wipe it with a cloth.

Storage.

Air humidity, oils from your skin, perfumes, lotions, hair products and other chemicals can cause corrosion and tarnishing of the product. Typically, to slow down the tarnishing process, you should store your silver jewelry with minimal exposure to moisture and air.

Place your silver items in tightly sealed bags. You can also insert a pouch of silica gel and store it with your jewelry. Small packets of silica gel absorb moisture and thus help delay tarnishing.

Protect your jewelry by wiping it completely with polishing pads or other soft material before storing it.

Store your silver in a dark, dry place such as a jewelry box or drawer. It is advisable to have enough space for each piece of jewelry.

It is best to store jewelry so that they do not touch each other. Storing your jewelry in this way ensures that it will look attractive for many years to come.

Tips for cleaning blackened silver

Add tbsp to 1 liter of water. a spoonful of soda and 20 g of soap. The decoration should be immersed in the resulting liquid for 20 minutes.
Peel and cut raw potatoes, put them in water and put silver in there for 3 hours.
Do not clean blackened silver with ammonia!

General rules for cleaning silver

In order to properly clean silver, you need to follow the general rules given below.

It is necessary to wash silver items regularly.
Avoid abrasive materials and use only gentle products.
925 sterling silver can only be cleaned with special means, as the metal may lose its original appearance.
Radiant metal should only be cleaned with a soft cloth or swabs, otherwise it will be scratched.
If you want to add shine to the product, then they should be treated with lemon juice and hot water.
It is advisable to dry silver on paper napkins.
It is recommended to polish silver accessories with flannel, wool or suede cloth.
Experts advise not to wear silver jewelry after you have cleaned it for 3 days until a natural protective layer has formed on it.

Features when cleaning silver chains

It is somewhat more difficult to clear darkening from a chain than, for example, a ring or pendant. And all because the product, which is worn around the neck, consists of many links and is distinguished by a complex weave. Therefore, there are many more hard-to-reach places in the chain than in other silver jewelry. In addition, unlike a pendant and a ring, the chain does not have a rigid shape, which does not make care any easier.

To properly clean a silver chain, it is convenient to use a special brush with thin bristles. If you don’t have one, you can replace it with a regular toothbrush, but always with soft bristles. Using this tool, it is convenient to clean dirt from the links after the chain has been treated in the solution.

How to properly store silver

Finally, here are some key tips on how to store your silver. And although this cannot be a 100% guarantee of the safety of the appearance of silver items, we still strongly recommend that you keep them.

Silver items should be kept in closed containers and with minimal humidity. If you are not going to use any silver item for a long time, then it should be washed with soapy water and wrapped in foil or flannel.
It is unacceptable for silver to lie next to medicines, food, cosmetics, household chemicals, etc.
Before going to the beach, taking a shower or going to the bathhouse, it is advisable to take off your silver items.
If the silver gets wet, be sure to dry it with a napkin or soft cloth.

With proper care of your silver, it will always look good. We hope that our tips will help you clean your silver and make it shine.

Why does silver turn black?

Silver is one of the noble metals. It is low-active and resistant to chemical influences, but up to a certain limit, sulfur is its eternal enemy.

In addition, the jewelry industry does not use pure silver, which is soft and prone to deformation, but its much stronger alloys with other metals. They, for the most part, are responsible for the intensity of blackening of the chain.

Clearing the chain of blackness means removing the accumulated layer of sulfide and impurities. But sometimes a noble patina is applied to a product intentionally, through galvanization, blackening, and oxidation. Blackened silver is cleaned with products specially designed for this purpose.

There are several main factors that influence the process of blackening of a noble metal.

Number and composition of ligatures. These are the aforementioned metals added to silver to create a hard alloy. The higher the grade stamped on the product, the fewer additives it contains. The composition of the ligatures also matters. Silver almost always contains copper impurities, which accelerates the process of dark plaque formation.

Skin care cosmetics. Our skin needs care, but the cosmetics we use do not add “health” to silver. Well, it doesn’t like gel showers, lotions, creams and other cosmetics!

Household chemicals. Silver doesn’t really like even innocent dishwashing liquid, let alone more aggressive household chemicals? True, it takes a lot of effort to get it onto the neck chain, but the bracelets suffer quite noticeably from household chemicals.

Kitchen work. Sulfur-containing and other silver-aggressive elements are found in many products. They are even found in eggs and onions! So it is better to remove the silver before cooking.

Natural body secretions . Human sweat and fat also contain sulfur compounds that are harmful to silver. If the silver chain has turned black on your neck, it means that you have been wearing it for a long time without cleaning it or have not taken it off during training and other physical activities, during which sweating increases. Unfortunately, rapid blackening of silver may indicate health problems: problems in the endocrine, hematopoietic, nervous or urinary systems. In a person who is not very healthy, the sweat becomes more caustic and saturated with sulfur, and a sulfide layer forms faster.

In folk mythology, silver is credited with protective properties. Allegedly, its blackening indicates a flow of negative energy directed at the owner - he has been jinxed. From a materialistic point of view, this correlates with health problems: silver has turned black - a person is sick, and the reasons for this can be different.

Why do silver rings darken and lose their shine?

Ag is a silver-colored precious metal whose ions react with various substances, usually forming a coating on its surface.

The main causes of darkening are:

interaction with sulfur contained in some medications, human sweat, air and water;
exposure to aggressive chemicals contained in cosmetics, cleaning products, and detergents;
the presence of a high percentage of copper in the alloy (the lower the sample, the more copper).

In addition, a silver ring will become dirty if you do not remove it before working in the garden, while cleaning the house, etc. Earth and dust, reacting with human sweat, are rubbed into the metal, both the inner surface and the area where The stone is attached and darkens first.

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Superstitious people have their own explanation for this change in the surface of silver jewelry. It is believed that products made from this metal absorb negative energy and thus ward off the evil eye and damage. Of course, this version is far from scientific. In addition, the darkening process is also influenced by taking medications containing sulfur compounds. They are excreted from the human body through sweat and react with metal.

Features and principles of cleaning products made from different types of silver

There are different cleaning methods for different types and items of silver. This is not surprising, given the large number of practical uses of the precious metal. When choosing the optimal course of action, several key criteria are taken into account:

functional purpose of the product;
terms of Use;
workmanship;
degree of darkening;
the presence of other materials and substances, for example, precious stones, gilding, decorative and protective coatings.

From ordinary silver

In this case, it is first recommended to degrease the surface of the metal product. To do this, it is enough to treat it with a traditional soap solution. Then no less classic and accessible home remedies are used, including:

tooth powder or toothpaste diluted in water ;
regular soda , reduced to a paste by adding water;
various acids , most often citric acid, also diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 5

Any of the listed compositions is applied to a silver surface. Then - after 10-20 minutes - it is washed off. The exposure time is determined individually, taking into account the degree of tarnishing.

Source: homychok.ru

Made of rhodium-plated silver

Rhodium-plated silver is silver whose surface is electroplated with a coating based on rhodium salts. The latter belongs to the platinum group metals and improves both the aesthetic characteristics of silver products and increases their service life.

Cleaning rhodium-plated silver at home can be done in several ways:

using special compounds intended for the care of jewelry;
immersing the product for several minutes in a bath of soapy water;
wiping the surface with a velvet cloth soaked in warm water or a cotton swab soaked in glycerin.

Blackened silver

In this case, a coating is used from alloys of oxides of different metals (silver itself, copper, lead), united by one name - mobile. This type of protection is rarely used today, and therefore is typical for older products. Their cleaning involves using:

ammonia with the addition of finely crushed chalk;
an ordinary eraser used in school;
an aqueous solution of soda , salt and cleaning agent (without abrasive).

Gilt silver

Keeping gold-plated silverware and jewelry clean is no different than regular silverware. Therefore, the previously listed methods are used - tooth powder/paste, soda solution or various acids. As a bonus, you can soak the silver in a bath, where soda and foil are placed along with water.

From silverware

The above is completely true and even somewhat more relevant for silverware. The fact is that utensils for eating food are usually made of metal that is not of the highest quality and without additional decorative and protective coatings. Their main and only serious difference from jewelry is their functional purpose.

Matte silver

The peculiarity of this type of metal is its poor resistance to acids and abrasives. Therefore, to clean matte silver, it is recommended to use gentle products - a soap solution or a bath with water, foil and soda.

Products with stones

In this case, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the stones used to make jewelry. Aquamarine, sapphire or emerald are highly durable and therefore can withstand most mechanical stress. Turquoise, malachite or opal require more careful handling. Garnet, ruby, amber and other similar stones cannot withstand elevated temperatures, and therefore they are cleaned using warm compounds and products.

What kind of silver does not tarnish?

It is almost impossible to completely eliminate the tarnishing of silver. Gradual darkening over time is one of the basic characteristics of a precious metal.

But it is quite possible to slow down the process. The first factor for this is the application of a coating based on rhodium salts - sulfates or phosphates, and the second is the use of high-grade silver for the manufacture of a product or decoration. The combination of both methods allows you to achieve the greatest effect, although it is extremely rare to completely eliminate darkening.