Soap solution
The easiest way to clean silver at home is with a light soap solution. It won't help with serious stains, but it will wash away everyday dirt and remove minor discoloration. To do this, immerse rings and earrings in a cup of liquid, and after 15 minutes, wipe them with a soft toothbrush.
Photo: samodelino.ru
Toothpaste
Cleaning silver with toothpaste is a classic, familiar to our mothers and grandmothers. Bleaching agents and microscopic abrasive particles remove blackness from even complex embossed jewelry with decorative weaving. A more radical method is a paste of tooth powder and ammonia.
Photo: rtp-news.com
Lipstick
Do you think this has anything to do with lipstick and silver? And we are ready to surprise you, because this is one of the most effective cleaning methods. The secret is simple: fats and titanium dioxide in the composition, which perfectly dissolve, clean and polish metal. Simply coat your silver jewelry with lipstick and rub it with a cotton pad or woolen cloth until it squeaks.
Photo: becomegorgeous.com
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Ammonia and peroxide
A 1:1 mixture of ammonia and peroxide is another classic recipe. It is enough to soak the silver in the solution for 15-20 minutes. We only recommend doing this in a tightly closed jar, otherwise you will have to enjoy all the “delights” of the pungent ammonia smell.
As for these components separately, let’s reveal a couple more secrets:
— Ammonia in its pure form is suitable for cleaning silver and clouded stones. It's not as effective as a mixture, but it's not as aggressive either;
- But peroxide cannot be used in its pure form - the bleaching effect is too strong. There is a high risk of ruining the jewelry, especially if the composition contains any impurities or coatings. A coating or cloudiness may appear. This applies not only to silver, but also to other valuable metals.
Photo: po-chistim.ru
Radium - greetings from uranium mines
The chemical element, the metal radium, was discovered by the Curies. Irene Curie was the first to discover that the decay of uranium produces a new chemical element that is even more radioactive than uranium. For this discovery, the chemist received the Nobel Prize. There is catastrophically little radium in nature; in almost a hundred years since its discovery, scientists have been able to extract only 1.5 kg in the laboratory. this metal.
The cost of a gram of radium is about $100,000; it is a radioactive element and is prohibited for sale by the state; it is rarely used in technology because it produces strong radiation. Therefore, the difference between rhodium-plated and irradiated silver is colossal; the latter option does not exist at all in jewelry.
Citric acid and copper wire
Pour a 100-gram sachet into a half-liter pan of water and place the mixture on the stove. Immerse silver jewelry inside and wait 15 minutes - the effect will appear before your eyes. An unusual trick is copper wire. Wrap it around a ring or bracelet - upon such contact, a reaction occurs in the citric acid, which makes cleaning even faster and more effective.
Photo: severdv.ru
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Why did the silver chain turn dark?
If the silver chain turns black, this may be preceded by the following factors:
- Wet air. If you wear silver jewelry in the rain or in a sauna, it will certainly darken over time. Humid air slows down sweating, resulting in an increased concentration of salts on the surface of the human body. They lead to oxidation and darkening of the metal.
- Poor quality alloy. Often, in addition to silver, impurities of other metals (for example, copper) are added to jewelry. It oxidizes faster than silver, so the product gradually begins to darken.
- Environmental impact. In addition to humidity and rain, the enemies of silver chains are exhaust fumes, tobacco smoke, dust, etc.
- Contacts with an aggressive environment. For example, cosmetics (creams, perfumes, shower gel, etc.).
- Changes in the state of the human body. If the silver chain suddenly begins to darken, it is useful for its owner to pay attention to his health. With some diseases (for example, the endocrine system), the level of fat production by the sebaceous glands changes, and various toxins are introduced onto the surface of the skin. They influence the color change of a silver product.
Chemists explain the darkening of a silver chain quite simply. The noble metal oxidizes upon contact with compounds containing sulfur. As a result, a patina forms on the surface of the chain - a film that gives the metal a dark color.
Baking soda and aluminum foil
Boil the same half-liter saucepan with 2 tablespoons of soda. Place a strip of food foil in the pan - you can even tear it off the chocolate packaging. Then lower the silver and leave the miracle mixture for 15-20 minutes.
As with copper, the reaction of silver with aluminum is important here, which helps remove any blackness. At the same time, you will forget about cloudiness and layers. The shine will be as good as new! It’s not for nothing that this recipe is the most effective. But it is better to avoid dry soda for cleaning - it is too aggressive an abrasive for soft and delicate silver.
Photo: domstrousam.ru
Difference from other metals
Rhodium plated silver is quite difficult to distinguish from other metals. The greatest external similarity of this material is observed with platinum and white gold. In order to accurately determine the type of coating, it is necessary to take into account the main characteristics. Among them the following stand out:
- Any other metal will be significantly inferior to rhodium-plated silver in terms of shine. If you need to determine the material of an unprocessed product, then you should look for the desired one by the gray or light black tint of the surface.
- To find differences from white gold, a visual inspection of the jewelry should be carried out. It will help determine the metal sample and the shape of the marks, which differ for each material.
- Rhodium-plated silver differs from platinum in the same ways as white gold.
If the buyer of jewelry is not a professional, then the work of determining the type of material should be entrusted to a highly qualified specialist. Based on experience, he will carry out the necessary manipulations and make his verdict. This option, although expensive, allows you to reduce the likelihood of error to a minimum.
To determine which rhodium plated silver is best, you need to understand the properties and characteristics of each. This is also a rather difficult task that only professionals can handle.
How to clean silverware?
A concentrated solution of baking soda and salt is best for cleaning silver cutlery. Add 3 tablespoons of baking soda and 3 tablespoons of salt to a liter of water. Boil the mixture, put the products in there and leave for 15 minutes. You can use baking soda or salt separately, but then increase the concentration. After this, polish the forks, spoons and knives with a soft cloth until shiny.
Photo: sdelai-lestnicu.ru
Blackening methods
Over the years of using this metal, many methods and methods of blackening it have accumulated. Can be done at home or by specialists.
- Galvanic method - requires special equipment, is performed only in specialized places;
- Mechanical method - you need to take graphite, mix it with iron oxide and turpentine. After receiving, the mixture is as thick as sour cream. Applied to the product. You need to wait until it dries and wipe with a soft cloth or brush. After this, we wipe it with alcohol and admire our work;
- The chemical method is the safest and most long-lasting. You need to fill the patterns on the product with a mixture consisting of silver sulfide, sulfur, copper and lead. After complete drying, clean the product well with a brush.
How to effectively clean blackened silver: 21 home methods and special products
How to clean blackened silver?
Removing blackness from blackened silver is the most difficult task. Here it is important to find the fine line between getting rid of excess, but not damaging your original coating. Therefore, all aggressive methods and solutions are absolutely not suitable for such jewelry.
Use baking soda and salt in their pure form, but increase the processing time to half an hour. The second method is to place the decorations in a pan with cold water and a few peeled potatoes. Leave them there for 3-5 hours and then rinse them under the tap. If there is still blackness somewhere, use a regular office eraser.
Photo: veles-vologda.ru
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Interesting Facts
There are claims that silver has healing properties and after you have cleaned, for example, your ring of dark plaque, all that remains is to choose the finger on which you will wear it.
- If you suffer from blood pressure, wear a silver ring on your ring fingers.
- Bowel problems? Early wrinkles? Feel free to put the ring on your index finger.
- Heart problems – little finger of the left hand.
- The silver you wear around your neck will help restore and calm the nervous system.[/box]
Try to keep your jewelry in its original condition so that you do not have problems cleaning it. Try not to wear them all the time, take them off when you are at home or when you go to places with high humidity, such as a swimming pool. If, on the contrary, you wear jewelry very rarely, then store it in a dark, dry place, preferably wrapped in foil.
Let your jewelry always remain the way it should be!
How to clean silver with stones?
The choice of method for such jewelry is influenced by the density of the stone and how it is fixed. High density stones don't care about your efforts. You don't have to worry about your favorite emerald ring or sapphire earrings.
Garnet and ruby do not tolerate high temperatures, so boiling methods will not work for you. Malachite, turquoise or opal do not like abrasives - here limit yourself to soap and baths. But it is better to immediately give delicate pearls, amber or corals to specialists - they are sensitive to literally everything.
If silver paws are used for fixation, the second question disappears by itself. But if there is glue, aggressive chemical reactions are not your method. Avoid acid, ammonia and peroxide.
Photo: orbita.news
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Prevention
To summarize, we can highlight several points, the observance of which will make the life of the owner of precious metal easier and will extend the life of the silver itself:
- It is necessary to wipe the chain with flannel after removing it.
- You should not leave your jewelry on while playing sports, as sweat greatly oxidizes silver.
- You should not take baths or go to the pool with a chain around your neck, because wet rooms create a favorable environment for oxidation.
- Monitor the composition of your cosmetics, as sulfur also affects how quickly the chain turns black, or wear it after applying makeup.
- To keep a new chain in its original condition for a longer period, when purchasing, apply a layer of colorless varnish to it.
- Don’t wait for the silver to turn black; give it preventative cleaning once every two months. Don’t wait for the silver to turn black; carry out preventative cleaning once a month. This will be quite enough.
- It is best to store the chain in a box, which is covered with fabric on the inside.
- When traveling to the sea, take off your silver, because sea water is an even more aggressive environment than fresh water.
