Healers believe that the darkening of silver items indicates problems in the body of their owner. Especially if the chain and pectoral cross have faded.
This is a signal of problems with the kidneys and cardiovascular system. The reaction is associated with high sweating and changes in the acid-base balance of the skin. In addition, people say that silver things turn black, protecting a person from negative energy, as if they “absorb” it into themselves.
At the same time, science explains the appearance of dark plaque by a specific chemical reaction of the metal. It occurs under the following circumstances:
- high humidity in the place where products are stored;
- prolonged contact of jewelry with skin;
- contact with cosmetics and substances containing sulfur ions.
How to clean a silver chain at home
Before we talk about ways to clean silver, it is necessary to understand the reasons why it darkens.
The darkening of silver is an external manifestation of its oxidation, which is formed under the influence of sulfur. Someone may be confused - where does sulfur come from? But everything is very simple, everyone knows perfectly well that silver jewelry hanging on the body darkens from sweat, and sweat, among many chemical substances, contains sulfur.
However, not only jewelry darkens, but also cutlery. What is the reason here? The fact is that most often silver contains many other impurities, which react with the surrounding atmosphere. Air humidity is also important. The higher the humidity, the faster the silver will darken.
The chain is worn on the body, and therefore it is constantly exposed to sweat.
There are many ways to clean silver. However, there are some nuances that should not be forgotten. First of all, this is the type of silver. The cleaning method will depend on this.
For example, blackened silver can be cleaned in any way; for cleaning gold-plated silver, only a few methods are suitable, and for matte silver only special chemicals are needed.
So, you have a silver chain that needs to be cleaned. This can be done at home in several ways.
Using food foil
Spread a sheet of foil on the table, place your decoration, add two tablespoons of salt and pour in a little water. Then wrap the foil and place it in a pan or ladle. Next, prepare a soap solution: add one teaspoon of laundry soap to a glass of water. Pour the solution into a saucepan, put it on the fire and bring to a boil. As soon as the soapy water boils, remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes.
You can do it a little differently. We spread the foil along the bottom of the pan, fill it with water about five centimeters from the bottom and add two tablespoons of citric acid, then put the decoration there. Place the pan on the fire, bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes. After the time has passed, we look - if the chain has not brightened, you can hold it for some more time.
After this, we take out the chain, cool it, rinse it under the tap, and wipe it well with a flannel or woolen piece of cloth. This should add shine to the decoration.
With citric acid
To do this, take a half-liter jar, pour a glass of water, add 50 g of citric acid. Then we put a piece of copper wire and a chain there. Place the jar in a pan of water and put it on the fire. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
Peeling potatoes
Another original way to clean silver using potatoes. Boil the potatoes. Take a container and put foil on the bottom. Then pour water after boiling the potatoes (the potatoes themselves can be eaten). Place the silver jewelry in this water and keep it in the water for 15 minutes. You can do it a little differently, boil the potatoes, preferably in their skins (or, as they say, in their “jackets”), take out the potatoes, put the decoration in its place and continue to boil for 20 minutes.
And another option: grate fresh potatoes, pour water and stir until a porridge-like mass. Place the chain in this mixture for 2 minutes.
Pollution prevention measures
To protect your silver jewelry and cutlery from blackening, they need proper care.
- When applying cosmetic cream or doing housework, remove jewelry from your hands.
- If items get wet, wrap them in a soft cloth and gently wipe dry.
- Store items in a dry place before placing them in the box.
- Wrap items or utensils in foil if you only use them on special occasions. This will protect them from oxidation.
Beautiful silver jewelry gives any lady chic and discreet splendor. To preserve the beauty and shine of your toiletries for a long time, remember these simple recommendations. The noble metal will thank you with an alluring, sparkling shine.
How can you clean homemade silver from blackness?
The following methods for cleaning silver are suitable for any product. But before you start cleaning, you need to prepare the silver for this. First you need to wipe off the fat from the product. If it is not visible or the product seems normal to the touch, this does not mean that it is not greasy. We prepare a soap solution, dip the product in it, hold it for a while, and then wipe it dry with a flannel cloth or a soft brush. But that is not all. Rinse in water and then wipe dry with a paper towel. Now you can start cleaning directly.
One common method is brushing with tooth powder.
The process is quite simple: you need to take tooth powder and a soft cloth. The fabric should be slightly moistened with water, if necessary, wrung out and dipped into the powder. And then we take it and lightly, without pressing on the metal, rub the silver until we remove the blackness. At the end of the process, we rinse the product. Place on a paper towel to dry.
Another cleaning option is using vinegar (essence will not work)
Pour vinegar into a cup. We put the products needed for cleaning there. We select the size of the container to match the size of the products so that they are completely immersed in vinegar. We leave the silver objects in the vinegar for two hours. Then rinse in water and dry on paper towels.
The easiest way to clean silver at home is simple boiling.
To do this, you will need to prepare a solution, the components for which everyone will probably have. Take 500 ml of water. dissolve 15 g of salt, Fairy product and soda in it. We put silver there and put the container with the contents on the fire. Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat and leave the water to cool. Then follow the same procedure - rinse and dry on a paper towel.
Cleaning with lipstick
The next method is quite original and probably few people have ever heard of it. Here lipstick is used for cleaning. True, the products should be smooth, this is more suitable for cutlery. Take a soft cloth, apply a large amount of lipstick on it and wipe the product. If the blackening was removed, rinse and dry; if not, repeat again.
A good option is cleaning with olive oil.
Everything here is also quite simple. Wet a cloth with oil and rub the product with it. When finished, wash the silver and dry it.
If your silver is blackened, then in addition to potatoes, you can also clean it with soap and soda, as well as an ordinary eraser.
Cleaning with soap and soda
To clean with soap and soda, take a container and pour 500 ml of water. Then add 10 g of soda and a little liquid soap. Mix well and put the product there. Let the silver lie there for 15 minutes. After that, take it out and wipe it dry with a soft cloth.
General rules for cleaning silver
When choosing any silver purification method, it is important to adhere to a number of general rules:
- Products should not be brought to a catastrophic state. When the first stains appear, you should immediately clean the metal.
- Before the main process, it is important to clean the silver from dirt, grease, and cosmetics. To do this, place the products in a bath of soapy liquid and hold for half an hour.
- Radiated objects rarely change color, but they are easily scratched by soda, brushes and salt.
- 925 silver, the most expensive and valuable, must be given to professionals in a jewelry workshop, otherwise they can be damaged by home methods.
- It is better not to clean fragile items with brushes; a velvet cloth is suitable for Argentum.
It is important to handle all precious metals with care, keep them in a separate, dark place and remember to check for any discoloration.
How to clean silverware at home with baking soda
Soda is a universal and common tool for any kitchen work. This product can be prepared as a solution or as a paste.
First, consider the standard method, when we prepare soda as a solution. For a glass of water you need to take 25 g of soda. Next, take a ladle, cover the bottom with foil, pour out the prepared solution and put in the items needed for cleaning. Then put the ladle on the fire and bring to a boil. Then turn off the heat and leave for 15 minutes. After this, we take out the silver and wipe it with a soft cloth.
Now, as for the second option - soda paste. To do this, add soda to the water. But now you need a lot of it to make a mushy mass. Apply this mixture to a cloth or directly to the item, if it is silverware, and wipe thoroughly. Three until the plaque disappears. The products are then rinsed and dried on paper towels.
Cleaning silverware and cutlery
Cutlery and dishes made of silver, even with frequent use, become covered with a layer of dark patina over time.
Silver tableware has bactericidal properties and does not cause allergic reactions.
You can clean silverware using the same methods mentioned earlier. But since it comes into contact with fats, it is first necessary to remove the grease film and settled dirt. To do this, wash the dishes in a concentrated soap solution (you can use dishwashing detergent). If there is an engraving or ornament, it is recommended to keep silver items in a warm (50 ℃) soap solution for 30 minutes. It is better to wash and scrub them with a soft sponge, so that the hard side does not damage the smooth surfaces. After this, they move directly to cleaning and polishing.
Sodium thiosulfate, which can be purchased at any pharmacy, is considered the most effective for restoring the darkened top layer of silver. One 10 ml ampoule is diluted in 30 ml of water and rubbed with the resulting solution on silver using a cotton pad or napkin. The result appears immediately - the silver brightens and begins to shine. After processing, the dishes should be rinsed with water and wiped dry with a soft cloth.
GOI paste (from GOI - State Optical Institute) based on chromium (III) oxide helps to carefully grind and polish the surfaces of silver dishes. It is squeezed out of a tube or small shavings are taken from a piece, which can be easily dissolved in a few drops of machine oil. Apply the paste to a cloth and rub the silver surfaces with light movements. Even with scratches and abrasions, silver acquires a pronounced shine. A less effective polishing alternative is ash or fine ash.
Silver chain and cross - how to clean them at home
To clean the chain with a cross, we will use the most common salt
Add two tablespoons of salt to 500 ml of water and stir until completely dissolved. Then we put the container with the solution on the fire and wait until the water boils. As soon as it starts to boil, drop the silver into boiling water.
Place foil on the bottom of the pan before adding the salt water. Boil the silver item for 15 minutes. Then we take it out and rinse it under cold water. All that remains is to dry it and enjoy the result.
Another option is to use olive oil
The use of this product has already been discussed, but here they do not wipe it, but, as in the case of salt, boil it in it. Only. It will be necessary to take not any oil, but only unrefined one.
So, take the oil and pour it into the pan. Moreover, the volume of oil should be such that the product placed in the pan is completely covered.
Then, the pan is placed on the fire and brought to a boil. As soon as the oil boils, lower the chain into it. Continue boiling for another 10 minutes. After the time has passed, take out the product and rinse it with hot water using a toothbrush. You can use some dishwashing detergent.
At the last stage, prepare a solution of lemon juice and water in a 1:1 ratio and pour it into a container. We put our product there. It should remain in this solution for a couple of hours. Then we take it out and wipe it with a soft fleecy cloth.
Another unusual remedy is Coca-Cola.
True, it has long been no secret that Coca-Cola is used to clean pipes and remove rust. So why not use it to clean silver.
Take Coca-Cola, pour it into a container and put in your silver. Keep in this “drink” for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally throughout the entire time. After the time has passed, take out the product and rinse it well with water.
How to make silver shine after cleaning
After the cleaning procedure, you should immediately remove all water or remaining liquid and then polish the products. To do this, you can purchase a special professional polish or cream to create a mirror shine.
Apply liquid to a cloth and polish the products until a mirror effect appears. After this, the polish must be washed off and the items thoroughly wiped until the streaks disappear.
Another method is special polishing cloths. They are used to polish the metal until it shines, but it is important to remember that wipes for gold are not suitable for silver products and vice versa.
How to clean silver items with stones
Previously, we talked about cleaning only one silver, i.e., if we are talking about jewelry, then these are chains, bracelets and rings that do not have stones.
However, many have rings with stones. Here the cleaning is somewhat different than simple silver.
In this case, it is recommended to use special cleaning mixtures.
But if you don’t have such a mixture, you can try making it yourself. To do this you need to take 250 ml. warm water and add 20 g of grated soap and 5 drops of ammonia to it. Stir all the ingredients and put on fire. You can't boil it, you just need to heat it up. Then we take a toothbrush, dip it in the hot solution and clean the product with it. After this, take a cotton swab, soak it in a hot solution, and treat the areas near the stone with it.
Each type of stone has its own cleaning methods.
So, for example, to clean products with amber, they are first soaked in warm water. You can add a little soap. After this, wipe everything with a soft cloth, then rinse in warm water and dry.
If you have jewelry with pearls, then to clean them, prepare a paste of corn starch and water in a 1:2 ratio. This mixture is applied with a soft brush and then brushed. Then the decoration is washed with water and dried.
If coral is present in jewelry, then it must be taken into account that this is a rather fragile stone. Basically, it is wiped with a velvet cloth. If the silver is very dirty. Then before you start cleaning it, you need to isolate the stone so as not to damage it.
Some people wear stones such as amber or ivory for jewelry. It is not recommended to use alkalis and acids to clean them. Here the jewelry is soaked in warm water with added soap. Then wipe with a soft cloth and dry.
In order to clean malachite, opal, turquoise and moonstone, you need to prepare a solution with laundry soap. Pre-soak the jewelry in warm water for 30 minutes. Then, using a soft brush dipped in soapy water, the surface of the stone is treated until clean.
Stones such as garnet, topaz and ruby can be cleaned with a baking soda solution. Or any cleaning products. But you cannot use hot water. Sapphire, emerald and aquamarine can be cleaned using shampoo or washing powder.
The most universal remedy is laundry soap. One of the standard cleaning methods using soap is as follows. Initially, the soap is ground on a grater. Then, add a tablespoon of soap per liter of warm water and stir. After this, place the decoration in the prepared solution. It lies there for an hour, after which we take it out, wash it and wipe it dry.
Another universal remedy is chalk. It will first need to be crushed. Then add water, but only enough to form a paste. The decoration is treated with this paste, after which it is rinsed and dried.
Cleaning products with organic inserts
Organic matter has a porous structure that is easy to scratch and damage. Because of this, using alkalis, ammonia and acids when washing is extremely harmful. Abrasive products will not work either. When blackening silver with organics, it is allowed to use very gentle methods.
- Ivory and amber are soaked in warm soapy water and wiped with a soft cloth.
- Corals are sensitive even to the rays of the sun. It is better to wear such things in the evenings so that the coral does not fade. Metal should be cleaned without touching stones.
- Pearls are washed in the same way as amber, but you can add a little laundry soap to the water. After washing, rinse the jewelry, do not rub the stones, but dry them naturally, but avoid direct sunlight.
The ring has turned black, how to clean silver from blackness at home
A silver ring can be cleaned of blackness in different ways. One of the effective remedies is a mixture of chalk and ammonia. Having prepared the product, take a toothbrush. Apply the mixture to the product, then rinse with running water.
Another, also quite simple way, is to prepare a warm soapy solution and put the ring in it for a few minutes. Then take a soft toothbrush and clean all the edges and bends of the ring with a brush.
You can also use any dishwashing detergent, or make a solution of ammonia and citric acid diluted in warm water.
The old method that was used before will work well. Take potatoes, peel them, then grate them on a fine grater. Add water to the resulting mass and mix. It turned out something like a mush. We put the ring there. After 30 minutes, take it out, rinse under running water and wipe with a woolen cloth.
Instead of potato paste, you can make a hot decoction of potato peels and place a ring there.
You can also use another method - boil the ring for several minutes in water with garlic peels or egg shells. At the same time, do not forget that the ring must be without stones.
Additional recommendations
Proper care and storage will ensure the attractive appearance of jewelry, dishes, and cutlery.
What to do to prevent silver from tarnishing
Silver turns black when in contact with water, detergents, cosmetics, sweat, and other metals. To prevent jewelry from darkening:
- remove them before showering, bathing, washing or active training;
- wear rings, earrings and chains after applying cosmetics;
- store jewelry in a box, place them in separate cells or fabric covers.
Carry out preventive cleaning of even unused jewelry in a timely manner. Wash them in warm water and soap 2-3 times a year, wipe them thoroughly from moisture, and apply a protective coating.
What not to clean silver
High-quality 925 sterling silver will withstand cleaning with any detergent: alcohol, ammonia, soda, toothpaste. Only caustic household chemicals, bleaches, solvents, and hard abrasives are prohibited.
It is better to wash combined products, jewelry with coating, stones, and decorative inserts with soapy water or treat them with special products.
Silver is a capricious metal that is sensitive to environmental influences. Timely care, adherence to wearing rules and proper storage will help maintain its attractive appearance, shine and radiance.
Cleaning table nickel silver from blackness at home
Many people probably have cupronickel silver spoons or forks in their household. They, like silver, are also susceptible to darkening. This is due to the fact that cupronickel is an alloy of silver, red copper, zinc and nickel. Depending on humidity, over time, cupronickel begins to darken. Therefore, questions related to cleaning this metal will arise one way or another.
Cleaning nickel silver products is not difficult; there are several ways.
One good option is to treat the darkened areas with salt. A little water is added to it, and then a sponge is taken, dipped in salt and rubbed into the surface of the products. Salt can also be replaced with soda.
You can also, as they say, combine business with pleasure. Boil eggs, which you then eat, and boil cupronickel spoons in the water where they were boiled.
It is also recommended to use colorless carbonated drinks, such as Sprite. They are a good solvent for grease and limescale. Pour the drink into a cup and place the cutlery there. We leave them there for about 20 minutes. Then we take a foam sponge and wipe the surface of the products with it. In this case, the plaque will be easily removed.
Another method using soda
Take a saucepan or ladle and cover the bottom with foil. Pour one and a half glasses of soda and pour water. Then put the container on the fire and bring the water to a boil. Then turn off the heat and put cutlery in the container. Keep it like this for 15 minutes.
After this, we rinse the products under the tap, wipe them with a soft flannel cloth and lay them out to dry.
How to choose a method
There are two types of removal of plaque from precious metals: home and professional.
To clean silver, it is enough to audit the available means at hand and choose the most optimal method. The use of aggressive methods of influence is carried out only on the coarsest alloys and simple decorations, so as not to damage them. Complex, expensive items with stones and engravings require a careful approach. The choice of method is influenced by the sample size of the product, weight, the presence of complex elements (gilding, stones, engraving) and the degree of contamination.
The lack of effects from home methods or difficult cases lead housewives to professional cosmetics, which can be purchased with specialized mixtures and pastes for removing stains from silver.
Silver with gold plated - we clean it at home with our own hands
Except for silver jewelry. Many are silver and gold plated. It is also subject to darkening, which means it needs to be cleaned.
Toothpaste, soda and ammonia
But you can also use acid. At home, this substance is stored in the form of vinegar. Everything is very simple here, you don’t need to dilute or boil anything. Take a cloth, soak it in vinegar and wipe the product. Dark areas will begin to lighten upon contact.
Lemon juice
Squeeze it into a glass and put decorations there. After a few minutes, take it out and rinse in water.
Coca Cola
Coca-Cola contains phosphoric acid, which is why this drink is also good for cleaning. Pour the soda into a container and soak the products in it for 30 minutes. After this, rinse well in water.
Sugar solution
Another way to clean gold-plated silver is to soak it in a sugar solution. Dissolve two tablespoons of sugar in a glass of warm water and leave your decorations for 3-4 hours. After that, we take it out, rinse it under running water and polish it with suede.
Beer
And this method will delight beer lovers. It turns out that you can soak silver items not only in soda, but also in dark beer. Pour dark (that is, dark) beer into a container and simply put decorations there. Keep it there for 15 minutes, then rinse and wipe with a suede cloth.
Egg white
And another interesting way is using egg white. To do this, take a cotton swab, soak it in egg white, and then carefully wipe the surface of the jewelry with it. After this, rinse under water and dry.
Why does silver darken?
Ancestors believed that metal darkens when it absorbs all the bad things from the owner’s body, thereby helping the person to cleanse himself. Now researchers have scientific evidence of a change in the color of the noble metal. There are two reasons for blackening of silver items:
- Oxidation with oxygen. When interacting with oxygen, oxidation occurs, since now dishes are made not from pure silver, but from various alloys that produce an organic reaction. In nature, expensive metals do not oxidize, therefore, the worse the sample, the darker the products become.
- Sulfide formation. Increased humidity and human contact release hydrogen sulfide, for example, when the body sweats. This, in turn, reacts with the metal and leads to a color change. Upon contact, a thin film of sulfide is formed, which gives the metal a dark color.
But not only humans can be a source of hydrogen sulfide. Onions, eggs, cabbage contain chemical compounds that change the color of silver. Aggressive household chemicals can also cause discoloration.
How to clean homemade silver with ammonia
Many people prefer to clean silver with ammonia or ammonia. This is a fairly simple and effective method at home.
For cleaning, a solution is first prepared: take one tablespoon of ammonia for 10 tablespoons of water.
Pour the prepared solution into a container and lower the products into it. Soak them there for about 30 minutes. If the products are very black, then the time can be increased, but it should not exceed an hour.
Further work must be carried out wearing gloves. We take out the silver and wipe it with dry cloths. You can also clean it by soaking a flannel cloth in ammonia and wiping the surface of the product with it. If the product is very dirty, then you can not dilute ammonia. We put the decoration in it for 5 minutes, then take it out, rinse it well under running water and dry it.
The video below explains how to clean silver using ammonia.
Finally, here are some tips to prevent tarnishing of silver:
- After contact with water, decorations or cutlery should be thoroughly wiped and dried. Wet silver will eventually tarnish quickly
- It is best to store your jewelry in a special box - a casket, where you should constantly put it after wearing it.
- Before going to the bathhouse, sauna or swimming in the river, always try to remove chains and rings. This should also be done when washing dishes or any other household cleaning.
- If your jewelry will not be used for a long time, it is best to wrap it in foil
These simple tips will help you prevent silver from tarnishing.
Good luck!
Professional products
Jewelry cleaning products are highly effective and therefore are used not only among professionals. The solution, wipes and paste can be bought in specialized stores.
Cleaning liquid
Professional liquid is sold in a set with soft brushes. It is enough to immerse things for 20-30 seconds in the prepared solution. Then rinse and dry. The liquid is reusable and can be used several times. The only negative is the not very pleasant smell.
Napkins
Special, professional wipes will help you achieve a mirror shine. They are impregnated with active substances that remove cloudy plaque from objects. Napkins can be used for any items containing precious stones. Each metal has its own wipes, so do not wipe gold.
Cleaning paste
It is good to treat cutlery and other things made from argentum with professional paste. It removes all oxidation, cloudy deposits and other defects, forming a transparent, protective layer.
Special devices
The product market is not limited to professional products. Jewelers have created small, professional, ultrasonic devices for cleaning jewelry. All you have to do is place your items in a special bath, fill it with water and press the “start” button. After 20 minutes, remove, rinse and dry.
