All methods of cleaning silver
Surely there is no house in which there are no objects made of silver. These can be interior items, kitchen utensils or jewelry.
Often, due to improper care, they quickly darken and lose their appearance. It is at this moment that its owners begin to think about how to clean silver in order to restore it to its former shine and beauty.
Read the article to the end and learn how to properly clean silver at home.
Where is it better to clean silver: at home or in a salon?
Cleaning silver can be done both in special salons, for example, in a jewelry workshop, and at home, using handy means. Moreover, it is undoubtedly much cheaper to clean silver from blackness at home than in salons. There are many different ways to clean them. Which one is suitable in each specific case depends on the type of product, the quality of the source material and the presence of coating or inserts made of other metals and precious stones.
Important: the choice of cleaning method directly depends on the quality of the silver, the appearance of the product and the presence of inserts from other metals or stones.
Methods for cleaning silver products at home
Having preferred to remove plaque and stains yourself, you need to study information on how to clean silver at home. Most often, handy tools such as:
- solid or liquid soap;
- dishwashing liquid or window cleaner;
- baking soda;
- salt;
- toothpaste or powder.
Any of these products can be easily found in every home. You will learn how to clean silver from blackness using these means from the information below. It is extremely important to remember that only soft fabrics and brushes can be used as auxiliary material. This limitation is due to the fact that hard fabrics and brushes not only clean, but also damage the surface of the product, leaving scratches on it.
Soap cleaning method
As mentioned above, you can use any soap, both liquid and solid. The only difference between them is the speed of preparation of the solution. If it is enough to dissolve liquid soap in water, then hard soap will first have to be crushed (cut or grated), and only then dissolved. Next, the blackened silver is placed in the solution for 10 minutes, after which it is rinsed well and wiped dry with a soft cloth.
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Cleaning silver with detergent
How to clean silver? Of course, a detergent, which can also be dishwashing detergent. It must be diluted in water, thereby preparing a solution. Silver jewelry or tableware are soaked in it, and the procedure time depends on the degree of contamination and can last from 10 minutes to 8 hours. After soaking, the silver is rinsed in running water and wiped dry.
Baking soda - as a cleaning agent
When the question arises about how to bleach silver at home, the first thing that comes to mind is soda. And for good reason, because everyone knows its properties. It can be used in the form of a paste or solution. The paste is made by adding a very small amount of water to the powder.
It is very easy to clean tarnished silver using it. To do this, just apply it to the decoration or device and rub it with a soft cloth. After this, the silver is rinsed and wiped dry.
This simple method allows you to no longer think about how to quickly remove dirt at low cost.
A soda solution is prepared by dissolving two tbsp in 500 ml of water. spoons of powder. With its help, quickly cleaning silver will not be difficult. To clean, you can soak silver items in the solution or boil them for 15-20 minutes. In this case, it is advisable to use aluminum cookware. If you don’t have one, you can get by with a piece of food foil, which lies on the bottom of the container you are using. After such cleaning, the silver should be rinsed in running water and wiped dry.
Salt cleaning methods
Salt is another product you can use to clean your silver at home. And this can be done in several ways:
- Soak for 15-20 minutes in a solution prepared as follows: dissolve 25 g of salt and 10 g of cream of tartar in half a liter of hot water.
- Boil for half an hour in the following solution: 0.5 liters of water, 10 g of salt and dishwashing detergent.
After each procedure, the products are washed well in running water and wiped dry.
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Methods for cleaning with toothpaste
Quite a few owners of silver items know that you can clean silver at home with toothpaste. However, not all products can be cleaned in this way. It is also worth considering the fact that the paste should not contain any impurities. Toothpaste is applied to the product and cleaned with a soft toothbrush or cloth.
Additional cleaning products
In addition to simple handy cleaning materials, you can use others purchased at a pharmacy or store. They usually cost little. So, answering the question of what you can use to clean silver at home, you can name such products as:
- ammonia;
- table vinegar and citric acid.
Important: when working with ammonia or vinegar, you need to wear gloves and open windows for ventilation, as they have a very strong pungent odor.
Methods for cleaning with ammonia
You can quickly clean silver using ammonia. Moreover, the cleaning method in this case is selected in accordance with the degree of contamination. That is, if the product is slightly darkened, to clean it, it is enough to wipe the surface with cotton wool soaked in alcohol. If the product turns black, it must be immersed in a 10% alcohol solution for 10 minutes. After this, it is washed and dried.
You can also remove stains from silver using the following cleaning solutions:
- Water, ammonia and toothpaste in a ratio of 5:2:1. After preparing the solution, it must be applied to the product. This can be done using a soft cloth soaked in a solution. The applied solution must be kept on the surface of the silver for about 10-15 minutes.
- Ammonia and hydrogen peroxide mixed in equal quantities. In order to clean contaminated items with this solution, you need to soak them in it for 10-15 minutes.
- Prepare a paste of tooth powder and ammonia and rub it on the silver.
Cleaning with table vinegar and citric acid
A good way to clean light stains is regular table vinegar. Moreover, it does not need to be diluted or mixed with other means to obtain a solution. It is enough to moisten a soft cloth in it and rub the product with it. But a special solution is prepared from citric acid to clean silver at home.
To prepare it, just dissolve 100 grams of acid in half a liter of water. The solution has a cleansing effect only when it is heated. Moreover, it is better to do this in a water bath with a piece of copper wire added to the solution. Silver is lowered into the already boiled solution.
This procedure lasts 15 minutes, after which the silver must be removed, washed in clean water and dried.
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Other cleaning products
Every year the number of silver cleaning products is increasing. This is due to the fact that in the process of searching for an answer to the question of how to clean silver at home, their owners use various, sometimes very non-standard methods. In this regard, in addition to all the already familiar means, new ones appear, among which are carbonated drinks, eraser, curdled milk, raw potatoes and boiling water.
Among the carbonated drinks for cleaning silver at home, those that contain phosphoric acid are suitable. The eraser is used in the standard way. With its help you can quickly remove dirt from smooth surfaces. The answer to the question of how to clean silver may well be yogurt. The active substance in it is lactic acid.
In search of an answer to the question of how to clean silver from blackness, one of its owners successfully used raw potatoes. And he was absolutely right, because in the process of interaction with water, potatoes release starch, which perfectly removes black plaque.
Basic rules for caring for silver items
You can clean blackened silver at home. There are already many ways to do this. Every year their list only grows. In order to think as little as possible about how to clean silver from darkness, it is enough to follow simple rules of care and storage. Let's note some of them:
- Silver products should be stored in closed boxes or cases, preferably separately from each other and away from cosmetics and detergents, medications, plastic and rubber.
- Always remove silver jewelry before cleaning or swimming, as it turns black when in contact with water.
- If moisture does get on the jewelry, you need to wipe it dry with a soft cloth.
Conclusion
Although there are many different ways to remove dirt from silver items, it is recommended to use them as rarely as possible. Moreover, not all jewelry can be cleaned yourself. Thus, the most valuable jewelry made of pure silver or supplemented with precious metals is best taken to a master for cleaning. This is because incorrect actions can scratch the surface of the soft metal or gemstone.
Source: https://HouseSitter.ru/dom/sekrety/kak-pochistit-serebro.html
Rules and methods for cleaning silver at home
It is difficult to find a person who does not have at home a single piece of jewelry or cutlery made of silver, because such products are characterized not only by durability, but also by sophistication.
Despite the advantages of silver, products made from it lose their attractiveness over time - they become covered with a dark coating and darken. The causes of contamination of silver products are: a reaction to the components of body care cosmetics, contact with sweat, exposure to household chemicals, etc.
d. Therefore, without exception, all owners of silver products are wondering how to clean their silver.
Cleaning silver with a toothbrush and toothpaste
Rules
If a person decides to clean silver at home, he should be aware that despite the strength and wear resistance of the metal, some substances can ruin items made from it.
It is recommended to periodically take jewelry to a jewelry workshop for cleaning, but if desired, this work can be done at home.
Therefore, before cleaning silver at home, you need to learn about the rules, the observance of which will not only remove plaque from your jewelry, but also not harm its appearance:
- It is not recommended to use products containing abrasives. Solid particles can scratch the product and ruin its appearance. This is especially true for silver coated with rhodium.
- Cleaning silver containing gemstones must be done with extreme care as stones can be damaged by exposure to many chemicals and heat. It is better to have silver jewelry with stones cleaned by a specialist in a jewelry workshop.
- After washing, silver must be dried in air.
- To clean silver at home, you should not use products containing acids and mercury - they can irreparably damage your jewelry.
Wipe the ring with soft flannel
How can you clean silver?
Products that can be used to clean silver can be easily prepared at home. The recipes for such remedies are as follows:
- Ammonia: A jewelry cleaner containing ammonia can effectively remove dark deposits from silver and restore its original shine. To clean jewelry, just take 10% ammonia, pour it into a small bowl and soak the silver in it. After 15 minutes, the product should be removed and rinsed thoroughly with water. There is a second option for preparing a solution, which includes ammonia. Just take a glass of water and add a couple of drops of dishwashing gel, the same amount of hydrogen peroxide and a teaspoon of ammonia. The components should be thoroughly mixed and the decoration should be soaked in the resulting solution. After 15 minutes, the product should be rinsed with water. Important: You cannot clean jewelry with pearls with ammonia.
- Citric acid: a solution with this component effectively removes dark plaque from silver items. Silver cleaning liquid is prepared from 0.5 liters of water and 100 grams of citric acid. The product is immersed in the resulting liquid and the container with it is placed in a water bath. The decoration solution should boil for about half an hour over low heat. After boiling, it is recommended to rinse the silver with water and wipe dry with a soft cloth.
- Soda: You can clean your silver chain at home using baking soda, which everyone has available. To prepare a solution for washing silver, take a liter of water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Stir the soda thoroughly with a spoon and place the container on the fire. After the water boils, a sheet of foil is placed on the bottom of the dish, on which the silver decoration is then placed. The decoration is boiled for a couple of minutes, then washed with water and dried. To care for silver items, you can prepare another product that contains baking soda. To do this, take a liter of water, a tablespoon of dishwashing gel, the same amount of soda and table salt. The ingredients are stirred and the dishes with them are placed on the fire. Place a silver item in the resulting solution and boil it for at least 20 minutes (if the jewelry is very dirty, it will take half an hour).
- Potatoes: this recipe is great if your silver item is very dirty. After boiling the potato tubers, drain the liquid and immerse the silver jewelry in it for 5 minutes.
- Vinegar: just take half a glass of vinegar (9%), heat it slightly and pour it over the decoration. After 15 minutes, the silver will sparkle like new.
- Toothpaste: this product removes plaque not only from teeth, but also from objects made of metal. Cleaning silver jewelry with toothpaste is easy: just take a soft brush, apply a little toothpaste to it and rub the jewelry. After a couple of minutes, the paste should be washed off and the product air dried.
The methods listed are also suitable for cleaning cutlery made from silver.
Cleaning silver items with baking soda
Nowadays silver jewelry coated with rhodium is very popular. Despite the protective coating, such products also fade and develop a dark coating, which is why they require maintenance.
How to clean rhodium plated silver? When answering this question, it should be taken into account that a limited list of products can be used to care for such jewelry. So, you can take toilet soap and water, and then prepare a solution from them. The jewelry should be immersed in the resulting liquid, and after fifteen minutes, remove it and rinse with clean water. At the end of the manipulation, wipe the product with a soft cloth, for example, flannel.
It is important to take into account that over time the rhodium layer wears off, so at least once every few years such jewelry should be taken to a workshop to renew the coating.
To ensure that silver jewelry retains its excellent appearance, it should be stored correctly. A jewelry box is suitable for this purpose. When storing silver, do not allow it to be exposed to direct sunlight. You should also avoid storing jewelry in places with high humidity levels.
When cleaning with household chemicals, all silver rings and bracelets should be removed. Also, do not allow cosmetics that may contain sulfur, acids or mercury to come into contact with silver.
Before intense physical activity, such as sports training, silver jewelry should be removed, since sweat promotes oxidation of the metal.
If silver is not worn for a long time, it is recommended to wrap it in foil during storage, because this technique will protect the product from darkening.
Following these simple rules will allow you to maintain the ideal appearance of your jewelry for a long time.
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Source: https://DedPodaril.com/serebro/chistka/chem-pochistit-serebro.html
How and how to clean silver jewelry
According to researchers, the first silver jewelry appeared in Egypt in the period 5000 - 3400 BC. e. This metal is almost never found in nature in its pure form and was valued by our ancestors more than gold. The ancients endowed jewelry made from it with a special meaning; it was believed that they had unearthly, magical powers.
Nowadays you can find silver jewelry, cutlery or interior items in every home. Unfortunately, over time, all this beauty darkens and is covered, depending on the composition, with a black, greenish or bluish coating. Is it possible and how to clean silver at home to restore its original charm and shine? Let's find out.
What causes silver jewelry to darken?
This noble metal is resistant to interaction with organic acids and alkali solutions, however, hydrogen sulfide contained in the air can cause darkening of silver upon prolonged exposure.
There is an opinion that in people with poor health, silver crosses and chains darken faster. Some of them turn to sorcerers and magicians to remove “damage”. Of course these are superstitions. But there is an interesting fact - scientists have proven that the change in the shade of a precious metal can be influenced by the composition of our sweat: in people with a high nitrogen content in the body, silver darkens less often, and an excess of an element such as sulfur causes frequent darkening of silver jewelry in its owners.
By the way, sulfur is also contained in many cosmetics, which can also cause darkening of the metal - pay attention to this.
To decide how to properly and delicately clean silver and items made from it at home, you need to consider what silver alloy your jewelry is made of: sterling (92.5% fine silver plus a copper additive), blackened, filigree, matte or coin. In addition to the composition of the alloy, the cleaning method will be influenced by the presence of stones in the jewelry.
Important!!! It is better to give items with amber, pearls or coral to specialists for cleaning. These stones are very capricious and sensitive to acids, alkalis and other chemical solutions! In the absence of special knowledge and experience, they can be hopelessly ruined!
General recommendations
- If your silver is simply dirty (from sand, dust, sweat or makeup), wash it in hot soapy water. Instead of soap, you can add Fairy. After holding the silver jewelry in this bath for a while, you need to use a soft toothbrush to bring it into proper shape. This action will not make your jewelry shine, but it will make it easy to clean your silver at home.
- Ordinary jewelry without stones can be lightened by placing it in a 10% solution of citric acid or ammonia. For greater effectiveness, the solution can be heated.
- An excellent folk remedy for cleaning silver is obtained from potatoes. Grate the raw vegetable and fill it with water, then dip silver or cupronickel silver items into this mixture for a few minutes.
Then we polish them with a woolen cloth until they shine! You can dip your silver jewelry in a decoction of potato peels and then rinse it in water.
How to clean silver from blackness
- Tarnished silver cutlery can be cleaned with a baking soda solution. Place the silver in a bowl or saucepan previously covered with food foil. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda and cover the top with another layer of foil. Fill with boiling water. After 10-15 minutes, rinse with cool running water.
- For the next method, we will prepare regular salt (no matter coarse or fine), baking soda, foil, a container and dishwashing liquid. Wrap the container in foil, then fold the decorations into one layer and distribute them evenly over the surface. Pour in salt and baking soda, adding a few drops of Fairy or other detergent. Fill with boiling water. After 10 minutes, rinse the jewelry with cold running water.
- Another tip on how to clean silver inserts at home! In this case, an ordinary stationery eraser on the light side (it is less abrasive) and a little of your human participation will be useful. We rub the silver inserts with an eraser and the blackness on them will be removed as if by hand!
Advice! Instead of an eraser, you can use regular lipstick.
This recipe is well known to those who have ever wondered how to clean gold at home or gold-plated products.
The lipstick contains microscopic abrasive components that will help clean silver without leaving scratches. Simply apply lipstick to a soft cloth and polish the metal to the desired state, then wash with soapy water.
- One of the most effective, but aggressive methods is the use of the following composition: toothpaste or powder, baking soda and ammonia. Using a soft toothbrush, apply a homogeneous mixture of these components, then rinse with cold water. Toothpaste works well to remove strong blackness on silver, however, it is not recommended to use it too often, as it can provoke microcracks in the metal. You can also exclude soda from this composition for more delicate cleaning.
- Small silver items can be easily cleaned using a paste made from a mixture of chalk and ammonia. Apply it to the ring, clean it with a soft toothbrush, then rinse with running water.
Filigree or blackened silver should not be fanatically cleaned of blackness, as the noble patina gives them a special charm and sophistication.
How can you clean silver with stones?
- It is better to clean silver with stones using special liquids from jewelry stores: Silver Cleaner and others, which not only will not harm the beauty of your jewelry, but will also cover them with a protective film.
- The following solution will help you clean silver at home, inlaid with stones, without resorting to the services of master jewelers: add shavings of laundry soap to the water, dropping a little ammonia.
Bring it to a boil, but do not boil. Apply the cooled liquid to the ring or watch using a soft toothbrush and clean the metal. We remove the blackness around the stone using a cotton swab dipped in the same solution.
Important!!! Products with amber, pearls or coral are best left to specialists.
These stones are very capricious and sensitive to acids, alkalis and other chemical solutions! In the absence of special knowledge and experience, they can be hopelessly ruined!
If you are going to clean matte silver at home, you cannot use abrasive materials - soda, salt or acids. Soap shavings dissolved in water are a sufficient means for cleaning matte silver items.
After cleaning silver, you should not wear jewelry made of valuable metal, but put it aside for several days to form a natural protective layer, or have it coated with a special varnish from a jeweler.
Using these tips, you can turn your silver jewelry into a symbol of spiritual purity, which not only you yourself, but also your future great-grandchildren and great-granddaughters will admire.
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How to clean silver at home (you definitely have everything you need at home)
After some time, many jewelry lovers suddenly discover that their items are darkening. Lisa.ru will tell you how to save your favorite thing so that it lasts for many more years.
Gold and silver are very beautiful precious metals that, with proper care, delight the eye with their shine and shimmer in the sun. But due to improper storage, silver tends to darken.
If you wash with earrings or a ring, then know that the metal is strongly affected by moisture. Sometimes contact with cosmetics, various perfumes, detergents containing strong chemicals and other reasons can cause the darkening of silver.
There are certain rules for caring for silver items, following which you will have to clean your silver less often. It will also serve you much longer than it could if the recommendations were not followed.
To ensure that silver does not darken for a long time and retains its original appearance and shine, you need to:
- store it in a dry place without direct sunlight so that the products do not touch each other;
- Be sure to remove jewelry before going to the bathroom or before wet cleaning. In addition, when cleaning with cleaning products, be sure to wear gloves to protect your hands;
- apply any skincare and decorative cosmetics without decorations, since the substances in its composition can negatively affect the appearance of the product;
- remove jewelry while jogging or during any other sports activity, because the abundance of sweat also greatly affects the quality of the silver product;
- Wipe the silver dry every time you wet it to prevent the water from further reacting with the metal.
8 ways to clean jewelry without stones at home
However, we cannot always keep track of everything. A silver ring can become stained if left on the bathroom sink - and now a barely noticeable coating has appeared on it. A few more such cases, and the silver will already lose its shine and beautiful appearance, it will become dark. In this case, emergency measures must be taken.
Blackness spoils the appearance of the jewelry, as well as the mood of its owner, because a good silver item is not cheap, and you don’t want to throw it away. And it's not necessary! When cutlery spoils, it is also very ugly, it is already unpleasant to use them, and silverware is usually stored for the holiday. I don't want it to be overshadowed by blackened silver.
You can take your jewelry or dishes to a professional to clean, but it's not that cheap. In addition, there are a lot of methods that do not require taking money from the family budget and that can be used at home.
We will tell you a few about how to clean silver at home with minimal cost.
1. Toothpaste
This method is suitable for small stains, when everything is not so critical. The toothpaste does not contain large abrasive particles that can damage the metal, because it is created for teeth, so it cleans gently.
- Squeeze a little paste onto a damp, soft-bristled brush as if you were brushing your teeth. The technology here is exactly the same - just rub the product, pressing lightly on the brush so as not to scratch the silver.
- Then rinse everything off with water and wipe dry.
2. Soda
How to clean silver with soda, because this is an effective method that our mothers and grandmothers used? Everything is very simple. You will need baking soda, which is available in any home, and foil.
- In a deep plate, place regular aluminum foil on the bottom and on top place the item you want to clean, a chain, a ring, a bracelet.
- In another container, pour boiling water over the soda, wait until it boils and pour the water into the plate with the decoration.
- Just a few minutes, so quickly - and even the most serious blackness disappeared.
Never clean silver with just baking soda on a sponge. It is too rough for decorative elements often present in silver products, for example, natural stones and pearls. From such cleaning they will darken and lose their former beauty.
This method is also perfect for silver dishes, which at the end of the procedure should be polished with a soft cloth - and it will look like new.
3. Ammonia (cleaning with ammonia)
Ammonia is an excellent option for cleaning silver at home, as it carefully cleans even the heaviest black deposits from any jewelry and does not harm the inlay with stones. Simply place it in a jar of ammonia, close it and shake for a few minutes. Take out the jewelry, wash it, wipe it dry with a soft cloth - and it’s as good as new.
Another effective way to clean silver from blackness, even the strongest, is to use ammonia and hydrogen peroxide.
This is an aggressive method that can even ruin your item if it is not 100% silver. If you have doubts about the composition, it is better not to try this method, since other metal alloys that make up the item may darken and deteriorate. Therefore, if you are not sure that you are holding a completely silver product in your hands, it is better not to risk it.
Also, if there are stones on the jewelry, they should not be glued, but mechanically secured. Otherwise, alcohol and peroxide can destroy the structure of the glue, and the stone will fall out.
- If you still decide to use this method, then take equal proportions of alcohol and peroxide, mix and place the decoration in the solution. Close the container with a lid, as the resulting mixture smells quite strongly.
- Keep the product in the solution for no more than 20 minutes, remove it, rinse and dry.
5. Egg yolk
This is a very gentle cleaning method as it does not use harsh chemicals.
- Dip a cotton pad into the egg yolk and wipe the surfaces with it. You will have to make a little effort, especially if the contamination is serious.
- Then dry the product and wash with water.
The yolk will protect the metal from darkening in the future - another advantage of this method.
Salt copes well with stains of varying complexity. It is enough just to boil the product for 15 minutes in a saline solution, which must be prepared in the proportion of one liter of water to 5 teaspoons of salt.
After this, the product will shine again and there is no need to scrub anything with the risk of scratching the surface.
7. Citric acid
To prepare a solution of citric acid, you need to take it in powder form in an amount of 200 grams and dilute it in a liter of water.
Place the products in the solution and boil for half an hour. Then rinse and dry.
8. Vinegar
The vinegar cleaning method is unlikely to cope with serious stains, but it will not damage the product itself. If after the first time not all the blackness was removed, try the method again after a while, this will not damage the surface of the silver.
The decoration should be dipped in table vinegar for a quarter of an hour. Usually, the bulk of the dirt comes off during the first attempt at cleaning.
Tips on how to clean silver with stones
A separate difficult task is how to clean silver with stones. In jewelry, different natural stones are used, and each of them requires its own approach, since often the product can be not just silver, but inlaid with a certain type of stone or one large one.
Its care also depends on the type of stone.
- Amber, pearls, coral, ivory are very difficult materials. Under no circumstances should you try to clean them yourself, as there is a high risk of damage to the product. If you have jewelry made from these materials, have them cleaned by professionals, as they have their own methods without using alkalis, solvents, or acids that can ruin them.
- Ruby, topaz, and garnet jewelry are usually very bright. Hot water can cause them to change color, so do not use high temperatures for cleaning.
- There is no need to use harsh abrasive particles to clean opal, malachite, turquoise or moonstone, as there is a high chance of scratching their surface. Make sure that the method you choose does not include rough cleaning with rosary beads or soda.
- Precious stones that have a high density of material, for example, sapphire, aquamarine, emerald, can withstand any type of cleaning, so you can safely choose any method for these materials.
How to clean blackened or gold-plated silver
The peculiarity of blackened silver products is their unique coating, which you need to be very careful with when cleaning. There is a risk of scratching it or ruining the color. Then the entire feature of the product will be lost.
How to clean this type of silver? There is a fairly simple and delicate way. Mix soap and soda and soak the product in this solution for about half an hour. When you take it out, you will see that the blackness has been gently cleansed using this method. The main thing is not to rub the surface with anything hard.
Using potato starch, you can also clean blackened or gold-plated silver quite simply and inexpensively. Place potatoes without skins in water with decorations for 4 hours, then remove the products and wash with water. This simple method can help you gently clean an item of light dirt without the risk of damaging it.
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How to clean silver items from blackness and other contaminants
Silver jewelry, decor and cutlery can be found in almost every home today. This beautiful, noble and at the same time inexpensive metal has long been in constant demand. However, when oxidized in air, it tends to become covered with a dark sulfate coating.
Professional cleaning
It is best to clean silver from blackness using special products. In jewelry stores you can find a lot of different solutions, sprays and wipes, with the help of which it will not be difficult to restore the lost shine to jewelry. This method is completely safe for any type of product, including rings, pendants and bracelets with precious stones. The rules for using each product are described in detail in the instructions.
You can also clean a silver item with a stone using tooth powder using a soft brush. The stone itself will shine in a new way if you polish it with a soft cloth (suede, flannel).
It is best to use special products to clean silver jewelry with stones.
Proven products (for silver without stones)
Cleaning silver at home requires a special approach because the soft metal is easily damaged. You can use a variety of means that any housewife can find:
- Soda is the most effective against blackness, as it can remove the oldest and darkest plaque. The easiest way to use it is to prepare a paste by diluting the powder with warm water. Apply the cleanser for 10 minutes, after which the products are wiped with a soft cloth. Silver can also be kept for half an hour in a soda solution prepared from a liter of hot water and 50 g of powder. After the procedure, it must be rinsed and wiped dry. This method is especially useful for cleaning silver cutlery.
- Cigarette ash is considered the most delicate cleaning agent. You can add it to water and then boil the products in it. A mixture of ash and natural lemon juice, which is used to carefully wipe the silver surface, is also suitable.
- It's easy to clean silver at home using curdled milk. To do this, just hold the darkened jewelry and cutlery in a container with this product for a couple of minutes. Lactic acid acts as the active detergent here.
- The most troublesome, but very effective household method is cleaning silver with citric acid. In a liter glass jar you need to pour half a liter of water, add 100 g of crystalline powder, place a piece of copper wire and the products themselves. The filled container is placed in a pan of water and boiled in a water bath for an average of 15 minutes. If the contamination does not disappear, the time can be extended.
- It is easy to clean metal from blackness using ordinary potatoes. To do this, simply place pieces of raw root vegetables in a container of water. The active substance in this case is starch, which, when released into the liquid, dissolves the dull coating that has formed.
- The water in which eggs were boiled can also be used to clean silver. To do this, simply immerse the products in a cooled but slightly warm broth.
- Chains, in contact with the body, become dirty especially quickly. They can be cleaned using a solution of hyposulfite or sodium thiosulfate. To prepare the solution, one part of the product is 3 parts of water. Wipe the product with a swab soaked in it and then rinse it with water.
- Cosmetic powder and lipstick also clean silver well. In the first case, the product is applied to velvet or suede and wiped over the surface of the jewelry. In the second, it is enough to “paint over” dirty stains that are not very visible, and then rub them until they shine with an ordinary piece of cotton cloth.
- If many methods have been tried, but the result has not been achieved, it is time to resort to a more labor-intensive method. Place foil at the bottom of the pan, fill it with hot potato broth and place the products in it for no more than 5 minutes. The decoction can be replaced with a solution prepared from a liter of hot water and 5 tbsp. l. soda
- Products will sparkle with newness if you hold them for 20-30 minutes in an aqueous solution with ammonia (about 1 tablespoon per 1 glass of water). It is better to take the container out onto the balcony to get rid of the pungent smell of ammonia. If the contamination is not severe, then you can simply get by with cleaning with ammonia, walking over the jewelry with a cloth soaked in the product .
- You can clean silver that has become very dark in a solution prepared from half a liter of hot water, 10 g of cream of tartar and 25 g of kitchen salt. All you have to do is leave your products in this product for 20 minutes, and they will again delight you with a bright shine.
- Carbonated drinks such as Coca-Cola, which contain a large amount of acid, can also clean dull deposits if the products are boiled in them for 3-5 minutes.
- Traditional cleansers help in this case too. The tarnish will go away if you boil silver items for 10 minutes in water with the addition of a small amount of regular washing powder. The same amount of time will be needed to care for jewelry using detergent dissolved in water. This time there is no need to boil. You can also spray the silver with window cleaner, after which the surface is wiped with a napkin.
Before you start cleaning your silver, you need to wash it in a soapy solution. Whatever method you choose, after each procedure, all products should be rinsed with clean water and wiped dry with a soft cloth. Otherwise, your efforts will be wasted. Do not use rough or synthetic material, or hard brushes.
Since ancient times, silver has been credited with special magical properties that can protect the owner’s aura from the evil eye and evil spirits. It is no coincidence that the first thing all newborns are given is a small silver spoon to strengthen their body.
This metal is also considered a kind of health indicator: if body jewelry begins to darken sharply, it means it’s time to go on a diet or see a doctor.
However, silver can change its original appearance for another, more prosaic reason. One of them is improper storage. For example, silver jewelry should not be placed near cosmetics and pharmaceuticals due to the possible sulfur content in them.
High humidity in the apartment is also detrimental to metal. For the same reason, you should not take a shower with silver jewelry and forget the rings and chains on the bathroom shelf. Housework (cleaning, laundry, washing dishes) significantly worsens the appearance of jewelry.
Source: https://hozotsek.ru/uhod-za-veschami/ukrasheniya/kak-pochistit-serebro.html
How to clean silver at home with and without stones
Silver jewelry is elegant, beautiful and inexpensive. Thanks to these qualities, almost every woman has them. Over time, the metal darkens, so it needs to be cleaned. In this article we will talk about how to clean silver from blackness at home and restore it to its former shine.
Causes of darkening
Silver is very sensitive to storage and wearing conditions. When exposed to an aggressive environment, the metal immediately darkens and loses its shine. There are several reasons for darkening of products:
- Prolonged exposure to moisture. Blackening of the metal occurs if silver is stored in a damp place, such as a bathroom.
- Impact of sweat. Sweat is an aggressive environment that quickly turns silver items dark.
- Chemical reaction with cosmetics. Silver easily reacts with various components of cosmetics, which causes rapid blackening of the upper layers of the metal.
- Interaction with chemicals (sulfur, oxides).
- Low quality metal. If silver has impurities, it will soon lose its original appearance and turn black.
Some “traditional healers” claim that if a silver item quickly turns black and stops shining, it means that the person has health problems. Oddly enough, they are partly right. The thing is that when a person is sick or stressed, the amount and composition of sweat changes (more salts appear in it). Silver jewelry is sensitive to these changes and quickly darkens.
How to clean silver items without stones and gilding
How to effectively clean silver from blackness? Of course, you can contact a jewelry workshop. They will do it there quickly and inexpensively. But if it is not possible to take the jewelry to a workshop, then how to clean silver from blackness at home? There are several effective folk methods:
- Soda. An effective and inexpensive product that is available in every home. Before cleaning silver at home with baking soda, it is better to soak it in soapy water for a couple of hours to remove the dirt. After this, you need to make a small amount of soda paste and rub the decoration with it. This method is especially convenient for cleaning silver chains.
- Dentifrice. Some craftsmen advise cleaning silver objects with toothpaste, but powder is much more effective. Before cleaning, the product must also be soaked in soapy water. Then you need to apply a small amount of moistened tooth powder to your toothbrush and clean the thing. Tooth powder has two cleaning effects: chemical and abrasive. The substances contained in the composition cope well with metal oxidation, and abrasive particles polish the surface and add shine.
- Salt. You need to pour salt into a small jar and put silver in it. Then you need to add a little dishwashing detergent and a few drops of water. Rub the product well in this mixture and leave for a couple of hours. Then the jewelry should be rinsed and wiped dry.
- Starch. It is important to use this substance moistened. This is the only way it can quickly deal with the problem. Rub the jewelry well with moistened starch, and it will become like new again. Remaining starch is washed off with running water. The effect is a mild abrasive action.
- Lemon acid. Dilute 1 teaspoon of citric acid powder in half a glass of water and place a silver object in it. Leave for half an hour. Then remove the product, rinse with water and dry.
- Talc. Talcum powder has an excellent cleaning effect. To clean chains or rings, you need to apply a little talcum powder to a thick cloth and rub the jewelry well. Then you need to rinse the product in running water to remove any remaining talc.
- Chalk. Crushed chalk also has a mild abrasive effect and cleans metals well. Lightly moisten a small amount of chalk (a couple of drops) and clean the metal with it. Fast, efficient and without financial costs.
- Paste GOI. This is a special composition for cleaning and polishing hard alloys. How to clean silver from blackness with GOI paste? The modern version is available in a tube. Apply a small amount of the composition to a soft cloth and rub the silver item. All actions must be soft and careful. It is not recommended to apply GOI paste to the metal object itself.
- Coca Cola. An unusual but effective way to quickly and effectively clean silver at home. The product must be immersed in Coca-Cola for a couple of hours. The result exceeds all expectations. Chains, rings and bracelets begin to shine like new.
- Wash in your pocket. A very effective and simple way. The silver item should be placed in a well-fastened clothing pocket and washed in a machine. Washing powder and gentle rubbing of clothes have an amazing effect. The metal becomes as beautiful and shiny as when purchased.
- Laundry soap + ammonia. Soap (30g) should be cut into shavings into an enamel cup and a teaspoon of ammonia should be added there. Heat the mixture almost to a boil and lower a chain or bracelet into it. Leave for 7-10 minutes and rinse with running water. The result will be pleasantly surprising. The method is suitable for cleaning jewelry with hard gemstones.
- Hydrogen peroxide. This substance only brightens high-grade silver objects well. If the silver has a lot of impurities, the jewelry, on the contrary, will become even darker. Therefore, before cleaning the item, you should try on an inconspicuous area (for example, on the inside of a ring or on the clasp of a chain).
These are the most affordable and effective ways to clean silver jewelry without precious stones or gold plated.
Features of how and what to clean silver with precious stones
Silver jewelry with precious stones requires careful cleaning and care, as some types of gems may be sensitive to detergents and abrasive particles. How to clean silver with stones? You just need to follow a few rules.
- If a silver item with gems is cleaned mechanically (brush, chalk, GOI paste), then there is no need to apply an abrasive material to the stone and clean it with a brush. Only the metal part of the jewelry needs to be cleaned.
- Jewelry with hard stones can be cleaned completely by dipping it in soap or soda solution, or using citric acid.
- Products with organic inserts (coral, pearls, amber) cannot be washed at all. The liquid cleaner is applied in a thin layer only to the silver part of the jewelry.
- When cleaning products with stones, you need to carefully clean the spaces between the stones and the metal. Make sure that the cleaning agent does not remain there.
- Before cleaning silver with stones at home, you need to know the hardness of the mineral and its resistance to chemicals.
It is better not to clean gold-plated jewelry at home, but to take it to a jewelry workshop.
Special products for cleaning silver
Manufacturers produce special formulations for cleaning silver items at home. How can you clean silver without harming your jewelry? The following products can be purchased in stores:
- Aladdin. This is the name of a manufacturer that produces cleaning liquids, creams, and wipes for cleaning precious metals. The unique secret composition is absolutely safe for humans, odorless and non-toxic. Aladdin perfectly removes dirt, greasy marks, and blackness. The kit includes a special basket and brush that greatly simplify the procedure.
- Flurin. Liquid cleaner for cleaning silver items at home. Not suitable for blackened silver and gold-plated items. It should be used with caution for items with organic inserts: coral, pearls, amber, ivory, etc.
- Adamas. Contains alcohol and surfactants. Liquid with a pungent odor. To clean a silver item, you need to put it in a jar for 20-30 seconds, then take it out and rinse it well. To clean a chain or engraved item, it is better to use a small brush.
- HG Silver. A Dutch product specially created to gently clean silver objects. It comes in spray form, which is very convenient to use. The composition is gentle, so it can be used to clean antique jewelry.
Special products for cleaning silver items can be purchased at any jewelry store, as well as on specialized websites on the Internet. These products are inexpensive and the results are excellent.
How to wear silver correctly so it doesn't turn black
It is always easier to prevent the appearance of blackness than to clean the product later. Therefore, you need to wear silver correctly:
- Silver items should be removed before working out at the gym to prevent sweat from getting on them.
- Before going to the bathhouse, pool or beach, you should also remove your jewelry so that it is not exposed to moisture.
- When doing homework, rings should be removed or gloves should be worn. Especially if exposure to aggressive cleaning agents is expected.
- Cooking can also accelerate the darkening of metal, especially if acidic foods (fruits, berries) are cooked. Acidic foods contain acids that cause the metal to turn black.
- You should wear silver jewelry only after applying makeup. If you put on jewelry first and then do makeup, a large amount of different cosmetics will get on the silver and the product will stop shining.
All precautions will help keep your jewelry shiny and beautiful for as long as possible.
How to store it correctly
Proper storage of silver items will ensure their excellent appearance and shine for a long time. How to properly store silver? Jewelers recommend several rules.
- For silver items, you need to purchase cleaning wipes soaked in a special solution. Napkins from the brands Adamas, Talisman, and Aladdin are suitable. The napkins are suitable for any silver items, including those with precious stones. Before putting the jewelry away for storage, it should be wiped with a cleansing cloth. They are excellent at removing sebum, sweat and dirt. With this method of care, the products will shine longer.
- It is prohibited to store silver items in damp areas. They quickly fade and stop shining. If such storage is prolonged, the silver will oxidize and become covered with a thick layer of blackness, which will be very difficult to clean.
- Jewelry with stones should be stored separately from silver, or so that they do not touch. This is necessary to avoid scratches and chemical reactions. It is best to have a separate fabric bag for each item or wrap it in paper (if we are talking about large items).
- You can put a bag of silica gel in the box. It will absorb excess moisture from the air, and the jewelry will shine and remain beautiful longer.
- Noble metals should not be stored near heating appliances or in direct sunlight. This can change the properties of the metal and make it of lower quality.
If jewelry or silver items are stored for a long time, then their condition should be checked at least once a month. At the slightest sign of blackening, it is important to immediately carry out cleaning measures.
What can't you do?
Some owners of silver jewelry treat them in the wrong way. Some actions are simply unacceptable from the point of view of proper silver care. How to clean silver at home without ruining the product? More on this below.
It is prohibited to use chemicals with an unknown composition for cleaning. Especially if these chemicals are intended for bleaching fabrics. Among the components there may be compounds that will permanently ruin the shine of the product.
It is prohibited to clean jewelry with sharp objects (scissors, needles, etc.). Silver is a soft metal, so it scratches and dents easily. Also, don't scrape off the blackness. This will still not give any result, and the decoration may be seriously damaged.
There are recommendations on the Internet that you can clean silver with sulfur ointment. It really takes off the blackness quickly. But you can use this method only if you have experience. This method is prohibited for cleaning blackened silver and jewelry with stones.
Source: https://www.ko6e4ka.ru/sredstv-dlya-ochistki-serebra.htm
What is the best way to clean silver?
Almost every house has something silver, and there is. A piece of jewelry, family silverware, or something from the interior. Initially, everything has an attractive and quite beautiful appearance, but, unfortunately, over time, silver items become dull, their surface becomes cloudy and black. But all this is completely fixable and even at home you can restore all things to their lost beauty. But how to clean silver at home to make it shine is another question.
How to properly care for products
To choose which method is best suited for a particular silver item, you need to decide on the alloy and what exactly the item is made of. If the jewelry has stones, then this also influences this choice.
When cleaning silver items, you should not use rough cloth, rough sponges or hard abrasive substances. If this is not taken into account, micro-scratches may appear on the surface or the decoration may fade. Then it will be possible to correct this only with the help of polishing on special equipment.
The most common process for cleaning silver is soaking. But before immersing the product in any of such substances as hydrogen peroxide, table vinegar, ammonia, they must be placed in a soap solution for some time. Then rinse everything thoroughly and remove excess liquid, and only then begin the main process of cleaning silver from blackness and turbidity.
At home, the cleaning procedure will take very little time if you have a special cleaning agent on hand, which can be found on the shelves of hardware stores or asked in a jewelry store. This is a special liquid that is designed to remove all kinds of contaminants from jewelry. There is a cleaning method when the jewelry is immersed in a special liquid composition, and in some cases the product is simply wiped with a soft cloth soaked in a cleaning agent.
But if there is no such remedy, then you can resort to other methods, using what you have at home.
How to rid a product of blackness
This way you can tidy up any silver jewelry: chain, earrings, bracelets and more.
Ammonia
This kind of trouble can be dealt with in different ways. The most common is cleaning with ammonia; it can be purchased at any pharmacy. But with this method, you should not forget about the sharp and unpleasant smell of ammonia, so when doing this kind of work you need to keep the window open. If there is a balcony, then it is better to do everything there.
The cleaning principle itself is quite simple. You just need to dip the silver items into a solution of ammonia, after treating the jewelry with a solution of soap, and close the container tightly so that the vapors do not evaporate. Shake the contents a little and leave for half an hour, but during this time also shake everything periodically.
For minor stains, you can not soak the silver, but simply wipe everything with a piece of cloth made of soft material, but first apply a little ammonia solution to the cloth. But there are people who simply cannot stand such a smell, then you need to use another method.
Baking soda
Of course, every housewife has this product. Products with ornate weaving are very easy to clean with baking soda. A chain or openwork ring can be perfectly cleaned of blackness if you slightly moisten it with a little soda and apply this mixture to contaminated areas. Then take a cloth and wipe everything thoroughly.
And in order for the silver to constantly shine and not fade, you need to rinse the jewelry in a solution of soda and water every time you remove it after wearing it. To do this, you need to dissolve 1 small spoon of soda in half a liter of water.
Dentifrice
This teeth whitening product is familiar to our grandmothers, but nevertheless it perfectly cleans silver so that it shines. Black plaque is easily removed using a similar product. If tooth powder is not available, toothpaste will do. Only it should not be a gel, but a regular white toothpaste, without impurities.
You can also mix toothpaste with soda and add 4 drops of ammonia. Then take an already used toothbrush so that it is soft, apply the resulting solution to it, then clean the silver product in this way.
Afterwards, everything must be washed off, preferably under a tap with cold water. This is a very effective remedy, but it should not be abused. If this method is used frequently, microcracks may appear on the surface of the product.
For more delicate cleaning, it is better not to use soda.
Table vinegar
Acetic acid is also an excellent way to tidy up silver. There is only one thing here: jewelry with stones cannot be cleaned with vinegar. Contact with any acid can ruin turquoise, coral, pearls, garnet and any stones of organic origin; it will simply destroy them, or they will become cloudy and lose their natural shine.
To clean items not decorated with stones, you can use regular vinegar. It is heated a little, and jewelry is placed in it for 15-20 minutes, then they need to be wiped with a soft cloth, preferably a piece of wool.
Hydrogen peroxide
A similar substance is also quite often used to clean silver. But you need to carefully clean it with peroxide. The product must be made of silver only. Otherwise, peroxide will react with other metals and this may cause the jewelry to become even duller.
To clean silver items with peroxide, you need a solution; it must be prepared correctly. You definitely need to take equal parts of peroxide and alcohol, mix everything and put in there for 20 minutes what needs to be put in order. Then the decoration is wiped with a lint cloth.
Food foil
It turns out that with the help of such a thing you can also clean silver products, and not just use foil in the kitchen. How does the process of such cleaning take place?
You need to take the jewelry, which needs to get rid of all kinds of dirt, and place it in some kind of ceramic vessel. Then sprinkle everything with soda in the size of a small spoon and throw in crumpled foil, torn into pieces. The foil pieces should be the size of your palm.
Then you need to fill everything with water, mix well with a spoon and set aside. After 15 minutes, everything that was in the container will become clean and light, the dark coating is as if it had never happened, and we also managed to get rid of the blackness. The product will look as if it was just brought from the store.
If a piece of jewelry or some silver item already has old stains, then in order to make it shine again you need to use another method with foil.
You need to place the product that has lost its attractiveness on a sheet of foil, pour a teaspoon of soda on it and pour water over everything, a small spoon will be enough. Next, you need to wrap everything up and leave for half an hour.
When the allotted time has passed, unfold the foil and rinse the silver item under running water. Everything is quite simple: in that half hour, foil, silver and soda enter into a chemical reaction and thereby remove a persistent coating from the surface of the jewelry.
What is needed to prevent silver from changing its appearance?
To prevent silver from fading and losing its attractiveness, you need to know how to store it. Dark spots on jewelry can appear from moisturizing the skin, so after each removal, before putting the item back in place, wipe it with a soft, dry cloth.
- Is it possible to swim without removing silver jewelry and store it in the bathroom?
The clear answer here is no. You must take off your silver when swimming or showering. And if cosmetic products containing mercury or sulfur salts are used during the washing process, the jewelry simply needs to be removed. Don't leave silver items in the bathroom and forget about them.
- Any piece of jewelry must be placed in a case and stored in a dry place.
- For gold-plated silver, only a special cleaning agent is used.
- When cleaning silver items, use soft cloths and only use soft-bristled toothbrushes.
- It is better to take silver jewelry with stones to a jewelry workshop to have it professionally cleaned.
- After any cleaning, the product needs time to dry.
- You should not keep silver jewelry near medications or in a room with high humidity.
If you follow these simple rules, the question of “how to clean silver at home to make it shine” will disappear on its own. The products will be free of contamination and always in perfect condition.
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How to clean silver to make it shine?
We all know that silver items lose their shine over time and become dull and dark. To return your favorite jewelry to its original beauty, you need to periodically care for it. Let's look at what you can use to clean silver at home to make it shine.
How to clean silverware?
Many housewives keep silver cutlery that was purchased a long time ago or even inherited. You probably don’t use them in everyday life, but only take them out for big family holidays. And one day you discover that your once sparkling silver forks and spoons have become dark or even black. And this happens due to improper care and storage of silverware.
Since silver is a soft metal, it cannot be cleaned with abrasives or a hard sponge. These items should not be washed in the dishwasher.
You need to store silverware so that each item lies separately and does not touch the neighboring one. You can lay them in layers, placing each one with a clean napkin. An even better way is to wrap each item separately in foil or cling film. To store silverware, you should choose a place protected from sunlight.
You can clean your silverware using a variety of products: Hagerty solution, Town Talk spray, Silbo foam and others. However, the cost of such professional products is quite high and not every housewife can purchase them.
There are many traditional ways to clean silverware.
- The old classic method is a mixture of tooth powder and ammonia. At the same time, tooth powder, thanks to its exceptionally mild abrasive properties, not only cleans silver, but also polishes items. In order to clean, for example, a silver spoon, you need to dip it in water, then sprinkle it with tooth powder and wipe it thoroughly with a cloth. Then rinse the spoon under running water and dry with a soft cloth. If the handle of the device is decorated with patterns, then this place should be cleaned using the same composition with a toothbrush. A more modern way to clean silver items is with toothpaste and a brush.
- You can clean silverware with chalk: apply a little powdered chalk to a cloth and rub the item, then rinse it under running cold water and wipe dry with a napkin.
- Wood ash or cigarette ash can also help remove tarnish on your silverware. To clean, you need to put a little ash or ash on a damp cloth and polish and clean the product, then rinse and wipe dry.
How to clean silver jewelry?
Since silver jewelry often has a very complex shape, simply wiping it with a cloth will not clean it. It is better to clean them with liquid solutions.
- Silver jewelry can be cleaned with baking soda. To do this, take 50 g of baking soda per liter of warm water, immerse the products in the solution and, after letting it sit for a while, remove them. Rinse with clean water and wipe with a soft cloth.
- Another recipe for cleaning silver jewelry with soda is to dissolve one tbsp in a liter of boiling water. spoon of soda. Place a piece of food foil in a container with the solution and dip the items into the solution for just a few seconds - and the silver will sparkle like new.
- Jewelers recommend another method, following which silver jewelry is well cleaned. To do this, put a small piece of zinc in a glass container, then put the products there and pour hot water into the container with laundry soda dissolved in it in the proportion of half a liter of water - 1 tbsp. spoon of soda. Your jewelry will be clean again.
- An old and effective way to clean silver is to put jewelry in water with chopped potatoes and let it sit for several hours, then rinse and wipe.
Source: https://chistodoma.com/uborka-v-dome/chem-luchshe-vsego-chistit-serebro.html
How to clean silver
Has the family silver service become tarnished? Have your favorite ring and earrings started to look unpresentable? Yes, silver tends to oxidize in air and, as a result, becomes covered with sulfide deposits. By the way, this capricious metal can also turn black from exposure to creams, moisture and soap. Don’t worry, this is a normal phenomenon, and blackness can be easily gotten rid of using simple means at hand. We will tell you how to effectively clean silver in this article!
How can you clean silver yourself?
Silver is a soft metal, so rough abrasives are not suitable for removing dark deposits. To restore silver items to their original appearance, you need to choose gentle and gentle cleaning components. And which ones exactly, read below!
Vinegar
Regular table vinegar is found in every home. And it costs a penny. Just heat it to a temperature of 40-50 degrees and lower the jewelry for 15 minutes. Then rinse in water and dry with a soft cloth.
Toothpaste
You can remove plaque from a bracelet, chain or ring with the help of a great desire, toothpaste and a brush. Diligent polishing will do its job: the metal will shine again!
Curdled milk
Now we will tell you how to clean silver with curdled milk. Place silver items in curdled milk for 15-20 minutes, then rinse well in warm water. You'll see, lactic acid works wonders!
Ammonia
You will need a liter of water and two tablespoons of ammonia and peroxide. Immerse silver items in the solution for 15 minutes. The chemical reaction will not leave a trace of dirt!
Cosmetic powder
Yes, yes, the same powder you use to fix your makeup. Apply the powder to a cloth and wipe the dirty jewelry with it. Powder particles are extremely small, so the abrasive effect will be minimal. After the procedure, rinse the products under running water.
Baking soda
Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with a little water to make a paste. Take a sponge or toothbrush and rub the mixture onto your silver jewelry. Then rinse thoroughly with water to avoid streaks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAXxp0wJmV8
Lemon acid
Fill a liter jar with running water to the middle. Add 100 g of citric acid from the bag and place the container in a water bath. For the desired reaction, place a piece of copper wire and decorations in the jar. Depending on the contamination, boil for 15-30 minutes. Afterwards, rinse with warm water and dry. Ready!
Cigarette ash
A very unusual, but effective way to clean silver. Jewelry should be boiled in water with added cigarette ash. You can also wipe the items with a soft cloth using a mixture of ash and lemon juice.
Salt, soda and vinegar
This combo eliminates blackening in just 5 minutes. Cover the bottom of the bowl with foil, add a tablespoon of baking soda and salt. Pour half a glass of boiling water and half a glass of vinegar on top. The important thing here is to maintain contact with the foil. And voila, the jewelry is like new!
Raw potatoes
Another way to clean silver. Peel and cut the potatoes into slices. Fill it with water and place the silverware in the container. Starch, acting on dark plaque, will remove it without a trace!
Sodium salts
When you want to feel like a real chemist! For this, aqueous solutions of sodium salts are useful: hyposulfite or thiosulfite in a ratio of three to one. The jewelry is first washed in a soap and water solution, and then wiped with a cotton pad soaked in saline solution. Next, rinse with water and wipe dry. The reaction of sodium salts and silver oxide copes well even with strong and old plaque.
How to clean silver with stones
Depending on the type of precious or semi-precious stone, the methods are different.
- Emerald, aquamarine and sapphire. They have a high density, so they can be cleaned in any way without fear of damaging the product.
- Malachite, moonstone, turquoise and opal. These stones are softer. To avoid scratching the surface, choose soft products or solutions.
- Topaz, garnet and ruby. Do not clean in hot water. High temperature can change their color.
- Ivory, pearls, coral, amber. It is better to leave jewelry with these stones to professionals. These stones are too sensitive to alkali, acid and other available solvents.
How to clean matte silver
The ideal solution for cleaning matte silver jewelry is soap dissolved in water. Do not use acids or abrasives as they will ruin the appearance of the products.
How to clean blackened silver
Cleaning such products must be done with extreme care and caution in order to preserve the uniqueness of the top layer. An excellent option would be to soak silver items in a soap and soda solution for half an hour. The above method using raw potatoes will also work. If the dirt does not completely go away, you can remove it with a rubber eraser.
How to avoid tarnishing of silver
Do you want to forget about the problem of dark plaque on silver objects? Then follow simple rules.
- Before cleaning, washing dishes or applying cosmetics, remove all jewelry from your hands. Or perform household chores wearing special gloves.
- If your jewelry gets wet, immediately dry it with a towel. Try to avoid any contact with water.
- Store silver jewelry in a dry and dark place. It will be even better if you wrap them in foil.
Source: https://boombate.com/boomagazine/kak-pochistit-serebro-145834