Photo: mylitta.ru You want to wear your favorite jewelry every day continuously. Unfortunately, silver does not allow such luxury. It darkens from literally everything: moisture, soap, shampoo and conditioners, your favorite hand cream and other everyday influences. But don’t panic if a precious gift or grandma’s heirloom has already turned black. We'll tell you how to save the situation!
Soap solution
The easiest way to clean silver at home is with a light soap solution. It won't help with serious stains, but it will wash away everyday dirt and remove minor discoloration. To do this, immerse rings and earrings in a cup of liquid, and after 15 minutes, wipe them with a soft toothbrush.
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Silver Prevention Measures
Silver does not need to turn black if you care for it properly. During use, wipe with alcohol wipes, wash with soapy water and store in the correct place.
Silver should be stored in special boxes so that sunlight or moisture cannot penetrate there.
- Also, each product needs its own place, or at least a place. If you put all the silver in one pile, then it may oxidize against each other.
- You need to make yourself a new habit - constantly remove jewelry before coming into contact with water.
- This may seem strange, but silver is very susceptible to oxidation. Before taking water procedures, you need to put your jewelry in the box.
Perfume is one of the most influential substances on silver. Perfume contains a large number of chemicals that oxidize silver and can ruin the structure of the product.
Toothpaste
Cleaning silver with toothpaste is a classic, familiar to our mothers and grandmothers. Bleaching agents and microscopic abrasive particles remove blackness from even complex embossed jewelry with decorative weaving. A more radical method is a paste of tooth powder and ammonia.
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How to clean a silver chain with special compounds
If it was not possible to bleach a darkened silver chain using improvised means, you can use professional products.
Paste GOI
The consistency of the paste is more like plasticine than actual paste. This jewelry cleaner comes in three types:
- Rude. Helps remove the toughest stains. After applying coarse GOI paste, the surface of the decoration remains matte.
- Average. Effectively removes light blackness. After using this paste, the surface of the decoration takes on its usual appearance.
- Thin. By itself, it practically does not clean jewelry. Its purpose is to polish jewelry to a mirror shine.
Preparing for cleaning:
- Prepare a soft natural fabric (flannel or wool).
- Dampen a cloth with a small amount of gasoline.
- Apply some paste to a rag and wipe the cloth on a piece of scrap metal.
The last step is necessary to ensure that the paste is evenly distributed throughout the fabric. GOI paste should not be applied directly to the jewelry, otherwise the silver surface may be scratched.
Stages of work:
- To clean heavily soiled items, wipe them with a cloth treated with a coarse paste.
- Next, treat the chain with medium paste.
- Complete the process by treating the pieces with a fine polishing paste.
- After cleaning, rinse the silver item with running water.
The average cost of GOI paste fluctuates around 200–240 rubles.
GOI paste can generate dust. Therefore, when cleaning silver jewelry, you should wear glasses and a mask (available at the pharmacy).
Composition for cleaning silver products “Talisman”
The product of the Russian brand helps to quickly restore the noble metal to its former beauty and shine.
Stages of working with Talisman spray:
- Pour a small amount of liquid into a glass or plastic (non-food) container.
- Next, place the chain there.
- After 2 minutes, remove the jewelry, after protecting your hands with gloves.
- Rinse the product well with clean running water.
- Repeat the procedure if necessary.
The estimated cost of the Talisman spray is 150–200 rubles.
If the contamination is severe, you can additionally use an old toothbrush to clean the chain links after “bathing” in the “Talisman”.
Silver cleaning foam SILBO
SILBO foam is specially designed to protect, restore and clean silver items and give them a noble shine.
Features of the product:
- foam cleans the surface of the chain from dirt;
- returns the original shine to the jewelry;
- acts carefully and quickly;
- penetrates even into the tiniest gaps between the links of thin chains;
- Suitable for frequent use.
Mode of application:
- Remove the protective cap.
- Using the spray bottle at the top of the bottle, apply a small amount of foam to the chain.
- Place the decoration in a cap or a special small container.
- Leave the chain to work for 35 minutes.
- After the required time has passed, rinse the product thoroughly with water and wipe with a dry cloth.
- Repeat the cleaning procedure if necessary.
The estimated cost of the SILBO silver product cleaner is 300–350 rubles.
SILBO foam should not be used on chains that are already blackened. This product is also not suitable for cleaning jewelry with enamel or colored stones.
Lipstick
Do you think this has anything to do with lipstick and silver? And we are ready to surprise you, because this is one of the most effective cleaning methods. The secret is simple: fats and titanium dioxide in the composition, which perfectly dissolve, clean and polish metal. Simply coat your silver jewelry with lipstick and rub it with a cotton pad or woolen cloth until it squeaks.
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Anti-tarnish
In order for jewelry to retain its beautiful appearance for a long time, it is necessary to store it correctly. For example, each piece of jewelry is stored in a separate bag in a cool and dry place. This will help prevent them from fading.
You can also put a piece of chalk in a bag with silver items, this will help remove moisture. Experts say that silver jewelry should be worn. This helps slow down tarnishing.
Silver is adversely affected by high temperatures, sweat, acid-base environment, sulfur and iodine compounds.
If, after all, silver items have darkened, you can easily restore their previous appearance. But how to clean?
Ammonia and peroxide
A 1:1 mixture of ammonia and peroxide is another classic recipe. It is enough to soak the silver in the solution for 15-20 minutes. We only recommend doing this in a tightly closed jar, otherwise you will have to enjoy all the “delights” of the pungent ammonia smell.
As for these components separately, let’s reveal a couple more secrets:
— Ammonia in its pure form is suitable for cleaning silver and clouded stones. It's not as effective as a mixture, but it's not as aggressive either;
- But peroxide cannot be used in its pure form - the bleaching effect is too strong. There is a high risk of ruining the jewelry, especially if the composition contains any impurities or coatings. A coating or cloudiness may appear. This applies not only to silver, but also to other valuable metals.
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Why does silver darken?
It's actually simple. With basic knowledge of chemistry, it can be determined that silver contains copper, which reacts with oxygen and moisture and oxidizes. Gradually, an imperceptible coating accumulates on the product, which soon manifests itself as darkening.
Another reason is sweat. Also, when wearing products on the body, any person will sweat. And now everything depends only on how much a person sweats when wearing the product.
Citric acid and copper wire
Pour a 100-gram sachet into a half-liter pan of water and place the mixture on the stove. Immerse silver jewelry inside and wait 15 minutes - the effect will appear before your eyes. An unusual trick is copper wire. Wrap it around a ring or bracelet - upon such contact, a reaction occurs in the citric acid, which makes cleaning even faster and more effective.
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Why did the silver chain turn dark?
If the silver chain turns black, this may be preceded by the following factors:
- Wet air. If you wear silver jewelry in the rain or in a sauna, it will certainly darken over time. Humid air slows down sweating, resulting in an increased concentration of salts on the surface of the human body. They lead to oxidation and darkening of the metal.
- Poor quality alloy. Often, in addition to silver, impurities of other metals (for example, copper) are added to jewelry. It oxidizes faster than silver, so the product gradually begins to darken.
- Environmental impact. In addition to humidity and rain, the enemies of silver chains are exhaust fumes, tobacco smoke, dust, etc.
- Contacts with an aggressive environment. For example, cosmetics (creams, perfumes, shower gel, etc.).
- Changes in the state of the human body. If the silver chain suddenly begins to darken, it is useful for its owner to pay attention to his health. With some diseases (for example, the endocrine system), the level of fat production by the sebaceous glands changes, and various toxins are introduced onto the surface of the skin. They influence the color change of a silver product.
Chemists explain the darkening of a silver chain quite simply. The noble metal oxidizes upon contact with compounds containing sulfur. As a result, a patina forms on the surface of the chain - a film that gives the metal a dark color.
Baking soda and aluminum foil
Boil the same half-liter saucepan with 2 tablespoons of soda. Place a strip of food foil in the pan - you can even tear it off the chocolate packaging. Then lower the silver and leave the miracle mixture for 15-20 minutes.
As with copper, the reaction of silver with aluminum is important here, which helps remove any blackness. At the same time, you will forget about cloudiness and layers. The shine will be as good as new! It’s not for nothing that this recipe is the most effective. But it is better to avoid dry soda for cleaning - it is too aggressive an abrasive for soft and delicate silver.
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Gold plated silver chains
With gold-plated chains, the cleaning methods will be similar, but not all will be the same. For example, ammonia and soap solution are good for removing dark plaque from gold-plated items. But using products with abrasive particles, even the smallest ones, is not recommended. The gold layer in such jewelry is very thin, and therefore it is very easy to damage it. You need to handle such products very carefully and regularly wash them in soapy water or wipe them with a cloth soaked in ammonia. It is also important to polish with a felt cloth or flannel.
How to clean silverware?
A concentrated solution of baking soda and salt is best for cleaning silver cutlery. Add 3 tablespoons of baking soda and 3 tablespoons of salt to a liter of water. Boil the mixture, put the products in there and leave for 15 minutes. You can use baking soda or salt separately, but then increase the concentration. After this, polish the forks, spoons and knives with a soft cloth until shiny.
Photo: sdelai-lestnicu.ru
Special products for cleaning silver
For cleaning with professional products, use GOI paste. It is great for silver items. But you need to be extremely careful; choosing the wrong product can ruin your product.
How to clean blackened silver?
Removing blackness from blackened silver is the most difficult task. Here it is important to find the fine line between getting rid of excess, but not damaging your original coating. Therefore, all aggressive methods and solutions are absolutely not suitable for such jewelry.
Use baking soda and salt in their pure form, but increase the processing time to half an hour. The second method is to place the decorations in a pan with cold water and a few peeled potatoes. Leave them there for 3-5 hours and then rinse them under the tap. If there is still blackness somewhere, use a regular office eraser.
Photo: veles-vologda.ru
How to clean a silver chain at home: 10 effective ways
Jeweler's tips for cleaning silver
You can properly clean tarnished silver at home without difficulty if the jewelry is not inlaid with stones or other inserts. An incorrectly selected cleaning agent can destroy the structure of the stone and damage the fastenings. You can rub the silver so that it shines like new with a velvet cloth or special napkins, usually sold in jewelry workshops. There, the master will help restore the appearance of silver jewelry, if this cannot be done on your own. With the help of special equipment and clean products, this will take no more than an hour. Polishing silver items is not difficult, but it will be pointless if you do not take care of the jewelry in the future.
How to clean silver with stones?
The choice of method for such jewelry is influenced by the density of the stone and how it is fixed. High density stones don't care about your efforts. You don't have to worry about your favorite emerald ring or sapphire earrings.
Garnet and ruby do not tolerate high temperatures, so boiling methods will not work for you. Malachite, turquoise or opal do not like abrasives - here limit yourself to soap and baths. But it is better to immediately give delicate pearls, amber or corals to specialists - they are sensitive to literally everything.
If silver paws are used for fixation, the second question disappears by itself. But if there is glue, aggressive chemical reactions are not your method. Avoid acid, ammonia and peroxide.
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Features when cleaning silver chains
It is somewhat more difficult to clear darkening from a chain than, for example, a ring or pendant. And all because the product, which is worn around the neck, consists of many links and is distinguished by a complex weave. Therefore, there are many more hard-to-reach places in the chain than in other silver jewelry. In addition, unlike a pendant and a ring, the chain does not have a rigid shape, which does not make care any easier.
To properly clean a silver chain, it is convenient to use a special brush with thin bristles. If you don’t have one, you can replace it with a regular toothbrush, but always with soft bristles. Using this tool, it is convenient to clean dirt from the links after the chain has been treated in the solution.
Where to store and how to protect it from blackening
No method will be effective if you continue to store your silver jewelry incorrectly.
- Firstly, we always remove silver chains when playing sports and cleaning the house, as well as when going to the sauna or swimming pool.
- Secondly, we apply creams and body lotion to ourselves only after removing the chain from our neck.
- Thirdly, we store it in a dry, dark place, separate from medications and food. You can put foil on the bottom of the box and silver jewelry on it. Or place jewelry in flannel bags.
- And lastly, do not forget about regularly washing silver chains, rings and earrings with soapy water. Carry out this procedure at least once every 2-3 months and your jewelry will always delight you with shine and shine.
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.
