What to do if silverware has darkened - how to clean it at home? How and with what to clean silver: advice from experienced jewelers
Silver items can be found in any home.
It can be cutlery, souvenirs or jewelry.
Over time, these things dear to the heart become covered with a dark coating (patina).
Patina coats silver items by oxidizing copper, which is often found in the alloy.
How to clean silver at home: the necessary tools and accessories
To effectively clean silver at home, you need to purchase some tools. Ideally, it is better to use special cosmetic products for the care of jewelry.
The main advantage of special products for precious metals is that after application they continue to repel dirt and protect against oxidation for some time.
You can buy them in the department with household goods or in jewelry stores.
If there is no desire to spend money, then ordinary toilet or laundry soap and a soft cloth will come in handy.
How to clean silver at home: cutlery and utensils
Cutlery can be cleaned most effectively with special detergents for silver and gold items. Moreover, large items (trays, teapots, candlesticks) should be treated with sprays, and forks, spoons and knives with pasty substances. Blackened areas and enamel must be protected from the cleaner.
If in a short time it is required to remove dark plaque and dirt from a large number of utensils, then folk methods are quite useful.
This method should be used if the silver is not blackened. Boil the potatoes in a saucepan, after the potatoes are cooked, do not pour out the water. The tubers need to be pulled out, and lay foil on the bottom of the container. Then we put dirty products in the broth and bring to a boil. After the broth boils, reduce the heat and leave on the stove for another 15 minutes. Let the liquid cool down and then pour it out. Rinse boiled appliances with cold water, wipe with a soft dry cloth.
You can also use a wonderful tool - ordinary baking soda. We take a container in which all homemade silver that needs cleaning will fit, lay aluminum foil on the bottom. How many liters of water you plan to use, so many tablespoons of soda need to be poured onto the foil. Then we pour boiling water, and after the soda is completely dissolved, we lower the silver items into the hot water. When the water has cooled, remove the silver from the solution, wash the instruments with soap, rinse in running cold water and wipe dry.
How to clean silver at home: jewelry
The most convenient and fastest way to remove patina and dirt from jewelry is to wipe it with a ready-made napkin with a solution. They are universal, and sometimes differ in purpose. Some are made for gold and others for silver cleaning. Special liquids and wipes can be used to clean any silver with stones of various types.
In emergency cases, dirty and not very refined jewelry can be dispensed with toothpaste and a brush. This method is convenient because everyone has toothpaste, like an old toothbrush.
You can try to clean a smooth ring or any other silver item that is simple in shape with an ordinary stationery eraser. I have not tried this method before, and in vain. The other day I was sitting, watching a series and at the same time rubbing a small ring with an eraser. Surprisingly, it turns out this method works! But it is easy to guess that ornaments with patterns or large massive items with patterns will not become completely clean, no matter how many three.
If the jewelry is inlaid with stones, then the use of 10% ammonia percentage, which can be bought at any pharmacy, is effective. The product to be cleaned is lowered into it for a quarter of an hour. We take out the jewelry and determine the degree of purity, if it does not satisfy you, you can re-leave it for soaking for another 15 minutes. After you take out the silver, do not forget to rinse in clean water and wipe dry. Another type of cleaning silver with ammonia does not require dipping jewelry in it. You can simply take a piece of cloth and moisten it with ammonia. This cloth is required to wipe silver items to a shine.
I will present you a recipe for a more aggressive cleaning solution containing ammonia. It takes about 200 ml of water, a teaspoon of ammonia, also half a teaspoon of liquid toilet soap and hydrogen peroxide. Mix all these ingredients thoroughly and dip dirty jewelry into the resulting solution. From time to time, you need to take out silver items and evaluate the degree of purity. If the result satisfies you, then rinse clean things and dry.
Table vinegar is also one of the favorite home remedies for cleaning silver at home by many housewives. In general, it is very often used for other purposes, and very successfully. To remove dirt and patina from silver jewelry, a small amount of vinegar must be heated to 40-60C on the stove. After removing the dishes with vinegar from the tile, lower the darkened product into it for 15-20 minutes. If the jewelry is not clean enough, you can return it back to the vinegar. Do not forget to rinse clean things with clean water after the procedure and wipe dry.
Citric acid helps to get rid of dark plaque on silver. Take an enameled bowl or pan and pour water into it. Add citric acid to it in powder form. Put the bowl with the solution on the stove and wait until it boils. While the water is boiling, you need to string rings, earrings, pendants on the copper wire, which you are going to wash from dirt. Jewelry, along with wire, must be dipped in a boiling liquid and kept in it until the dirt comes off. It usually takes 20-30 minutes for complete cleansing.
At worst, you can turn to table salt for help. It can't be that you don't have it. For every 200 ml of water, pour a teaspoon of ordinary salt and mix until it is completely dissolved. Place a bowl of salt solution on the stove. When the water boils, put silver jewelry in the container for 15-30 minutes. After this procedure, your silver should shine like new.
Table salt can be used as one of the ingredients to make a solution that perfectly cleans silver at home. To do this, you will need aluminum utensils (saucepan or large deep bowl), water, any liquid dish detergent, baking soda and regular table salt. For about 1 liter of water, take 1 tablespoon of liquid detergent, add 1 tablespoon of table salt and baking soda there. It is necessary to bring the solution to a boil, and abundant foam may form, then it is necessary to reduce the power of the fire and put the contaminated silver jewelry into the boiling liquid. Boil on low heat for 15-30 minutes. Do not cover the container with a lid and check the boiling liquid from time to time.
The method of cleaning silver at home with the help of tooth powder or soda has long been known. First of all, we take powder (more) and water (much less). The consistency of the prepared cleaning agent should be mushy. You can rub with baking soda or tooth powder with your bare hands or with a rag. If some areas are not cleared, then take a brush.
On the Internet, you can find various folk ways to clean silver from patina. For example, using chicken eggs. After boiling the eggs, all you need to do is lower the silver items into the remaining water and take them out after a while. As planned, the dirt should be removed. In fact, this turned out to be not a particularly effective way, but perhaps I was doing something wrong.
How to clean silver at home without ruining it
If the silver product has come into contact with a wet surface or damp skin, it must be thoroughly wiped immediately with a dry, clean cloth.
When you are doing housework, gardening, always remove your silver jewelry. This simple rule will keep your rings and bracelets clean and shiny for a long time.
Before carrying out cosmetic procedures or applying skin products, do not forget to remove all jewelry made of precious metals. Creams containing sulfur contribute to the oxidation of silver and the loss of its beautiful appearance.
Store items that you use infrequently in a dry place. It is necessary that various silver things do not come into contact with each other. Therefore, take any foil or ordinary cling film, and individually wrap decorations or cutlery in them.
Products with pearls are contraindicated in cleaning with ammonia.
Practice shows that tooth powder and soda, not completely dissolved, scratch the surface of silver. The resulting small scratches and cracks accumulate dirt inside them, which will be very difficult to clean. Ammonia, toothpaste and vinegar also do not benefit silver products. It is better to use these substances for their intended purpose, otherwise you can lose the presentation of your favorite jewelry and family utensils.
Folk wisdom - as you know, tested by our grandmothers and great-grandmothers, but in our time we know that eggs contain sulfur, so it will not work to effectively clean silver at home with eggshells.
To be calm about your favorite silver jewelry, dishes and coins dear to your heart, it would still be better to entrust them to professional means.
Knowing how to clean blackness from silver is useful to everyone. After all, there are silver things in any home. These are jewelry, clothing items, dishes, souvenirs, interior items. Over time, silver products darken, become coated, regardless of the conditions under which they are kept and how they are used. To give things their former radiance, choose from a variety of recipes the option that suits you best.
1
Silver is a metal that oxidizes easily. The reaction is caused by the slightest drops of sweat, fat, cosmetics and even just water that have fallen on the product. The chemical composition of the air and the humidity of the environment also play a role.
How silver jewelry looks depends on the wearer's health. Any disease changes the composition of the blood. This is reflected in the skin, breaking the acid-base balance. If jewelry that has kept its natural look for a long time suddenly turned black quickly, it is worth checking your health.
If the jewelry, which retained its natural look for a long time, suddenly turned black quickly, it is worth checking your health.
Detergents are another serious enemy of silver. When we wash and clean something, jewelry must be removed so as not to spoil them.
Going to the pool, to the river, and even more so to the sea with its salty water, refuse to wear silver items.
2
It is almost impossible to protect silver products from darkening. Sooner or later they will have to be cleaned. You can entrust this task to professionals. Jewelry workshops and some shops provide such a service. They provide silver owners with guarantees that nothing bad will happen to the items accepted for cleaning. Entrusting this matter to professionals means saving your time. This is especially true if you need to clean a lot of things of complex shape, with relief and inlay. The main disadvantage of professional cleaning is the high price.
Many owners of silver products themselves put their things in order with the help of improvised means.
The next option to return a good look to silver products is to buy a special tool. These tools are available in almost every jewelry store. It can be a cream, liquid, wet wipes. Instructions for use are included with each variety. The disadvantage may be insufficient efficiency, especially if you choose an inexpensive tool.
Many owners of silver products themselves put their things in order, having previously studied how to clean silver from blackness using improvised means.
3
Starting the processing of silver products, remember that this is a soft metal. Any abrasive or harsh cleaning products can damage it, especially scratches and dents. Therefore, it is worth using only liquid, pasty and creamy products. Take a soft fabric. If you need to use a brush, get one that has very pliable bristles. Perfect for this purpose toothbrush for kids.
Any silver product after being in an acidic environment must be rinsed very well with clean running water.
If the product has inserts, cleaning should be carried out doubly carefully. Such things should not be soaked in detergent for a long time. Aggressive solutions, such as acetic, should be avoided altogether.
Any silver product after being in an acidic environment must be rinsed very well with clean running water.
4
A dark coating on silver does not always require the use of strong agents. First, try washing the item with ordinary detergents.
- Soap solution. To create it, it is best to use a dishwashing detergent that breaks down fats well. But you can get by with ordinary soap. Put the soiled product in soapy water and leave for a while. If the item to be cleaned is without inlays, it can be soaked for up to 2 hours. If there are insertions, limit yourself to a 15-minute "bath". After that, rinse the product with clean water and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth.
- Soda bowl. Pour some baking soda into a small bowl. Gradually add water and stir until you get the consistency of thick sour cream. The approximate ratio is 3 parts of powder to 1 part of water. Gently spread the product with the resulting mass. Do not rub (!), as undissolved soda particles can scratch the silver surface. Leave the smeared item on for 30 minutes, then rinse in warm water and wipe dry.
- Soda solution. The recommended proportion for creating such a solution is 1 tbsp. l. with a slide of powder for 1 cup of hot water. Mix well. Leave the product in the resulting liquid for 15-30 minutes, then rinse and wipe.
- Tooth powder has good cleansing properties. If you manage to get it, wet a soft brush, dip it in the powder and gently brush the product. If you don't have a suitable brush, use a soft cloth. This is less convenient, but safe for the silver surface. Sometimes it is advised to replace the powder with the simplest toothpaste (without dyes and additives), but it works worse.
Wet a soft brush, dip it in toothpowder and gently brush the product
Procedures with simple detergents may be enough to restore the former radiance of a silver item. If this does not happen, move on to stronger substances.
5
You can clean silver from blackness at home using products such as ammonia (ammonia solution), vinegar, citric acid. These substances create a rather aggressive environment, and silver items cannot be left in it for a long time. However, if the funds from the first list did not help, you will have to take a chance.
Heavily contaminated silver just put in ammonia for a few minutes
- Ammonia. This substance has a strong unpleasant odor. It is better to work with him in the fresh air or at least with an open window. To get started, just soak a soft cloth in ammonia and wipe the silver item. If this does not work, dilute 1 tsp. ammonia solution in 0.5 cups of water. Place the product in the resulting liquid, cover with a lid and wait 15 minutes. Then rinse the item and wipe. Simply soak heavily soiled silver in ammonia for a few minutes. Keep a close eye on what is happening. As soon as the blackness goes away, immediately remove the product and rinse. The maximum time that silver can be sent to pure ammonia is 10 minutes.
- Vinegar. This is not about vinegar essence, but about vinegar with a strength of 6-9%. It doesn't really matter what it's made of. To save money, use the simplest table vinegar, but you can take apple, rice, and any other if it does not contain dyes. As in the case of ammonia, you should start by wiping the silver item with a cloth soaked in the product. For a more effective effect, soak silver in vinegar and leave for 30-90 minutes, watching what happens. Then wash the product and wipe.
- Lemon acid. It is necessary to prepare a solution by taking 100 g of citric acid and 500 ml of water. The rest of the steps are the same as with vinegar.
To get rid of the blackness that has accumulated on silver, you can use any acid. But act very carefully, starting with the shortest exposure time and continuously observing the process in order to stop it in time and not dissolve the metal itself along with the dirt. To stop the effect of acid, the item must be thoroughly washed with running water and soap.
6 Fancy cleaners
- Edible vegetable oils (olive, sunflower, linseed, etc.) have good cleansing properties. It is necessary to oil a soft cloth, wipe the silver thoroughly, and then wash it with hot water and soap. This method is only suitable for smooth products without inserts, as it will be difficult to wash the oil out of any irregularities.
- If you are boiling potatoes, do not discard the remaining water. Cool and send silver into it for a couple of hours. The active ingredient in this case will be the starch accumulated in the broth. The same effect can be achieved by putting contaminated products in water with potato peels.
- Try rubbing the blackened silver surface with an eraser. In some cases this works great.
- Unusual silver cleaners include curdled milk and coca-cola (they act due to the acids in them), as well as lipstick (contains fruit acids and oils).
Whichever way you choose to clean silver at home, proceed with caution, especially when using the product for the first time. And remember that it is better not to wait until the product is covered with a thick, hard-to-wash-off layer of blackness, but to regularly carry out preventive cleaning.
Recently I found a stunning silver jewelry in my grandmother's jewelry box. Unfortunately, it has turned black with time and covered with a layer of dust. Without thinking twice, I figured out how to clean silver earrings with stones. I brought my luxury item back to life, now I'll tell you how to act.
Preparation for the procedure
Cleaning silver with stones at home is due to a number of ways to restore gloss and novelty to the product.
So we might need:
- soft sponge;
- Toothbrush;
- dry rag;
- eraser;
- salt;
- soda;
- toothpaste or powder;
- ammonia alcohol;
- lemon acid;
- starch;
- soap or shampoo.
General rules for cleaning silver jewelry
- Tools. All cleaning tools chosen should not be hard or sharp.
- temperature fluctuations. Before cleaning your silver jewelry, soak it in warm water. This will help the stones avoid deformation from a sharp temperature drop.
- Detergents. Remove light dirt with shampoo, liquid soap or detergent.
- Water. Limit the amount of moisture.
- tissue flap. Shine can be achieved by polishing silver with stones with a piece of suede or flannel.
Cleaning silver jewelry: 7 ways
Silver is not as capricious as the stones attached to it. I know seven ways to rid the noble metal of blackness and fat with my own hands.
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Method 1. Ammonia
Ammonia will remove light dirt and remove grease:
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Method 2. Soda
A great way to get rid of old dirt:
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Method 3. Citric acid
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Method 4. Chalk
Cleaning silver with chalk is considered one of the most effective:
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Method 5. Salt
For cleaning, you need a container that does not let in light. For reliability, wrap the container with foil:
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Method 6. Toothpaste
If your silver ring just needs updating, this method is for you:
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Method 7. Eraser
Light dirt in jewelry with a simple structure can be easily removed using a stationery eraser. |
Cleaning jewelry with organic inserts: 4 ways
Stones require special treatment, especially those with an organic composition. In no case should such jewelry be exposed to contact with any preparations.
The porous structure will easily absorb chemicals, after which it will lose its natural beauty.
However, organic stones can be rid of dirt:
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Method 1. For amber
Jewelry made of silver with amber is cleaned with a mild soapy solution:
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Method 2. For coral
A jewel with a coral stone cannot be washed at all:
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Method 3. For ivory
The porous bone material can be soaked for 3-5 minutes in a weak solution of soapy water. Then:
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Method 4. For pearls
Products made of silver with pearls are less whimsical than the rest. They can be cleaned with starch:
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Cleaning jewelry with mineral inserts: 3 ways
Minerals are more durable than organics, but they are no less capricious. Mechanical effects are generally contraindicated for gems.
For cleaning, you will have to apply maximum diligence and accuracy - jewelry work, you know:
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Method 1. For emerald, sapphire, aquamarine
Silver with stones with a density higher than 6 can be processed with washing powder or tooth powder:
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Method 2. For ruby, garnet, topaz
These delicate pebbles should not be subjected to any stress:
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Method 3. For turquoise, opal, malachite, moonstone
Just soak jewelery with matte shades with light dirt for 10 minutes in soapy water, then rinse off the composition. Old and large stains can be treated with alcohol:
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We remove dirt on silver with household chemicals: 5 products
For those who do not like to follow "grandmother's instructions", scientists have developed a number of cleaning products. I present the rating of the best household chemicals according to those who have experienced:
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Aladdin
Price - 230 rubles |
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Flurin
Price - 350 rubles |
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Sano Silver
Price - 500 rubles |
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Adamas
Price - 250 rubles |
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Town Talk
Price - 220 rubles |
Summary
As you can see, cleaning silver with stones is not difficult at all. Choose the method that suits you and save the product. If you have another effective tool in your arsenal, describe it in the comments - I will be glad to read it.
Are you wondering why silver items darken? You can get an expert opinion from the video in this article.
Silver jewelry. Items made of beautiful noble white metal were first worn by Egyptians over 5.5 thousand years ago, but even today, after millennia, they remain loved by women for their beauty and affordability. Silver rings, chains, earrings are several times cheaper than gold ones, although in appearance they are almost indistinguishable from white gold jewelry. Silver metal looks perfect with black clothes or clothes in cold colors. In a word, there is something to appreciate bracelets and pendants from it. But the metal has one not very pleasant feature - silver blackens with time.
How to clean silver?
On the Internet, I found almost a dozen tips on this topic, up to the recommendation to purchase a special cleaning agent in the jewelry department. But I was only interested in improvised means of returning silver items to their original purity. I decided to try the tips on my jewelry. Thankfully there are a lot of these.
Purification of silver with citric acid
Pour 150 ml of hot water into an enameled plate. Put a piece of food foil. Foil is aluminum that forms a galvanic couple with silver, and during a chemical reaction in the cleaning solution, the sulfur ions that contaminate the silver product should move from decoration to clean aluminum foil. I added 1 tsp to the water. citric acid.
I dipped a silver ring into the resulting solution.
While reaching for the camera to capture the transformation of the ring, there was an almost instantaneous reaction of lemon with silver sulfides. As a result, the ring became completely light.
I washed the ring in running water,
wiped dry with a towel.
The only thing that was embarrassing was the lack of a beautiful sheen in the metal. But this problem was solved with the help of a clerical eraser. But more on that later.
I note that not all silver jewelry can be cleaned with citric acid: if amber, garnet or other natural stone is used as an insert in a ring, pendant or bracelet, then the product may suffer from the aggressive environment of the cleaning solution. To return the original look, the decoration will have to choose a more gentle way.
Silver cleaning with baking soda solution
For the purity of the experiment, I decided to clean one earring in the manner described above, and the second with a soda solution.
She poured the water, sour from citric acid, into the sink, poured 150 ml of fresh water, added a teaspoon of soda.
The foil remained in the plate from the previous experiment. As soon as the soda solution boiled, she lowered the second earring into it.
The earring has been cleaned. Comparing the result, I can say: a solution of citric acid and a soda solution are equally effective.
Cleaning silver with an eraser
An ordinary school eraser can work wonders: in the process of rubbing the eraser on the surface of a silver product, a dark coating is removed from the latter, and shine appears.
It was with the help of the eraser that it was possible to return the ring, cleaned with a solution of citric acid, to shine like a brand new jewelry. The only disadvantage of the way to eliminate blackness with silver with an eraser is the inability to lighten hard-to-reach places.
Cleansing silver with lipstick
In every woman's cosmetic bag there is a lipstick that either does not match in color or has managed to acquire an unpleasant smell. Having found such lipstick at home, I smeared a silver ring with it.
I rubbed the surface of the product with a clean soft cloth (a piece of cloth would be ideal), washed it with warm water. The ring was cleaned well, but this cleaning method is not suitable for chains, carved jewelry or complex-shaped products.
Cleaning silver with a solution of table vinegar
Starting my experiment, I had no doubt of success: both citric acid and acetic acid have the same principle of action. But an experiment is an experiment. I poured 150 ml of water into an enameled bowl, put a piece of foil in it and added 1 tbsp. l. vinegar 9%.
I lowered the chain into acidified water and “cooked” it for about two minutes. The chain was washed and dried.
All silver jewelry in the house has acquired its original appearance.
Summing up, I can say: if you have thought about the question of how to clean a silver chain, bracelet, rings or earrings without stones, then it is the least laborious to do this with a solution of citric acid. Citric acid does not sizzle like soda and does not have the pungent smell of acetic acid. Over jewelry with natural stones, you will have to puff, bringing shine with an eraser or lipstick. By the way, I remembered another “old-fashioned” way of cleaning silver: jewelry is well lightened and polished with an old toothbrush and chalk (tooth powder, toothpaste).
When purchasing silver products, many are tempted by the noble grayish-white glossy sheen of the product. However, over time, after the silver has lain in the box for a long time, you notice that it has become dull gray or even almost completely black! There is no limit to your indignation, in some cases you even carry the silver back to the seller or make claims to the manufacturer. Any connoisseur or even a person more or less knowledgeable in metals could only congratulate you: in front of you is not a fake, but genuine silver. On the contrary, you should be wary if your "silver" looks great and perfect for a long time, especially in the process of constant wear or keeping in a humid environment. What does not blacken is definitely not silver.
If the product, while not in the process of being worn or in use, darkens evenly, it means that you have high-quality metal in front of you, its ligature is well and evenly mixed over the alloy (and even silver of the 999th sample is still not pure metal, but an alloy, which consists of 99.9% silver and 0.1% other metals). If the product is covered with black spots, the black coating is uneven, has "bald spots", then the quality of the original alloy is low, the ligature was poorly distributed throughout the mass of the metal.
How to deal with the blackening of silver? First of all, you need to remember about storage conditions. The best way to prevent blackening is to pack the item tightly, for example, a piece of jewelry can be placed in a zip bag, and a silver coin in a slack. It must be remembered that before this the product must be cleaned of dirt and dried.
Silver should be stored in zip bags so it doesn't turn black for long enough.
First, you should find out why silver still turns black. This process is affected by a large number of different factors, for example, air humidity affects, for example, a silver necklace from a resident of St. Petersburg will turn black much faster than that of an inhabitant of the dry steppe southern regions, provided that all other factors are the same. However, one should not think that in a dry climate the product will not turn black at all - after a while it will still happen.
The blackening of silver is also called patina.
If blackening has occurred with a coin, this can in some cases increase its value if the patina is uniform or of an unusual natural shade. In no case should a blackened silver coin be cleaned - the patina removed from the coin is considered blasphemous damage to the copy and the value of such a coin can actually fall to the price of the metal.
In some cases, blackening can serve as an exquisite decoration of the product. For example, a frequently worn ring is more likely to turn black in the "hollows" where it does not come into contact with the skin and does not rub against the surface of objects. It looks very interesting and gives a vintage touch of antiquity to the product.
Silver is sometimes intentionally blackened by treating it with special chemicals to give it an "aged" look. After such a procedure, a self-respecting master will surely cover the blackened product with a layer of thin lacquer polymer film in order to protect the rest of the product from discoloration. It is worth remembering that products that have undergone artificial blackening should in no case be subjected to aggressive cleaning, only wipe with a soft cloth. In order for silver to be better preserved, safety rules should be observed:
Silver is stored exclusively in individual cases, preventing moisture from entering. Foreign substances must not be allowed to enter.
If you still do not like the black color of silver, you can clean it at home, for this you need to learn how to clean silver with or without gems. First of all, it is worth remembering that silver is a very soft metal, which means that it is easy to damage it with abrasives, causing ugly scratches to the surface. There can be only two main tools for cleaning silver: a soft cloth and a brush made of natural pile (for example, pony, squirrel). Where jewelry and tools for jewelers are sold, special wipes for silver care can usually be purchased. They are universal and will not damage your product. You can also buy special liquids that can clean it.
To clean silver, it is better to use special wipes - they will not scratch the material.
You can also clean silver with ordinary soap. It cleans dull products well and gives them shine. Just soak a squirrel brush in warm water, then run it over a piece of toilet soap, and then rub the item well. Such cleaning will not damage either silver or cubic zirkonia if the product has inserts.
If the product does not contain stones, enamel, inserts, if it consists entirely of silver, for example, a chain, then you can subject it to more aggressive cleaning, which will help even if the product has become very blackened. Add 1 table. a spoonful of citric acid in 1.5 cups of water, bring to a boil and remove from heat. Place silver in hot water and chat well. Then rinse with running water.
Our ancestors knew how to clean a silver ring. "Grandma's" remedy in the fight against blackening of silver is toothpaste, which contains fluoride. Rub the surface well with a cloth or brush with applied paste, then rinse - and the product is like new again. It is worth remembering that electroplating or silver also darkens. However, do not rub them too hard - they can “peel off”, exposing the base metal. Only the master can restore such a product by re-coating, and this is an expensive pleasure.
Toothpaste contains fluoride, which cleans silver well
If you don't want to have the hassle of cleaning silver, it makes sense to turn your attention to rhodium. At a price it is a little more expensive, but this metal does not change its color and pleases the hostess with perfect jewelry for many years. Also, rhodium is much harder and harder to scratch. Another white metal that looks like silver is palladium, but it is the most precious metal in the world and costs more than gold. In tone, it is slightly darker than silver, but over time it does not change color and is practically not subject to patina.
Silver cleaning folk methods
Noble metals are ubiquitous in our lives. The most popular is silver. Due to its relative cheapness compared to gold, silver has occupied its niche in the sales market and its demand. The noble metal got its name due to its silvery-white color. Silver was known to mankind as early as the Eneolithic period, since, like gold, it was found in nuggets and did not require smelting from other iron ores.
In the modern world, silver is used as a material with the highest conductivity, for contacts of various electrical appliances, capacitors. In addition to technical applications, the noble metal is melted into canteens. Silver is considered a symbol of purity, and therefore it is not surprising that it is used in jewelry. Any woman loves silver rings and earrings, especially those with a crystal clear stone. This metal attracts with its mystery and mystery. It is very pleasant to receive such a gift from your companion, but over time it may lose its original properties.
Salt removes plaque from silver 
Ammonia cleanses even age-old oxides 
If you place a silver item in a glass of Coca-Cola, the plaque will disappear 
Baking soda with water helps fight plaque 
A gruel of water and soap copes with plaque on a silver item 
Lemon acid cleans silver well
Like all metals, silver tends to darken, or rather become covered with a patina. Patina is a coating that protects the metal from external influences, it appears from contact with the external environment. This process is quite normal, so do not panic and contact the supplier with complaints.
In order to clean silver, it should be thoroughly prepared. First, clean the product of fat by washing it in a solution of soap and water. Then rinse. Now you can start cleaning. There are several ways to remove plaque, today we will analyze the most popular of them. Consider how to clean silver earrings and rings:
- Salt cleaning. Regular salt will help clean silver at home. To do this, mix water, cream of tartar and salt, release the product for 15 minutes. In order to bring the product to its original form, you can also boil it in a solution with salt. To do this, we need salt, a container and water. One teaspoon of salt is enough for 200 ml of water. Bring the water to a boil and carefully put our silver into it. Within 10 minutes, the plaque will disappear. Next, drain the water and take out the jewelry. Salt can not be dissolved, just wet it a little and wipe the silver product with the resulting slurry. This method will remove the patina but leave a lot of scratches on your piece.
- Ammonia. The fastest cleaning method. Ammonia cleanses even age-old oxides. In order to remove plaque, it is necessary to moisten a piece of cotton wool or any cloth with it and wipe the product. The raid should be removed immediately.
- Coca Cola. This drink is considered one of the best in the fight against rust and oxides. Due to its composition, cola is able to clean any surface. Silver is no exception. In order to use this method, place the product in a container of cola. The main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise the drink will corrode the relief of the decoration. Check your silver every couple of minutes. You can boil a silver item in drinks such as Cola, 7-Up, Sprite.
- Soda. Silver can be cleaned with . Everything is very simple: you should mix soda with water and wipe the product, then everything needs to be washed off. Baking soda is also considered one of the most popular cleaning methods. The procedure is identical to cooking in salt. Dilute 2 tablespoons of soda in 500 ml of water and boil silver in this solution. 10 minutes of boiling and you're done.
- Soap bowl. Soap is considered the most gentle way and does not spoil the product in any way. To remove the darkening, we need laundry soap, a knife and dishes. Cut the soap into small pieces, place it in a small container, pour boiling water over it. After 20 minutes, your solution will turn into a soapy porridge. Place all silver items in it. Despite the fact that soap porridge is the most gentle way, cleaning takes a long time. Once a day, you need to take out silver items and wipe them with a soft cloth, then put them back. Thus, after 10 days of procedures, the entire plaque will disappear without a trace.
- Lemon acid. The next remedy is citric or any other acid. Mix 500 ml of water and 100 g of acid. Boil, putting a piece of copper into the solution. Now you can release the silver item for cleaning for 20 minutes.
In order for a silver product to retain its decent appearance, one of the above cleaning methods should be used.
So we figured out how to clean silver with stones at home. When choosing a cleaning method, one should be guided by various factors: product size, sample, composition, level of contamination, and others. So, we looked at the most popular ways to clean silver from patina. Each of them is good in its own way, but it is still better to choose more gentle methods so as not to damage the surface of the products. One of the reasons for the discoloration of silver is improper storage of the metal. Also, silver of poor quality darkens rather quickly. As a result of contact with wet skin or sweat, various chemicals, cosmetics, blackness may occur.
