Is it possible to clean silver with a toothbrush. Matte, blackened silver. Toothpaste and powder

Many are fascinated by the beauty of silver jewelry or tableware. This metal has a beneficial effect on human health, has a number of positive qualities, but, unfortunately, tends to darken over time. Owners of silver items often wonder how to clean silver at home. Let's take a closer look at the issue and consider the most effective ways to clean silver products.

It is possible to clean silver from blackness at home, there are many different ways that will turn out to be quite effective. However, before choosing any of the options below, you need to remember that at first, silver items for more effective cleaning require regular rinsing in water, where liquid soap or dishwashing detergent is added.

Important! Immediately after washing in soapy water, silver does not need to be dried. You can go directly to cleaning. When it is finished with it, the dried silver items are rubbed with flannel or suede to give a characteristic shine.

Reasons why silver things darken

And even before delving into the question of how to clean silver from blackness, it is worth talking about why it generally loses its pleasant appearance. Silver can darken for various reasons, and they are explained by chemical reactions and physical laws, and not by magical influences. Basically, blackness occurs if:

  • the room where objects and decorations are stored is too humid;
  • silver has been in contact with wet skin or sweat;
  • the darkening is affected by the contact of the metal with household chemicals, a variety of food products, rubber, cosmetics, gas;
  • jewelry was stored incorrectly;
  • The quality of silver leaves much to be desired.

Choosing ways to clean silver from dark spots and scuffs

Before looking for the easiest way to clean silver, you need to pay attention to the following points:

  • what is the sample, whether it is silver or an alloy;
  • whether there are stones, gilded areas, enamel;
  • how dirty the item is;
  • what is its size.

More aggressive cleaning methods are applied to simple items or decorations where there are no additional elements. Filigree products are best left to professional cleaning.

How to clean silver from blackness if there is gilding or stones? Exclusively with gentle methods that will not damage the jewelry.

When cleaning, do not use hard scrapers and brushes or rough cloth, as this is fraught with damage to the metal.

How to clean silver with lipstick

How to effectively clean silver with improvised means? You can use regular lip balm. An old tube works great. Lipstick is first applied to a cotton pad, and then the silver item is rubbed to a squeak. In any lipstick there is a substance titanium dioxide, it is it that allows you to achieve the natural radiance of the precious metal.

This method is suitable for jewelry and products with a flat surface.

Cleaning silver with toothpaste

One of the answers to the question of how to clean silver at home is to use toothpaste or powder. It is important to remember that this is definitely not suitable for jewelry with stones, enamel and gilding, since the method is quite rough.

Tooth powder is usually prepared by diluting to a state of porridge, the paste is used ordinary white, without any particles and impurities.

First, the mass is applied to a soft cloth, preferably microfiber, and then the jewelry is gently rubbed with it. It is necessary to strictly observe the unidirectional movement, do not press too hard, otherwise it is easy to damage the surface.

On a note! For small items, it is convenient to use a toothbrush on which the cleaning composition is applied.

Clean silver jewelry with ammonia, hydrogen peroxide

How to quickly clean silver with ammonia? There are several effective ways:

  • slightly darkened jewelry will be enough to wipe with a cotton pad moistened with ammonia;
  • very blackened objects are best immersed in the solution for ten to fifteen minutes;
  • you can prepare a cleaning composition based on tooth powder, ammonia and water - 1x5x2. After rubbing objects with a napkin or cloth, you need to let them lie down for a quarter of an hour, and only then continue cleaning;
  • hydrogen peroxide with ammonia is also a great way to clean silver when blackened: just hold the items in the solution for about fifteen minutes;
  • chalk powder diluted with ammonia to a pasty state will also help solve the problem.

Cleaning silver with citric acid

Citric acid is another answer on how to clean blackness from silver. The chain or any other decoration must be lowered into a boiling solution, which is prepared as follows:

  • one hundred grams of citric acid is poured into half a liter of water;
  • the solution is installed in a water bath, a small piece of copper wire is immersed in it;
  • silver things are immersed in a boiled solution for a quarter of an hour.

A solution of citric acid (10 grams of powder per one hundred milliliters of water) helps to clean not very dirty items if you soak the flannel in it and rub the jewelry.

Other acids for cleaning silverware

How to quickly and effectively clean silver if the item is only slightly tarnished and not too large? Suitable table vinegar (six percent). They moisten microfiber and rub the object.

If we are talking about silver coins that are very dirty, then it is enough to boil them in a solution of five percent formic acid for ten minutes.

Important! For safety reasons, work with acids should be carried out with gloves and in a room with very good ventilation.

Cleaning silver with baking soda and foil is easy!

Baking soda is a great cleaning agent for a variety of stains. How to clean silver with baking soda:

  • soda is slightly moistened until a slurry is obtained;
  • apply the composition to the surface of the silver product and leave for ten minutes;
  • Gently wipe the products with a soft cloth, rinse, dry and rub to a shine.

A more delicate option, which is suitable for delicate items and jewelry, is cleaning with a soda solution. For 250 ml of water, 20 grams of soda will be required, a sheet of foil is lowered into a container with water. When the soda is completely dissolved, the items to be cleaned are lowered inside. After a quarter of an hour, they need to be pulled out, washed and grated.

Special preparations for cleaning silver

When solving the problem of how to clean silver to make it shine, many housewives pay attention to special cleaning compounds and pastes that are available on the market. This is for example:

  • Aladdin,
  • Talisman,
  • silbo,
  • Silver Quick.

Usually they are sprays, pastes or solutions, less often wipes soaked in the composition. Cleaning will not cause difficulties, it is enough to follow the attached instructions.

How to clean silver jewelry with stones

Basic rules on how to clean silver with stones:

  • jewelry with inserts of stones, glass, gilding, enamel require careful handling, dust is removed from them using an alcohol solution applied to a cotton pad;
  • decorative items that have recesses are cleaned with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol;
  • solutions for cleaning more complex contaminants are prepared as follows: you need to take a spoonful of vinegar or ammonia in a glass of water, or rub laundry soap and dissolve until foam is obtained, add ammonia to the solution. In such compositions, the products are left for half an hour.

Important! Blackened silver requires special attention. It can be cleaned with a solution of soap, baking soda and water, or with a raw potato. In any case, it is required to keep the product in solution from twenty minutes to three hours.

Rules for storing silver items so that they do not darken

So, can you clean silver at home? Yes, of course, but in order to do it less often, you should remember a few simple rules for storing jewelry and products made from this precious metal:

  • the room must be dry;
  • each item must have individual packaging - a box or case, it is permissible to wrap it in flannel, parchment or foil;
  • do not allow contact with drugs, food, chemicals, plastic or rubber;
  • If the products accidentally get water, they must be wiped dry immediately.

You should not wear silver jewelry when going to the pool or the beach, while cleaning the house or in the process of applying makeup.

And when the cleaning of silver is over, be sure to find out - in fact, working tips will help to clean up the house!

If silver has turned black, how can you clean it? Silver is one of the precious materials. This raw material is used in various fields:

  • industrial;
  • pharmaceutical;
  • jewelry.

Rings, brooches, pendants, necklaces and chains are made of silver. It is used for the manufacture of cutlery, kitchen utensils, sets. Usually for the baptism of children in the church they buy a silver cross and a chain.

Before the invention of filters, water was purified with white silver kitchen utensils. Spoons, crosses were lowered into a jar of water, left for several hours. Silver ions removed heavy metals from the liquid.

Products made of noble metal darken from contact with sulfur and its compounds. This substance is also found in human sweat. Thus, you can track the state of the body.

Jewelry owners often ask this question: when does a ring or chain darken? What is the best silver cleaner? Cleaning jewelry at home is easy. You can buy ready-made solutions or make your own. The cost of a store-bought silver cleaner will be several times higher than a homemade one.

Silver cleaning fluid is a product designed for cleaning products by immersion. The jewelry is immersed in the cleaning solution for 15-30 seconds. Strongly darkened products should be kept for a minute, and then rinsed with running water.

When there is no time, but you urgently need to clean the jewelry, use napkins to clean silver. The product must be wiped with a napkin from a bag under No. 1, then rinsed under running water. Dry and polish the product with a napkin under No. 2. Such cleaners are not recommended for earrings, rings with stones, designs on semi-precious metals, engravings, artificially grown stones.

You can clean silver at home without buying expensive goods (using simple and affordable ingredients).

Ammonia is well suited for precious metal products. For cleaning, you need to dilute a solution consisting of 2 tablespoons of alcohol and 1 liter of water. To enhance the effect, you can add a little hydrogen peroxide or liquid soap.

You should lower the decoration into the prepared mixture for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse and dry with a fluffy cloth.

How to clean silver at home

Baking soda (1-2 tablespoons) must be dissolved in 500 ml of water. Then put the mixture on fire. When the liquid boils, lower the products into boiling water with a piece of food foil. After 15 minutes, the jewelry will shine like new. It can be left in the solution without boiling for several hours. Baking soda is sometimes replaced with salt, decorations should be boiled for 15-20 minutes or left for 2 hours.

To clean silver with citric acid, you need to dilute 100 g of acid in 500 ml of water, put in a water bath. Lower the products with a piece of copper wire into the solution. All this is heated for 15-30 minutes, then rinsed with running water and wiped dry.

You can also clean silver at home with vinegar. If the products were stored in adverse conditions, mold or plaque appeared on them, then it is easy to get rid of them with the help of food acid. It is recommended to heat a 6% solution of vinegar and wipe the jewelry with a damp cloth.

Radical cleaning of silverware

Cleaning agents are better than Coca-Cola, you will not find. It can easily and without problems clean silver - its composition will remove plaque. In a carbonated cleaner, boil silver items for 5 minutes, rinse under running water and wipe dry.

For radical purification of silver, you will need a paste of water, tooth powder and ammonia in a ratio of 5:2:2. The toothbrush should be dipped in the solution, treated with jewelry and be sure to rinse thoroughly with water. Then wipe the products with a dry cloth. Such cleaning scratches the surface of the precious metal, so it should be carried out extremely rarely.

Instead of toothpaste, you can also use lipstick or polish the product with a regular eraser. This method is suitable for large jewelry, but it is not suitable for cleaning chains.

Quickly, easily and without any solutions, you can clean silver with toothpaste. Items do not need to be soaked before cleaning. Apply a little paste to the toothbrush and carefully process the decoration. After these manipulations, silver must be washed in running water. Even chains are cleaned in this way, and not just earrings and rings.

Cigarette ash is also used as a silver cleaner. Even the remnants of an addiction can remove blackness from a piece of jewelry. First you need to prepare a solution. To do this, add ashes to boiling water. Then place decorations in the container.

If the ashes are mixed with lemon juice, then the resulting mixture can be used to process products using a piece of fabric. This is a great homemade jewelry cleaner.

Food use

Curdled milk cleans silver items well. Dip jewelry into it and leave for a few minutes. Then rinse in warm water. In no case should you wash off the yogurt with soap.

Raw potatoes will clean silver without spending time and effort. Dip the decorations into a container of water, put the peeled potatoes, cut into slices, in the same place. The starch that comes out of the potato undoubtedly copes with the dark coating.

Many are interested in how to clean silver with a stone. Such manipulations can be carried out quite quickly and simply without damaging the jewel. The decoration must be treated with tooth powder using a soft brush or brush. The stone is not damaged during such cleaning, and the plaque disappears in an instant.

Almost every home has silverware. It can be both cutlery and jewelry. Silver looks expensive and spectacular, but eventually oxidizes in air. Because of this, a sulfide coating occurs, which causes blackening of objects. Fortunately, you can get rid of this plaque at home. To do this, you need to use the available tools that any hostess has. When cleaning, it is important to consider the type of product: ordinary silverware or jewelry with stone and gilding.

When cleaning silverware, it is important to follow these guidelines:

  1. Do not use products with hard abrasive particles. You can use a soft toothbrush to clean silverware, and natural bristle brushes are fine for cleaning jewelry.
  2. It is advisable to clean 925 sterling silver with special products.
  3. Radiated silver is resistant to chemicals but is easily scratched. Therefore, it is necessary to clean such products with a soft cloth.
  4. If aluminum foil or utensils were used during the cleaning process, then the silver should be thoroughly washed with running water. Otherwise, the surface of the product may be covered with a coating of aluminum sulfate.
  5. If you want silver to shine like in an exhibition, you need to treat it with hot water and lemon juice.
  6. You can dry silver items on paper napkins or with a hair dryer.
  7. You can polish silver with flannel, woolen and suede cloths, as well as with an ordinary eraser.
  8. After cleaning, it is advisable not to wear silver jewelry for 2-3 days, so that a protective layer can form.

Silver jewelry should be cleaned regularly. It is much more difficult to remove old dirt on your own and without harm to the coating.

Reasons for the darkening of silver

It used to be that silver darkens when a person is tainted. But with the development of chemistry, the real reasons for the darkening of silver products were revealed:

  1. Air humidity or contact with wet skin.
  2. Human sweat, if it contains a large amount of sulfur. This can be caused by taking certain pills or by the presence of pathologies in the body.
  3. Contact with cosmetics, food (salt, yolks, onions), detergents or rubber.
  4. Incorrect storage.

Silver items made from low-quality raw materials also quickly blacken.

Silver cleaning methods

It is important to remember that aggressive substances can only be used to clean silverware or simple earrings, chains, crosses, etc. If it is jewelry with stones, pearls, enameled or gilded, then gentle products must be used.

Soda

Regular baking soda will help get rid of blackness on silver items. For this you need:

  • mix water and soda until gruel;
  • apply the resulting mixture to the subject;
  • leave for 10 minutes;
  • remove the remains of the composition by wiping the surface with a soft cloth.

This method is suitable for cleaning silver spoons, forks and knives. If you need to carefully clean the product, then you should use another method.

Action algorithm:

  • dissolve 20 g of soda in 250 ml of boiling water;
  • pour the resulting solution into an aluminum pan or any other container, after placing a piece of foil on its bottom;
  • put silver objects into the container;
  • leave for 15 minutes;
  • carefully remove the products and rinse them with running water.

Soda has abrasive properties, so you need to wait for it to completely dissolve in water.

Dentifrice

Another effective silver cleaner is toothpaste or tooth powder.

Cleansing steps:

  1. You will need to take a white toothpaste without impurities or dilute the tooth powder with water to the consistency of gruel.
  2. Apply the product to the silver item with a soft cloth or toothbrush and lightly rub the contaminated areas. In this case, you need to move in one direction, without pressing on the surface.
  3. Rinse the cleaned item under running water, dry and polish with a soft cloth.

Citric acid and vinegar

You can effectively clean silver at home with a solution of citric acid:

  • dissolve 100 g of citric acid in 500 ml of water;
  • pour the resulting solution into a container and lower a piece of copper wire there;
  • boil the solution and put silver items in it;
  • wait 15 minutes;
  • take out and wash items;
  • dry and polish them with a soft cloth or eraser.

If blackness has appeared recently, then table vinegar can also cope with it. Required:

  • moisten a soft cloth with 6% vinegar;
  • wipe the product and rinse it with running water.

Instead of vinegar, you can use a 10% solution of citric acid. To prepare it, you need to mix 100 ml of water and 10 g of acid.

Ammonia

To clean old black spots, you need to prepare a solution of 300 ml of water and 30 ml of ammonia. Wipe the product with this solution and then wash it off with water.

There are several more ways to cleanse blackness using ammonia:

  1. Mix water, ammonia and tooth powder in a ratio of 5:2:1. Then apply the resulting composition to the surface to be cleaned with a soft cloth. Wait 10-15 minutes and wash off the mixture.
  2. Combine ammonia and hydrogen peroxide in equal proportions. Pour the resulting solution into a container and soak silver items in it for 15 minutes.
  3. Add ammonia to the grated chalk to make a paste. Apply the mixture to the product. Instead of chalk, you can use tooth powder.

If the dirt on silver items is fresh, then you can simply wipe them with a cotton pad moistened with ammonia.

Salt

To make silver shine, you can use table salt.

Procedure:

  • dissolve 25 g of salt and 10 g of citric acid in 500 ml of boiling water;
  • soak silver items in the resulting solution for 10-20 minutes;
  • after the allotted time, rinse the items with running water.

There is another method:

  • pour 500 ml of water into an aluminum pan;
  • bring water to a boil and add 10 g of salt, soda and dishwashing liquid;
  • put silverware into the pan;
  • wait 30 minutes.

After that, you should carefully remove the items, rinse with running water, dry and polish.

Ashes from cigarettes

An unusual silver cleaner is cigarette ash.

Mode of application:

  • pour the contents of the ashtray into a pot of water;
  • boil the solution;
  • put the items to be cleaned in the pan;
  • wait 10-15 minutes;
  • remove the products and rinse them with running water.

You can also moisten a soft cloth with lemon juice and sprinkle with ashes. Then rub the contaminated areas.

curdled milk

If there is sour milk on hand, then it can also be used to cleanse blackened silver. For this you will need:

  • put a silver object in yogurt;
  • leave for 5-15 minutes depending on the contamination;
  • rinse with warm water and dry the product;
  • polish the silver with a soft cloth.

In this case, the active ingredient is lactic acid.

Potato

Ordinary potatoes will help clean silver at home.

Instruction:

  • peel a few potatoes and cut them into slices;
  • place the chopped potatoes in a container of water;
  • put silver items there;
  • wait a few hours.

The active substance will be starch, which will gradually pass from the potato into the water and remove plaque from the silver.

You can also use water after boiling potatoes:

  • it must be drained into a container and put a piece of foil there;
  • then lower the silverware into the container;
  • wait 5-10 minutes.

After this time, the cleaned items are washed, dried and polished with flannel or suede.

How to clean jewelry with stone or gold?

The situation is more complicated when it comes to cleaning jewelry. Silver chains, bracelets and rings with stones, instructed in turquoise, amber, pearls or plated with gold, require a delicate approach.

Fresh dirt can be removed with a cotton pad soaked in cologne or alcohol. To clean recesses and other hard-to-reach places, you need to use a cotton swab. Also, jewelry with stones can be cleaned with a soft toothbrush or a brush with natural bristles. But at the same time, you should act very carefully so as not to damage the coating.

If the jewelry is instructed with pearls, you will need to sew a linen bag, pour 1 teaspoon of salt into it and put the product there. After that, the bag is washed in warm water.

Ammonia and vinegar

Black plaque can be removed by soaking the products for 15-25 minutes in a solution prepared according to one of the recipes:

  • add grated laundry soap and a little ammonia to warm water;
  • dilute in a glass of water 1 large spoon of ammonia or table vinegar.

After the specified time, the jewelry should be washed with warm water and dried by placing them on paper napkins. Then the products are polished with a soft cloth.

Lipstick

Also, silver products will help clean lipstick. The fact is that it contains mineral particles that can cope with black plaque.

To use this unusual method, you need to rub the surface to be cleaned with lipstick and polish the product with suede or flannel. The procedure must be repeated until the plaque is completely removed.

It is not necessary to use a good lipstick for cleaning. Quite fit and inexpensive, which did not fit in quality or shade.

How to clean blackened silver?

Blackened silver requires a special approach. There are several ways to clean it:

  1. Mix 10 g of soap, 1 tablespoon of soda and 0.5 liters of water. Soak the product in the prepared solution for 20 minutes.
  2. Peel and cut raw potatoes. Drop it into a pot of water. There also put silverware. Leave for 3 hours. Then rinse the items with warm water, dry and polish.

Storage rules

If silver products are stored correctly, they will delight the eye with a radiant surface for a longer time. To do this, you must follow certain rules:

  1. It is recommended to store silver jewelry in separate closed boxes in a dry place. If the jewelry has not been worn for a long time, then it should be washed with soapy water, dried and wrapped in foil or flannel fabric.
  2. Avoid contact of silver with cosmetics, medicines, cleaning agents and rubber.
  3. It is advisable to remove silver jewelry before cleaning, bathing, bathing and applying cosmetics.

Silver inevitably blackens over time. However, this is not a reason to part with your favorite thing. There are always a lot of tools at hand that can restore an item to its original appearance. You just need to know how to use them correctly and safely.

Silver is a noble metal with a silvery-white color. Jewelry made of jewelry metal gives the appearance of their owners a touch of freshness. And the presence of silverware at home is a sign of sophistication. Over time, silver tends to tarnish and darken. Why this happens, how to get rid of darkening and prevent plaque, we will talk below. Our tips for proper cleaning and storage will help keep your silver jewelry in excellent condition.

The main thing in the article

Is it possible to clean silver at home?

Silver is a fairly affordable metal and is very popular. But no matter how silver pleases with its brilliance, after a while it darkens. This happens due to:

  • a chemical reaction during the interaction of silver ions with hydrogen sulfide, which is present in the air;
  • increased humidity of the ambient air;
  • possible low quality silver;
  • strong sweating on the human body and the presence of a large amount of sulfur in the body;
  • the use of cosmetics containing sulfur;
  • the use of drugs that contain sulfur;
  • improper storage.

Owners of noble metal are often interested in what will purify silver no worse than jewelry cosmetics? There are many ways to solve the darkening problem. The most important thing is to find the right one.

What do you need to clean silver at home?

At home, silver is easy to clean and fairly quick. Here is a list of the means by which silver will get rid of an unattractive dark coating:

  • baking soda;
  • ammonia;
  • ammonia 10%;
  • salt;
  • lemon acid;
  • pomade;
  • hydrogen peroxide;
  • vinegar 9%;
  • toothpaste;
  • foil;
  • water at room temperature;
  • liquid soap.

How to clean silver from blackness at home?

It is enough to dissolve soda in water and boil ordinary jewelry and kitchen appliances. And for products that are decorated with organic stones, this is fraught with consequences.

Jewelry with stones of natural origin is vulnerable to chemical solutions, aggressive alkalis and acids. Therefore, it is better to entrust their cleaning to delicate cosmetics or specialists.

These stones include:


Before you start cleaning silver items yourself at home, make sure that the stones are safe, as well as the silver itself. Silver products are:


You can find out exactly what kind of silver you have according to the documents that are issued in the store upon purchase.

Cleaning silver cutlery

In a house where there is silverware and cutlery, they probably know how to clean them. And for those who just want to buy silverware or do not know the rules for caring for it, there are several cleaning methods that will help.

  1. With the help of chalk and a soft cloth, you can gently clean the devices from plaque. Pound the chalk into a powder, and use a cloth to clean the dirt. Rinse in cold water and dry.
  2. Ashes from cigarettes can also clean silver. Dip a soft cloth in water, apply ashes on it and polish the silverware. After the polishing procedure, rinse the instruments in running water.
  3. Water from boiled eggs. Cool the water to room temperature and immerse the instruments in a container of water. After 20-30 minutes, remove and wipe with a soft cloth.
  4. Soap in combination with ammonia is able to cope with darkening, no worse than previous remedies. Pour liquid soap into water at room temperature and add alcohol in the proportion of 10 ml of alcohol per 1000 ml of soap solution. Immerse the cutlery for 20-30 minutes, then rinse your jewelry in cool water and dry.

Baking soda to clean silver at home

Baking soda is a unique tool in the fight against pollution of any complexity, whether it be grease or plaque. And when it comes to cleaning silver, we must not forget about its effectiveness. To prepare the solution you will need:

  • pot;
  • foil;
  • soda;
  • water.

Dissolve 10 g of soda in 1/2 liter of water in a saucepan. Place the saucepan on the stove and bring to a boil. Put silver items on the foil and dip in water for 15 minutes. After - cool and wipe with a soft cloth.

Soda will clean the darkened silver well. But this cleaning is not suitable for all precious metal products. Blackened, oxidized and silver with enamel cannot be cleaned like this - they will deteriorate.

Cleaning silver jewelry

Fragile jewelry requires gentle care. More suitable products for cleaning them delicate means:

  • Laundry soap will perfectly cope with dark pollution. Grate laundry soap and stir in water at room temperature. Put the silver into the solution for 15-20 minutes, then dry it with a woolen cloth.
  • Specialized jewelry care products do their job just as well. Using them is simple and easy, the main thing is to follow the instructions.
  • Lipstick and a soft cloth made of wool or suede fabric will safely clean plaque and patina, give the product shine and freshness. Smear the product with lipstick and wipe with a napkin.

Special cleaning products for silver jewelry

In addition to the products that are at hand, special liquids are made for cleaning silver products. They do not have abrasive particles, so they do not leave marks and are completely safe for metal. Funds are issued in the form of:

  1. napkins,
  2. sprays,
  3. pasta,
  4. foam,
  5. solutions.

The most famous silver care products:

  • Jewelry cosmetics "Aladdin".
  • A set of German-made cleaning products Silbo.
  • Jewelry cosmetics set "Turman" Russian production, Moscow;
  • Talisman- jewelry cosmetics, St. Petersburg;
  • Silver cleaners "Font";
  • Silver care products "Town Talk".

Toothpaste for cleaning silver

  • Toothpaste not only cleans tooth enamel well, but also does an excellent job of cleaning silver. Using a toothbrush of minimal hardness and a small amount of toothpaste, clean the dirt with smooth movements. Due to the softness of the abrasive particles, the paste does not damage the silver surface. After cleaning, rinse the treated silver surface well and wipe it with a soft cloth.
  • For a deeper cleansing, add baking soda to the paste and stir. But this composition is not suitable for all silver products. Silver with enamel, oxidized and blackened can deteriorate due to the content of abrasive particles in soda.

Improvised means for home cleaning silver: citric acid, vinegar, salt

Most housewives have in the house at hand vinegar solution, citric acid and salt. With these simple ingredients, you can make a cleaner for darkened and dirty silver.

  1. Make a water bath and put copper wire in it. Then pour 100 g of citric acid into 500 ml of water. Bring to a boil and put the silver for 15 minutes. After - cool and wipe with a dry soft cloth.
  2. Pour 9% vinegar into a saucepan and heat. Place silver in heated vinegar for 15 minutes. Remove and polish with a chamois cloth or woolen cloth.
  3. Stir 5 g of salt in 200 ml of water and put silver into the prepared solution for 1-2 hours. Then put on the stove and boil on fire for 10-15 minutes. Cool and wipe with a soft woolen cloth.

How to clean silver with stones at home?

Silver items are easy to clean, but not all of them can be cleaned with chemicals. Jewelery inlaid with stones requires special, delicate care.

If the stones are of organic origin, then it is better to entrust the cleaning to specialists or use jewelry cosmetics marked “for delicate care”. The surface of organic stones is sensitive to abrasives, chemicals and acids.

Silver jewelry inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones is cleaned depending on the hardness of the stone, which is measured on a 10-point scale.

  • With a hardness of stones from 7 units. clean jewelry in a solution with laundry detergent or shampoo.
  • Jewels adorned with stones with a hardness of 5-7 units should be cleaned in soapy water so as not to scratch the surface.
  • Products with organic stones clean with plain warm water.
  • Clean coral jewelry without touching the stone itself.
  • Silver studded with pearls and amber can be soaked in warm soapy water. But you need to polish without touching the stone, it must dry on its own.
  • Decorations, inlaid mother-of-pearl, jet, ivory, petrified wood, ammolite and belemnite, clean with soapy water and wipe with a soft cloth.

Topaz, ruby ​​and garnet are sensitive to high temperatures and change color when washed in hot water. They must be cleaned only in water at room temperature.

Ammonia for cleaning silver with stones: effective recipes

  1. Dissolve 10 ml of ammonia in 100 ml of warm water. Dip the silver for 15 minutes, and then wipe it with a woolen cloth. In case of severe contamination - increase the time, but monitor the degree of cleaning.
  2. Mix ammonia with toothpowder to a mushy mass and apply with a soft cloth to the product. Dry and then wipe with a dry cloth.
  3. Soak silver items in undiluted ammonia for 10 minutes. After the procedure, wipe with a napkin.

How to gently clean silver and not ruin it?

Using improvised materials, you run the risk of spoiling precious metal products. To prevent this from happening, you need to follow some tips:

  • Do not clean matte silver with abrasive products and acids, use liquid soap and water instead.
  • After cleaning your silver with chemicals, run it with hot water to wash everything off.
  • It is necessary to dry the products carefully, it is better not to use it right away, but to let it lie in a dark place for several days to form a protective film.
  • Clean filigree and blackened silver in liquid solutions so as not to spoil it.
  • Store your silver in foil, separate from each other, to protect from oxidation.
  • Clean silver cutlery with sprays and paste, but never in the dishwasher.

How to quickly and effectively clean silver: video

At home, you need to figure out why this is happening.


Often the oxidation process occurs due to high humidity in the room, in contact with the skin, especially in the hot season with increased sweating, while bathing. The cause of darkening may also be contact with detergents, cosmetics, which include sulfur.


Rubber, onions, eggs, salt also increase the rate of blackening of silver jewelry and cutlery.

How to clean silver when blackened?

In the household, there are many products that will help remove blackness from silver jewelry and silverware.


Before naming the means that help clean silver in, it should be noted that this metal is quite soft, it is easily scratched, and therefore, when cleaning, it is important to avoid aggressive friction, cleaning with abrasive materials.


The most popular silver cleaner is ammonia. To bleach the product, you need to dilute a spoonful of ammonia with two glasses of water, add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide and dissolve a little ordinary soap there. It is enough to immerse the silver in this solution for 10-15 minutes, wipe it with a soft cloth and dry it.


Soda and salt are also suitable for cleaning silver from blackening. A couple of tablespoons of soda should be dissolved in two glasses of warm water, bring to a boil. Place silver items and a small piece of foil in boiled water, wait about a quarter of an hour, remove the contents and dry with a cotton cloth. In the case of using salt for greater effect, the time of keeping silver in solution should be increased to an hour.


Citric acid, which is often used by housewives for baking, will help clean darkened silver. 50 grams of the product must be poured with a glass of water and put the solution in a water bath, adding a piece of copper. Half an hour after being placed in such a solution, silver items will acquire their former brilliance. The product should be washed off with water, and the silver should be dried.


Vinegar will also help at home to clean silver from blackness. A weak solution must be applied with a soft cloth to silver items, rubbing. Instantly they will become lighter and will continue to please their owners.


To clean silver, many recommend using the beneficial properties of such a popular drink as Cola. To clean silver with it, you need to boil a drink with products for about five minutes. The remains of the solution are washed off with plain water, after which the jewelry and silverware are dried.


Less gentle means used by housewives to clean silver from blackening are toothpaste, a mixture of tooth powder with ammonia, lipstick, and an eraser. Shine is the result of friction, and therefore, with frequent use of these products, silver products can become less attractive due to scratches.