How to quickly clean the silver at home

Silver is a noble and relatively affordable metal compared to gold and platinum. Each family has silver jewelry, silverware, and various souvenirs. But over time, silver is oxidized, and black scurf appears on the surface of the product, which spoils and cheapens the appearance of even the most sophisticated jewelry. However, do not be upset, because silver is easy to clean at home. There are various methods and tools that depend on the purpose of the object and its size.

Useful properties of silver

Having a silver spoon or cup in your home, you can make silver water and use it as an additional prophylactic against skin problems. Even the Egyptian warriors noticed that the water in silver vessels retains its freshness for a long time. This is due to the fact that silver ions block the absorption of phosphates, the main food, microbes and bacteria. In magic, silver is also endowed with a mass of positive properties.Silver earrings improve the work of the brain, silver wrist crosses take over all the negative energy, and with the help of a ring through which the thread is inserted, it is possible to determine favorable and unfavorable zones in your home. In the church, the utensils are also made of silver, and the ringing of silver bells deters evil forces.

Features of silverware

The alloys used for making table silver differ in composition from alloys for decorations and figurines. Copper is added to the dishes, which makes it more durable (do not forget about the flexibility and softness of silver) and less expensive. Forks, mugs, glasses and plates have 80% of silver in the composition, the rest is copper and other impurities. Silver alloy 800 sample has a large admixture of copper, because of which cutlery has a yellowish tint and high strength.

Silver Jewelry Features

In the jewelry industry, the requirements for silver jewelry are higher than for tableware. The lowest sample used in the manufacture of jewelry, 830, i.e. silver itself is composed of 83%, and the remaining metals are of ignoble origin.The most popular breakdown is 925, however, 800, 830, 875, 960 and 999 samples are also found.

Jewelry 875 samples are often confused with white gold. Gilding is applied to them, and products are sold at a higher price. These jewelries are rarely sold without inserts; they often contain semiprecious stones such as cubic zirconia, turquoise, rose quartz, and rhinestone.

In 925 silver samples 92.5% is contained, the remaining impurities are copper. Such an alloy is called differently sterling, because in England it was made from sterling. Copper gives strength to decorations, and a high content of silver retains the plasticity of the alloy.

960 sample indicates a high silver content. But one-piece jewelry from such an alloy will be deformed when worn, so 960 samples are used for fine filigree work, creating cobwebs, fine threads, lace and lace.

999 is pure silver. It is incredibly plastic, and from 1 gram of metal you can get 1.6 km long wire. Pure silver is unsuitable for making jewelry and tableware, otherwise the forks will bend, and the rings and earrings will deform.Therefore, silver 999 samples found in ingots.

Why is darkening silver

There are many versions, why silver is covered with black bloom and tarnish.

1. The chains around the neck and décolleté darken the fastest and most intensely. The fact is that the copper contained in the composition of the alloy is oxidized under the influence of sulfur, which is part of human sweat. The lower the silver sample, the greater the composition of copper, and the faster the product will darken.
2. The black crosses blacken. It is believed that the darkening of the cross means the evil eye and damage to its owner. You can believe it, but you can approach the statement critically. But the cross turns black with excessive sweating, which appears during hormonal disorders and other disorders. Sometimes the owner of the cross himself does not even realize that something is wrong with his body, but the composition of the sweat changes, and silver oxidizes faster and more intensively. Indeed, after some time, the disease is detected, and the dagger pointed to it much earlier than the doctors. Hence the belief that the cross blackens from the evil eye and damage.
3. Blacken cutlery.Even those who do not use, and they stand quietly in a sideboard. This indicates that the room has poor ventilation, high humidity, and stale air. The presence of hydrogen sulfide provokes the darkening of silver, so do not be surprised if you get a blackened silver chain out of the box.
4. Silver jewelry will darken if you do not remove them in the shower when you wash your hair or swim in the pool. Even purified water in urban apartments has scanty hydrogen sulfide impurities, and radon gas is emitted from water pipes. All this contributes to the rapid darkening.
5. Silver turns black on contact with skin if you use moisturizing or protective creams, as well as household cleaning and detergents. They are composed of various impurities that enhance the oxidation process. If you can’t imagine life without a cross, choose gold or even tin. These materials are not as sensitive to the environment. When washing dishes and wet cleaning the apartment remove rings and bracelets. So you prolong their life.

What are the homemade recipes for cleaning silver jewelry?

There are improvised means available in every home, with the help of which silver products can be given shine and darkening and dullness removed.

1. Toothpaste. She is in every bathroom. Squeeze a little mint toothpaste onto an old unused toothbrush (it is advisable to choose not a gel, but a white paste without crystals). Apply smooth movements to the surface of the product, foam. You will see how the foam has darkened. Leave for 3-5 minutes. Then rub again, and can wash off. The only drawback: the higher the silver sample, the higher the likelihood of traces of bristles on the surface. Jewelry is best cleaned in other ways. But the tableware will shine like new.
2. Ammonia. It is also suitable for cleaning cutlery. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of ammonia in a liter of water, stir and lower the dishes into the solution. After 15 minutes, remove and wipe the surface with a soft cloth, fleece, flannel. But not everyone can withstand the cleaning procedure, given the specific smell of ammonia.
3. Baking soda. There are two ways to clean products. The first is suitable for cutlery.In half a liter of water, dilute 2 tablespoons of soda, bring the solution to a boil and put the silver item into it. Or make a slurry of soda and water and apply it on the decoration. But this method spoils the stones, if they exist. They grow cloudy and covered with bloom.
4. Drink Coca Cola. Yes, in fact, this drink is so rich in alkali that it will be able to clean jewelry from dirt and black coating. Pour into a glass of coca-cola and put earrings, rings and chains in it. In 15 minutes they will shine and sparkle.
5. 6% table vinegar. Heat the vinegar in a spoon, soak a cotton pad in it and wipe the silver item. Well rub the surface with a soft cloth.
6. Eraser or eraser. With its help smooth silver rings are polished to shine. Just rub the rubber band on the surface of the ring, and it will become smooth and shiny without any scratches.
7. Water after boiling eggs. Cook eggs in the usual way, let them cool without removing from the pan. Then pour water into a glass and put silver trinkets there for 15-20 minutes. Surprisingly, from the black plaque and dullness will not remain a trace if they are wiped with a soft cloth.

The darkening of a silver product does not indicate its damage. Rather, it indicates unfavorable external conditions: high humidity, excessive sweating, the presence of sulfur, etc. You can clean silver with the help of available tools that are in every home. This may be toothpaste, soda, ammonia. The main thing is not to subject the silver to mechanical cleaning. This metal is soft and elastic, therefore it is subject to deformation. Do not use abrasives and hard brushes. just hold the jewelry in the solution and then wipe it with a dry cloth.

Video: how to quickly clean silver