Add site to bookmarks

Clean silver jewelry you can and should at home!

Since ancient times, our ancestors valued silver more than gold. It was believed that this metal has a magical, unearthly power and endowed with a special meaning. Today, every home, every family has a variety of: jewelry, interior items, accessories, cutlery. But silver has a drawback known to everyone: over time, alas, this metal loses its amazing luster, darkens, can become covered with a bluish, greenish, black coating, depending on its composition. Fortunately, this shortcoming can be easily eliminated.

Regular cleaning of silver items will prevent them from tarnishing.

Such cleaning has a number of features, secrets and tricks. Let's take a closer look at how to clean silver jewelry at home to restore their original charm and brilliance.

Why does silver jewelry darken?

Despite the fact that silver, as a noble metal, is resistant to organic acids and alkaline solutions, it is practically defenseless against the influence of hydrogen sulfide in the air, which can cause prolonged exposure. Sulfur is also used in medicines and cosmetics. Therefore, storing a silver ring near medicines or interacting with silver jewelry with perfume or cosmetics also contributes to the loss of luster of silver.

Everyone knows the fact that in a person with poor health, a cross and a silver chain darken much faster. Scientists have proven that the shade of the precious metal can change according to the composition of the wearer's sweat. If the human body contains a large number of nitrogen, silver less often darkens, and an excess of sulfur in the body leads to the fact that silver ring, earrings, chain often darken in their owners.

High humidity can also cause the product to darken and cause it to be cleaned.

Silver Care Guidelines

To determine the best way to properly and delicately clean silver items, you need to know the silver alloy from which the jewelry is made. The alloy can be sterling (noble silver 95% plus the addition of copper), mint, matte, filigree, blackened. The method of cleaning also depends on whether your ring or earrings have a stone or not.

To clean a silver product, do not use a rough sponge and abrasive substances. This leads to micro-scratches on your jewelry or tarnishing of the product, which can only be removed by professional polishing.

The basic principle of cleaning silver: before using any chemical (ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, soda), the jewelry is soaked in soapy water for a while, after which it is rinsed well, excess moisture is removed and polished with suede.

When you can use specially designed tools for this. There is a very large selection of such funds. In the jewelry store you can buy special wipes and liquids. You dip your jewelry into such a liquid and after a while you take it out like new. It is very convenient to clean jewelry with stones in such a solution.

• if the jewelry is simply dirty (cosmetics, dust, sand), it can be washed in hot soapy water. Now instead of soap they add Fairy detergent. Then you need a soft toothbrush. Of course, this will not return the shine, but it will clean it up great;
• at home, jewelry without stones can be lightened by placing it in a solution of ammonia or citric acid. The solution can be heated for greater effectiveness;
• potato is an effective folk and other silverware. Decoration is dipped into a mixture of grated potatoes and water for several minutes. Then they are taken out and polished to a shine with a woolen cloth. In the same way, silver is purified using a decoction of potato peels. This is perhaps the most folk way, our great-grandmothers used it.

How to clean silver products from blackness

• most efficient and available method cleaning silver is soda. Pre-silver should be held in soapy water. Then clean it with a solution or slurry of soda. A few drops of water are added to the soda, then a small amount of such gruel is taken on the fingers and the blackened silver jewelry is smeared with it. Silver should be wiped carefully, with light movements, so that scratches do not remain on the product.

With a solution of soda, you can clean the darkened. Silver is put in a saucepan or bowl, after covering it with food foil. Then sprinkle with two or three tablespoons of baking soda and cover with an additional layer of foil on top. All this is poured with boiling water. After 10-15 minutes of waiting, the silver is taken out and washed with running cool water.

• the next method is using ordinary salt, large or small, it doesn’t matter. Darkened silver jewelry is placed in a single layer in a foil-wrapped container, evenly distributing them along the bottom. Sprinkle with salt and a small amount soda, add a few drops of any detergent, Fairy, for example. And as in the previous case, they are poured with boiling water and after 10 minutes they are washed with running water;
• You can clean silver items at home with a stationery eraser. You just need to gently rub the product with the less abrasive light side of the eraser, and the blackness disappears. The eraser can still replace the usual lipstick, which also contains microscopic abrasive components. Lipstick is applied to a piece of soft cloth, and silver is polished to the desired state with this cloth. Then washed with soapy water;
• an effective and most common way, although somewhat aggressive, is to use ammonia. The composition is formed from toothpaste and baking soda, 4 drops of ammonia are added. This homogeneous mixture is placed on a soft toothbrush and applied to the metal with a brush. After treatment, the solution is washed off with cold water. The tool is good, but it is not recommended to use it too often, so as not to provoke microcracks in the metal. If a more delicate cleaning is required, then it is better to do without soda.

A mixture of chalk and ammonia removes blackness very well. The resulting paste is applied to a ring or earrings and gently cleaned with a soft toothbrush. Then rinse with water and dry with a soft cloth.

How to clean jewelry with stones

• it is best to clean with the help of special cleaning liquids, which, in addition to harming it, also cover it with a protective film invisible to the naked eye;
• at home, silver inlaid with stones can be removed from blackness with this solution: shavings of laundry soap and a few drops of ammonia are added to the water. The solution is brought to a boil. After cooling, the liquid is applied with a toothbrush to earrings or a ring. Around the stone, blackness is removed using cotton swab, which is moistened in the same prepared solution. The stone is then polished with a piece of flannel. Do not clean the frame with a sharp object, so as not to scratch the surface.

Advice! Stones such as amber, pearls, coral are very sensitive to chemical solutions. Therefore, it is better to give products with such stones to specialists.

After the silver cleaning procedure, jewelry should not be worn immediately. The metal must be given a few days to form a natural protective layer on it.

In every house there are some silver items. Unfortunately, this noble metal is sensitive to environmental influences. Products can turn yellow, blacken and even turn green, losing their sophisticated look. Learn how to clean silver at home to keep your jewelry, cutlery, antique coins and more looking like new. Decide when you can get by with improvised means and special liquids, and in which cases it is better to turn to specialists.

Jewelry includes a wide variety of products: smooth and openwork rings, rings with inserts of various stones, bracelets, chains, pendants, earrings. The compositions of the alloys from which these objects are made can also be different. Accordingly, approaches to cleaning each type of product will be different. However, there are also general recommendations for high-quality cleaning of silver products.

Silver darkened

1. First of all, it is desirable to wash silver jewelry that has lost its chic from banal pollution. To do this, soak them for two hours in a warm solution of soap or detergent, then clean hard-to-reach places with a soft brush. Sometimes this alone is enough to return the jewelry to a completely acceptable look.
2. For cleaning, do not use materials with abrasive particles, hard sponges, brushes.
3. Using special jewelry cosmetics for silver, you should not overdo it: they contain a lot of potent "chemistry" that can damage jewelry. You must follow the instructions.
4. When cleaning, do not use rubber gloves: rubber contains sulfur, from which the silver quickly darkens. If necessary, nitrile gloves can be worn.
5. Regardless of the method used, cleaning should be completed by rinsing with warm water, drying soft cloth.
6. It is unacceptable to leave silver things wet after washing: moisture is contraindicated for them, as stains form on the surface.
7. It is better to entrust the cleaning of a very dirty or very valuable item made of silver to a jeweler.
8. Having returned the jewelry to its original appearance, you should not immediately put them on. It is necessary to wait for a natural protective film to form on the surface. For this, a few days are enough.

Clean without risk of damage

back to contents

How to restore shine to jewelry without inserts and stones

Silver rings, earrings, pendants and bracelets without inserts are easy to clean from dirt and dark deposits. Suitable for them are any of the methods that will be outlined below. The main thing is not to forget that silver, especially jewelry (sample 925, 960), is a relatively soft metal, and cleaning it with coarse abrasives is unacceptable. This fact must be taken into account when choosing how to clean silver: after all, scratching the surface, you can lose the pleasure of using an elegant decoration.

Ring without inserts

back to contents

Ammonium chloride - a hero in cleaning

The most common and effective method to return the bewitching radiance to jewelry - the use of ammonia. You can choose any of the proposed recipes according to your taste (more precisely, by "scent"). In the first case you need:

1. Buy ammonia (10%) at the pharmacy.
2. Place the jewelry to be cleaned in a glass container, pour a little undiluted alcohol into it so that it covers the jewelry.
3. Leave for 15 minutes.
4. After this period of time, remove silver from the dishes, rinse well with water, and dry.

Important: Ammonia solution has a very pungent odor. It is necessary to work with it in a ventilated room, on a balcony or in the open air. Do not bend low over a container of liquid: this is fraught with burns of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract in sensitive people.

It is important to wipe silver dry

The second recipe involves diluting ammonia and using additional components. For its implementation, simple steps are required:

1. In a jar filled with 250 ml of cold water, add a tablespoon of ammonia.
2. After mixing the solution, drop a few drops of hydrogen peroxide and baby shampoo into it.
3. Immerse silver jewelry or cutlery that needs to be cleaned into the resulting “cocktail” for 15 minutes. If after this the appearance of the jewelry has not improved much, you can leave them for another 15 minutes. However, keep in solution for more than an hour is not worth it.
4. When a positive result becomes clear, take out the prettier little things, rinse, wipe with a microfiber cloth and admire the result.

The third do-it-yourself silver cleaning recipe also works effectively:

1. Mix tooth powder with ammonia solution to a mushy consistency. Instead of powder, you can use finely crushed chalk.
2. Using a piece of cotton wool (cotton pad), apply the resulting paste to a silver item.
3. Allow enough time for the cleaning mixture to dry.
4. Wipe the product with a dry soft cloth, then rinse, wipe dry.

Simple but effective "cleaners"

back to contents

Life hacks from the kitchen - cleaning silver without problems

In any kitchen, next to the hostess, there are a lot of affordable and effective cleaning products, sometimes completely unexpected. When silver rings or bracelets begin to hint unequivocally that it is time to put them in order, you just have to look around - there is an option on how to clean silver at home.

You can name a number of liquids that will help restore the original noble appearance of jewelry:

• A good remedy for getting rid of plaque, mold table vinegar (6%). Using it for this purpose is elementary. Vinegar should be slightly warmed up, soak a small soft cloth in it, you can use a cotton pad, and wipe the metal thoroughly.
• If 100 ml of the same vinegar is mixed with 50 g of baking soda and silver items are kept in it for 2 hours, they will please with their brilliance.
• The use of this "cleaner" can be amusing, but it cleans the metal remarkably. It is necessary to pour Coca-Cola into a saucepan, immerse jewelry that needs cleaning into it, heat and boil the contents for 3-5 minutes.
• Tomato ketchup (unexpected, isn't it?) is suitable for cleansing tarnished smooth silverware. They need to be put in a cup of ketchup for a few minutes, after which the rest of the ketchup should be removed with a sponge or cloth.
• Another amazing remedy is the water left after boiling eggs. After cooling it to a warm state, place silver objects in water for 20 minutes, they will be easily cleaned.
• The hot broth left after cooking potatoes in their uniforms also miraculously removes plaque from the surface of silver items placed in it in a quarter of an hour. The effect will be enhanced if a piece of foil is placed on the bottom of the dish.
• Egg yolk helps clean silver items and protects them from further contamination. You just need to apply it on the surface, leave it to dry, then rinse it off.

Yolk, potatoes will easily lighten silver

back to contents

Five improvised means from the kitchen and bathroom

Continuing the list of kitchen life hacks for cleaning silver at home, we should pay tribute to the garlic husk. Some people collect it for later use in the garden. It will also help to cope with severe contamination of silver cutlery and coins, if you prepare a concentrated decoction of the husk, lower the products into it and boil for 20-50 minutes (until the blackness disappears). The process will be accelerated if you add a tablespoon of salt per liter of broth.

Table salt itself is also a great helper in getting rid of silver things from plaque. Moreover, it is always available in the kitchen, and the method of its use is straightforward. It consists in the following. It is necessary to prepare a solution at the rate of: a teaspoon of salt per glass of water, and boil darkened spoons or glasses in this composition for a quarter of an hour.

Garlic husks should not be thrown away

Baking soda is just as easy to use. After pouring it into a small container, you need to add a little water, bringing it to a pasty state. With this paste, you need to gently wipe the surface of the product with a soft rag, napkin or toothbrush. When blackening the paste collected on rags, it is required to replace it, preventing the blackness from smearing over the surface of the product. After a few minutes, the silver will shine.

Many housewives give priority to tooth powder or toothpaste when cleaning silver items. This simple method can be used, bearing in mind that the pastes must be of high quality, non-abrasive. Whitening, gel paste or paste with colored patches is not suitable in this case. To clean silver with this method, you don’t need much skill: you need to act by analogy with soda (and without fanaticism!).

Another tool that helps to clean a ring or other small thing, a woman will always find in her own cosmetic bag. It is worth smearing the surface with lipstick (not hygienic!) And wipe it well with a cotton pad - blackness on silver is gone!

Toothpaste cleans metal well

back to contents

Several original ways to clean silver

There are already a lot of possibilities for cleaning silver from blackness at home. But no less ways can be called yet: in any case, the reserves of folk wisdom are inexhaustible. We recommend a few methods:

1. Place the raw egg shell in a small saucepan, pour 500 ml of water, add a teaspoon of salt. Bring contents to a boil, remove from heat. Immerse in this "broth" products that need cleaning. In just a minute, you can admire the updated jewelry or cutlery.
2. Dilute citric acid (100 g) in 700 ml of water, put the dishes with the solution in a water bath. Place a piece at the bottom copper wire and silver items. Soak for half an hour in a water bath.
3. Spray silver with window cleaner, wipe with a soft cloth.
4. Place the product for a few minutes in yogurt.

Lipstick - and the dark plaque is gone

The next method deserves more detailed consideration. It is not much more complicated than the previous ones, but at the same time it acts quickly and incredibly effectively. The method is based on the use of food foil, there are several variants of it.

The first way to clean silver with foil (for light dirt):

1. Prepare a glass of water, a piece of foil the size of a palm, a teaspoon of salt or its mixture with soda.
2. Tear the foil into pieces, lower it into water, add salt.
3. Mix everything until the salt dissolves.
4. Immerse in decoration solution.
5. A quarter of an hour is enough to achieve the result.

How effective the use of foil can be seen by watching the video.

Video: How to clean silver at home

Another way (for heavily soiled jewelry):

1. Cover a small container with foil, put silver jewelry on it in one layer.
2. Sprinkle with baking soda.
3. Pour boiling water or potato broth so that the liquid covers the silver.
4. Watch for 3-5 minutes the passage of a miracle process, as a result of which the jewelry will become literally new, and they can be removed.

Silver cleaning with foil

back to contents

How to clean a silver chain

Of all silver jewelry, chains are particularly susceptible to blackening, as they come into contact with the human body the most. Due to their relief, dirt accumulates more strongly and is less accessible than plaque on a smooth ring or bracelet. At first glance, the procedure for cleaning these products seems too complicated. In fact, when cleaning silver at home, chains do not cause much trouble.

Tarnished silver chain

To clean such jewelry, almost all the methods presented above are applicable. Additionally, it is worth considering a couple of methods for cleaning chains with very high levels of contamination. The first of them is the removal of blackness with citric acid:

1. Pour 500 ml of water into a stainless steel dish.
2. Dissolve a package of citric acid (100 g) in water.
3. Put the chain into the acidic solution.
4. Boil for 5-10 minutes, leave for half an hour.
5. Remove the product from the solution, rinse under a tap. In this case, you can see that the silver has noticeably brightened, but there is no shine. The procedure should be continued.
6. V plastic bottle(for example, after liquid soap) pour 100 ml of water, add 30 ml of detergent.
7. Place the chain in this container, tighten the lid and shake vigorously for 5-10 minutes.
8. Remove the shining chain, rinse, wipe dry.

Important: The described method is unacceptable for cleaning blackened products: acid, together with contaminants, will remove blackening.

After cleaning, the chain shines

Now about how to clean a silver chain with ammonia at home:

1. Pour 500 ml of water and 50 ml of detergent into a stainless steel container.
2. Dip the silver chain into the solution.
3. Boil up to 10 minutes.
4. Add ammonia solution (10-20 ml), leave for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the chain, wash it.
6. Repeat steps 6-8 from the previous recipe.
7. Boiling and holding processes can be extended according to the degree of blackening of the product. If cleaning is not sufficient, it is recommended to repeat it.

back to contents

Silver turned yellow - what to do

So far, we have been talking about the darkening (blackening) of silver, which occurs most often from the effects of sulfur contained in human sweat and in environment. But sometimes a very ugly appears on silver jewelry yellow coating which is difficult to get rid of. The culprits may be substances from the halogen group. At home, this is usually iodine. And when visiting the pool, chlorine can harm if water is disinfected with it.

Silver turned yellow

To eliminate yellowness from a silver item, you should overlay it with grated raw potatoes. Under the influence of the starch contained in it, the stains from iodine will change color, acquire a bluish tint to match the color of silver and become invisible. For this purpose, you can also use ready-made starch, sprinkled with silver.

You can also try to clean the yellowed product in a soapy solution:

• Prepare 200 ml of a solution of liquid soap in water.
• Add a teaspoon of ammonia to it, stir.
• Dip the silver into this mixture, soak for half an hour.
• Remove jewelry, clean with toothpaste, powder or baking soda (methods are described above).
• Rinse with water, dry with a soft cloth.

Exquisite jewelry with stones

If the use of home remedies does not work, you should resort to the help of special cleaners for silver. These are, for example, the domestic "FLUR", the Italian Silbo, its German counterpart Dipping Bath for Silver. Such compounds must be used strictly according to the instructions.

back to contents

Features of care for certain types of silver products

Having understood the numerous methods of cleaning silver, it is necessary to pay attention to some types of silver products that require a special approach. These are items with coatings and finishes various types, as well as jewelry with stones.

back to contents

How to update jewelry with stones

When planning the cleaning of silver products with stones, you need to take care of the safety of the latter. It should be noted that not only jewelry is trimmed with stones, but also various accessories, decor items, dishes. Care methods in this case should be used sparingly, taking into account both the properties of the metal and the characteristics of the stones. It will not be possible to list all of them, but it is important to mention some of them:

• Aquamarine, emerald, sapphire have a high density. Almost any method of cleaning them is not harmful. But if the pebbles are not fixed in the frame with the help of paws, but are glued, soaking in a liquid (especially hot) is contraindicated for them: the jewelry may come off.
• Stones such as turquoise, moonstone, malachite, opal are not so dense - the use of mechanical cleaning leads to scratches on their surface. For them, you should choose soft detergents, bathtubs.
• Pomegranate, ruby, topaz do not tolerate hot water - their color changes from elevated temperature.
• Stones of organic origin require especially careful treatment: coral, pearls, amber. Due to the exceptional sensitivity to alkalis and acids, it is advisable to entrust the cleaning of these materials to specialists.

It is important to consider the properties of the stone

In general, any silver items with stones, if possible, should be given to professionals for cleaning, or use special compounds sold in jewelry stores. Jewelry cosmetics reliably removes impurities and covers the products with a protective layer that prevents their oxidation in the future. Experts recommend the brands Leuchtturm, Aladdin, the already mentioned Silbo, Talisman.

But if the craving for amateur performance is irresistible, try this home method:

1. Grate laundry soap.
2. Add some water and 5-7 drops of ammonia.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil (do not boil!).
4. After cooling the composition, apply it to the metal with a soft brush, rub it.
5. Remove the darkening around the stone with a cotton swab moistened with the same agent.

Silver jewelry with pearls

back to contents

How to make pearl jewelry shine

In order for pearl jewelry to look presentable, they need very careful systematic care. The easiest way to clean such products from contamination is to “bath” them in a warm foam bath. For this you need:

1. Prepare a washing solution from 200 ml of heated water and a teaspoon of shampoo (liquid soap).
2. After immersing the products in the liquid, leave for an hour.
3. After removing from the bath, rub the openwork parts with a cotton swab or a soft brush.
4. Rinse jewelry, dry with velvet or flannel

The native element of pearls is salty sea ​​water. You can pamper him with a spa treatment with salt:

1. Place a silver jewelry with pearls on a linen or cotton fabric, sprinkle thickly with salt (not iodized!).
2. Tie the fabric with the contents in it into a tight knot.
3. Pour into a basin or large bowl of water at room temperature.
4. Rinse the knot in water until the salt dissolves.
5. Rinse, dry, enjoy the result: such a water procedure will remove blackness from silver, and yellowness from pearls, returning the product to its original appearance.

Rhodium plated silver item

back to contents

The subtleties of caring for rhodium silver

Rhodium plating is the application of a protective layer of the noble metal rhodium (platinum group) to a silver product. Thanks to this coating, silver things become more durable, do not blacken, since the rhodium layer is not subject to oxidation. Special cleaning fluids for silver and the cleaning methods presented above are unsuitable for cleaning such products, and they are not necessary.

For regular cleaning of rhodium-plated silver, the use of soapy water and a soft cloth will suffice. It is also worth taking advantage of the rhodium-plated silver care wipes offered by jewelry stores. They are impregnated with special compounds. Just by wiping a rhodium-plated ring or bracelet with such a napkin, you can admire its sparkle, pleasing to the eye. Especially handy wipes for the care of silver watches.

The main concern of the owner of rhodium-plated earrings and chains is not their cleaning, but protection from damage to the protective layer. Rhodium does not tolerate the effects of sweat and sebum - you need to remove jewelry covered with it at night, as well as heading to the gym, bathhouse, sauna. Do not put the protective coating at risk when washing dishes or washing clothes, let your favorite gizmos spend this time in the box.

Silver coaster with gilding

back to contents

How to return to its original form gilded silver

Caring for gilded products does not cause much trouble, the methods for cleaning gilding are as follows:

1. A lightly soiled product should only be wiped with dry suede.
2. A more contaminated item should be wiped with a cotton swab soaked in turpentine or alcohol.
3. You can lower the gilded product into a solution of vinegar (dissolve 2 tablespoons of vinegar in a liter of water). After keeping the object to be cleaned in this liquid for a quarter of an hour, rinse it and wipe it with a suede cloth.
4. A truly folk way: immerse a gilded silver jewelry in a container of beer, hold for half an hour, then rinse thoroughly and polish with suede.
5. It is useful to periodically polish the gilding with a piece of suede or flannel soaked in egg yolk or the same beer. By the way, rhodium plating will also be to their liking.
6. Gray stains from gilding are removed with ammonia.
7. Lipstick will help to clean the gilding on small items, but you should not overdo it: lipstick is still an abrasive, albeit a very gentle one.
8. You can add shine to the gilding by rubbing the surface of the peeled and cut onion, and then polishing with chamois.

Blackened silver jewelry

back to contents

Proper care of blackened silver

Niello is a clear dark drawing on a light background, blackened products look noble. But if you are going to clean silver at home, there is a risk of causing irreparable harm to such jewelry. If the light areas have darkened, it is difficult to clean such silver. It is unacceptable to use abrasives, boiling, ammonia - all these methods will inevitably lead to the destruction of the black. However, the following methods work:

• Prepare a soapy solution with a pinch of salt, immerse items that require cleaning in it. Wait 15-20 minutes, rinse and dry the cleaned items.
• Place chopped raw potatoes in water, lower the items to be cleaned there, and soak for 4 hours. Rinse and dry silver.

Silver plate

back to contents

How to wash silverware

Silverware and cutlery are for the most part uninlaid. They can be cleaned using any method recommended for stone-free silverware. At the same time, ammonia is also suitable, and potato broth, and salt, and soda ... there are countless ways. It is worth dwelling on another option for using soda in relation to cleaning silverware. To implement it, you need to do the following:

1. Prepare an old aluminum pan. If there is none, line the bottom and sides of any pan with baking foil.
2. Put silver cutlery in a bowl.
3. Fall asleep with baking soda, not sparing it.
4. Pour in water so that it covers the silver completely.
5. Top with a sheet of foil.
6. Putting the pan on the fire, wait until it boils and immediately turn off the heat.
7. Leave the container with the contents for 20 minutes, after which the silver is removed, washed, wiped and enjoy its transformation.

Transforming silverware with baking soda and foil

You have learned many ways to clean silver at home, you can test them in practice and see that sometimes it is useful not only to understand the brands of special cleaners for silver jewelry, but also to be able to properly use the materials at hand. However, before checking the proposed options in practice, it is better to consult with specialists so as not to risk a valuable thing for the sake of possible savings.

From this article you will learn:

Why you need to clean your silver jewelry

How to clean simple silver jewelry

How to clean gold plated silver jewelry

Silver jewelry is very popular. Almost all women, and often men, wear a silver cross, chain or ring. But, alas, over time, silver changes its color. In this article, we will talk about why this metal darkens and how to clean silver jewelry.

Why do you need to clean your silver jewelry often?

Why does silver tarnish? There are various assumptions about this. Many hypotheses are based on popular beliefs. However, this phenomenon can also be explained from a scientific point of view. The darkening of silver is a simple chemical reaction.

Let's consider each hypothesis in detail.

Signs

Exists folk omen: if a cross turns black on the body - this is a failure, unfortunately. Probably the person was jinxed or pointed at him severe damage. After the curse loses its power, the decoration will return to its original color. In addition, by the shade of the dark coating on the jewelry, one can judge the strength of the curse: the blacker it is, the stronger the damage.

But in order to understand whether there is an evil eye or not, a person should simply listen to himself, analyze his own feelings. According to popular belief, the one who was jinxed is not happy with anything. The world around him is gray and lifeless, everything causes irritation and longing. He always feels someone's presence next to him, especially at night.

The type of damage can be determined by the darkened silver product:

ring - the girl has a crown of celibacy;

earrings or chain - a person was jinxed;

pectoral cross - a strong curse;

silver dishes - it means that there is evil spirits in the house.

According to another belief, silver products absorb all negative energy, protecting their owner from evil spirits and evil spirits. Blackened jewelry indicates that their owner was spared by trouble or serious trouble.

Another folk sign says that silver darkens due to the illness of the owner. There is a rational grain in this. Silver products really darken from oxidation when interacting with sweat, which mixes on the surface of the body with the secret of the sebaceous glands.

Since the metal usually touches the skin (when the person wears the jewelry on a finger, wrist, neck or ears), a chemical reaction occurs that causes the color to darken. If sweat is released in a normal amount, then a person may not notice that the jewelry on his body is oxidized. This reaction proceeds slowly and does not appear immediately.

But with a more abundant sweat, silver items, as a rule, a chain or a cross, blacken very quickly. However, in some cases, rapid darkening is caused by health problems. For example, a similar reaction occurs with hormonal disruptions, pregnancy and endocrine diseases.

Many also believe that the silver metal begins to darken if a person has kidney or liver problems. But this belief is not scientifically confirmed.

scientific explanation

What actually causes the darkening of silver? The metal interacts with sulfur-containing compounds. Under the influence of oxygen, it reacts with hydrogen sulfide, or oxidation. As a result, a dark layer of silver sulfide appears on silver products, which changes its shade.

4Ag + O 2 + 2H2S = 2Ag2S + 2H 2 O

Another reason for the sudden darkening of silver jewelry may be that their owner has moved to an area where the air is very rich in hydrogen sulfide.

But, as already noted, the darkening of silver products is usually caused by contact with sweat on the human body. It contains sulfates - salts of sulfuric acid, and therefore, when silver and sweat interact, a chemical reaction occurs. Its result is the oxidation and blackening of the surface of the silver jewelry.

What can increase the oxidation of silver?

Sweat and sebaceous glands work with different intensity. When a person is nervous or engaged in active physical labor, then, accordingly, sweats more.

If you're exercising at the gym or at home without removing your silver jewelry, don't be surprised at the change in color. When sweating increases, the concentration of sulfates rises. Accordingly, silver darkens faster.

If you want to wear silver and still engage in physical labor or sports regularly, take care of your jewelry so that it does not darken. So how do you clean silver jewelry? More on this later in our article.

In the meantime, consider other factors that affect the darkening of silver. Jewelry made of this metal also changes color due to air humidity. Do not be surprised that the product turned black if you wore it in rainy, humid weather or did not take it off in the bath and sauna.

When the air humidity is high, the evaporation of sweat slows down (there is already a strong concentration of water in the air, and sweat does not evaporate so intensively on the human body). As a result, as in the previous case, the concentration of sulfur salts on the skin increases and silver is oxidized.

Interestingly, sweat can gradually lighten silver items. Sweat contains not only sulfates, but also nitrates - salts of nitric acid. When silver sulfide reacts with them ( dark patina on decorations) starts to break down. So a silver item on the human body is able to change its shade, but only becoming lighter.

These are not all factors that affect the darkening of silver. It is very important what sample the metal is - the higher it is, the more resistant silver is to discoloration, and vice versa.

Pure silver jewelry is almost never made, since this metal is very soft and can lose its shape. To make the product stronger, other metals, including copper, are mixed with silver.

When silver interacts with sulfur salts (when the jewelry comes into contact with sweat on human skin or air, where there is a lot of hydrogen sulfide), copper sulfide appears on its surface. Like silver sulfide, it also looks like a black coating.

Basic ways to clean simple silver jewelry

How to clean silver jewelry at home? V last years There are quite a few silver cleaners on the market. But they are not available to everyone. In addition, according to experts, they contain aggressive chemicals that adversely affect human health and can corrode silver jewelry if they are poorly washed off.

An excellent alternative to special store cleaning compounds is folk remedies. Previously, people used only them. Today, you can choose any method to clean your silver jewelry, taking into account your own preferences and the characteristics of the product. Before using this or that means, the product must be held in a soapy solution and rinsed with water.

• Toothpaste.

Many people prefer to clean their silverware with toothpaste or toothpowder. This method is available and simple. First you need to wet a cloth well and squeeze a little paste onto it. If you use a powder, dilute it with water to the consistency of porridge, or better with ammonia. Next, with this rag, gently rub the jewelry in a straight line.

When using this method, keep in mind that it is quite rough, and along with darkening, you risk removing silver particles. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully clean jewelry and valuables with toothpaste or powder.

• Soda.

You can also clean silver jewelry with baking soda. Dilute soda with water in your hand or a soft cloth and rub the products. But there are also softer methods. So, you can lower the product into the solution for several hours, rinse with water, and then wipe it dry with a soft cloth. But it is much more effective to put a piece of foil in an aluminum pan, pour 1 liter of water into it and dilute 2 tablespoons of soda in it. Dip the jewelry in water for 10-15 minutes, and they will return to their original appearance. Instead of baking soda, you can use salt or mix it with baking soda.

• Ammonium chloride.

Ammonia also helps restore silver to its original appearance. If the product is not dirty enough, it will be cleaned immediately as soon as you dip it into the solution (2 tablespoons per 1 liter of water). Keep the jewelry in the solution for 10-15 minutes. You can also wipe the products with a cloth soaked in this solution.

If the product is very blackened, mix ammonia with water and add a little washing powder. Rinse the products thoroughly in the solution and rinse them in water.

You can also mix ammonia with hydrogen peroxide in equal proportions and put the silver item in this solution for 15 minutes. To clean small jewelry, such as rings, you can mix chalk with ammonia and gently rub the silver with this mass.

• Acid.

Silver jewelry is also cleaned with acid. Take a 6% vinegar solution or a 10% citric acid solution and rub the products with a cloth soaked in this composition. You can also put the products in lemon juice for a few minutes. Both after the first and after the second procedure, the jewelry must be rinsed.

An excellent way to remove plaque from coins and other heavily blackened items is to take sulfuric or formic acid (5% solution) and boil silver in their solution.

V Lately A new remedy has also gained popularity - Coca-Cola and other carbonated drinks, which contain phosphoric acid. Silver jewelry can also be cleaned using them.

• Potato.

Another effective folk remedy is cleaning silver jewelry with potatoes. Cut the potatoes, place them in water and keep the decoration in this container for several hours. To more effectively wash off the plaque, the decoration can be rubbed. You can also use the water left after boiling potatoes, especially if you add a piece of foil to it.

• Decoctions.

You can also clean silver jewelry with garlic husks, salty hot broth eggshell. Plaque from silver is also removed mechanically: with an eraser or lipstick. Products can also be cleaned of simple dirt with a soap solution, washing powder or Fairy.

Keep in mind that simple products without stones, gilded or engraved elements can be cleaned in all these ways. If such elements are present on the jewelry, then special methods must be used. It is impossible to clean them with coarse abrasive materials, as well as to expose them to strong temperature changes and aggressive solutions.

How to clean silver jewelry with stones

The safest and most reliable way is to contact a jeweler. If you do not like this method, use specialized tools sold in jewelry stores. With these solutions, you can easily and effectively clean silver jewelry. Of course, there are other, more budgetary methods for removing plaque from silver.

If you are going to clean silver jewelry at home, remember that the products should not be subjected to sudden temperature changes that cause damage and destruction of the inserts. In addition, each type of stone should be cleaned according to its own rules.

1. Mineral semi gems.

How to clean silver jewelry with stones? Experts advise that before you start cleaning, learn more about their density. Aquamarines, sapphires, emeralds are considered the most dense (we don’t talk about diamonds, because jewelry with these precious metals rarely made of silver).

You can clean such silver items with a simple washing powder or shampoo for washing your hair, strongly dissolved in warm water, and a soft toothbrush. The bristle of the brush will easily penetrate into all hard-to-reach places of the product and will allow you to clean it efficiently.

You can clean the product much faster if you put it in warm water for 30 minutes. The dirt will soak in a warm solution, and you can remove it in no time.

If we talk about opal, turquoise, malachite and moonstone, they have a density coefficient of less than 5 units, and therefore you can clean products with them in a similar way, but only use laundry soap rather than powder. Powder and chalk for cleaning silver jewelry with stones are strictly prohibited, since the abrasives in their composition can scratch the less dense structure of minerals.

Important! Due to exposure to high temperatures, ruby, topaz, garnet can change color. Therefore, it is forbidden to clean them using hot water.

Silver jewelry with enamel colored inserts is very popular today. You can clean them with tooth powder and cotton wool. In the powder, you can first add a few drops of ammonia.

Remember that silver jewelry with mineral semi-precious stones also cannot be subjected to mechanical stress and sudden temperature changes. In addition, such products cannot be cleaned with abrasive products.

1. organic materials.

Pearls, amber, mother-of-pearl, ivory have a very soft and porous texture, and therefore scratches or damage may remain on them. It is strictly forbidden to wash jewelry with these stones with acidic and alkaline solutions, as well as with ammonia additives. It is also impossible to clean silver jewelry with organic materials and any abrasive powders.

So, how to clean silver jewelry at home? Be careful. For example, ivory items and amber jewelry are simply immersed in warm water for a certain time, after which they are wiped with a soft cloth.

Corals are a very sensitive mineral, even to the sun. Under the influence of ultraviolet rays, it quickly fades and loses color, and therefore silver products with corals should not be worn during the day. You need to clean such jewelry very carefully, without touching the stone.

To wash pearls, as well as amber, use warm water. But you can add laundry soap to it. Further, such products are rinsed in running water, and then the stone is not wiped, allowing it to dry. natural way. You can polish the metal structure of the product to a shine. Pearls with a strong coating are cleaned with dry potato starch.

How to clean gold plated silver jewelry

Before the procedure, silver jewelry is cleaned of dust, grease and other stains. This should be done with a sponge dipped in ethyl alcohol or turpentine. The cleaning process is absolutely harmless, but if you are dealing with solutions, then the procedure should be carried out with rubber gloves and with open windows so that the room is well ventilated.

• ammonia + honey or toothpaste.

In a suitable container, make a solution of water and ammonia (in the ratio: 1 tablespoon of water per 1 tablespoon of ammonia). Next, place spoons or silverware in a container and wait 15-20 minutes.

You can combine ammonia with chalk, apply the mixture to jewelry, wait for it to dry, then remove the remaining chalk with water and wipe the product dry with a soft cloth.

It happens that silver spoons acquire an unattractive greenish tint. How should they be cleaned? Prepare a solution of soap and ammonia. Take 1 liter of water (preferably warm), 1 tsp. chalk, grated (can be liquid) and 6 drops of ammonia. Place a gilded silver item in a container with this solution for 30 minutes. Then rinse with running water and dry it. Be sure to watch the time and do not overexpose the jewelry to preserve the gilding.

How else can you clean silver jewelry at home? The following method is also used. Take ammonia and toothpaste (not gel). A strip of paste is mixed with 15 drops of ammonia and the finished composition is applied to the toothbrush, and then to silver jewelry. Products are cleaned very carefully, washed in water and dried.

Remember, a mixture of ammonia and paste smells sharp and unpleasant, and therefore it is better to clean jewelry on the street or on the balcony.

• Hydrogen peroxide.

Peroxide must be handled very carefully. This composition perfectly cleans silver products, but at the same time it is able to interact with other elements. To know for sure whether it is possible to clean jewelry with peroxide, check its composition.

• Wine alcohol.

The product is perfect for cleaning spoons and silver jewelry from plaque and stains. The composition is absolutely safe for gilded products. To clean, take a cotton swab, soak it in wine alcohol and wipe the product. You can then buff it to a shine with chamois.

• Vinegar.

In a liter of water, dilute 2 tbsp. spoons of vinegar, put gold-plated silver items there and leave for 15 minutes. Then wipe dry. Silver jewelry in the solution can not be soaked. Just wipe them thoroughly with a sponge dipped in vinegar. Then rub to a shine with suede or woolen material.

• Beer.

Pour plain beer into a container (brand, brand does not matter) and place gilded silver items there for 30 minutes. Remove jewelry, rinse under running water, let dry and buff with chamois to shine.

• Egg yolk.

How to clean silver jewelry with egg yolk? Beat the yolk thoroughly and add 1 tbsp. l. sap water. Mix everything well. Javel water consists of solutions of potassium hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid. A similar composition is found in the Domestos disinfectant.

Soak a sponge in this mixture and apply to a gold-plated silver item. Rinse it in water and then buff it to a shine with suede or wool. Thanks to egg yolk you will return the tarnished product shine.

• Sosa-Cola drink.

Another effective way to clean silver items. Take an enamel container, pour "Coca-Cola", put silver jewelry in it and boil for 5 minutes. So you eliminate plaque from products.

• Student eraser.

You can also clean silver jewelry with a simple eraser. The main thing is to use a rubber band that is not red, because it contains abrasives that can damage the surface of silver jewelry. The eraser not only removes plaque, but also perfectly polishes the jewelry.

How often should you clean silver jewelry?

This should be done constantly. Old plaque is always more difficult to clean. Some types of silver, such as blackened (filigree), should not be cleaned very carefully. In this case, blackening is applied specifically for the effect.

After cleaning, jewelry should not be worn for several days. A special protective film should appear on their surface.

Experts do not recommend cleaning silver with hard brushes and abrasive materials, as they can damage the top layer of the product. To do this, use only a soft cloth. Toothbrushes can be especially harmful to products, since their hard bristles leave damage on soft metal. If the decoration has carved pattern, you can clean them with a soft brush with natural bristles.

If you clean the product with aluminum, then after the procedure, carefully polish it with a soft cloth so that aluminum sulfate does not form.

For shine, silver jewelry is wiped with a cloth soaked in lemon juice and washed in hot water.

Do not clean silver with cleaning products. They contain strong chemicals, and if used improperly, they can damage products. Maintain the cleanliness of jewelry must be strictly according to the instructions.

And finally, another way - cleaning wipes for silver items.

Before any cleaning, the silver jewelry should be thoroughly rinsed in warm water and wiped with a soft cloth. If the product is very dirty or very valuable to you, do not risk it. Have it cleaned by a professional.

To avoid frequent cleaning, follow all rules for storing and using products.

Rules for handling jewelry:

Store them in a closed box in a dry place. If you don't wear something for a long time, wrap it in a piece of flannel.

Before leaving your jewelry for long-term storage, wash it in warm soapy water and be sure to dry it.

You should not wear silverware if you go to the pool or to the bath.

Jewelry should be removed when you are about to put on makeup or have beauty treatments.

After active physical exertion and plentiful feasts, jewelry should be washed.

If you are doing household chores, remove jewelry so that it does not come into contact with household chemicals.

Silverware also needs special storage and care. From contact with household gas, improper care or contact with certain products, spoons, glasses, trays, straws often darken, and therefore they must be washed immediately after use.

Flannel-lined boxes are best for storing silverware. You can also wrap products in parchment paper. It is strictly forbidden to lay them so that they are in contact with a plastic or rubber surface.

Wash and dry your silverware well before storing. Always rinse salt off dishes completely. Do not put egg and mayonnaise dishes on silver trays, otherwise the products will quickly lose color.

You can buy silver items and cleaning products in our online store "Witch's happiness", which is rightfully considered one of the best esoteric stores in Russia. Here you will find what is right for you, a person who goes his own way, is not afraid of change, is responsible for his actions not only to people, but to the whole Universe.

In addition, various esoteric goods are presented in our store. You can purchase everything you need for magical rituals: tarot card divination, runic practices, shamanism, wicca, druidcraft, northern tradition, ceremonial magic, and much more.

You have the opportunity to purchase any product you are interested in by ordering it on the site, which operates around the clock. Any of your orders will be completed as soon as possible. Residents and guests of the capital can visit not only our website, but also the store located at: st. Maroseyka, 4. Also, our stores are in St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Krasnodar, Taganrog, Samara, Orenburg, Volgograd and Shymkent (Kazakhstan).

Visit the corner of true magic!

Silverware is a sign good home, and silver jewelry is evidence of the delicate taste of their owners. But, unfortunately, this noble metal darkens over time and loses its attractive appearance. Therefore, it is always useful to know how and with what to clean silver at home.

Numerous superstitions aside, the blackening of silver can be associated with two completely natural chemical reactions:

• the formation of silver sulfide. Two conditions are necessary for this process - the presence of sulfur-containing compounds and high humidity. They are self-sufficient human body. The skin releases some hydrogen sulfide when we sweat. When reacting with silver ions, a thin sulfide film is formed, causing the product to blacken;
• air oxidation. Silver itself, being a noble metal, is not oxidized by oxygen, hydrogen, or nitrogen. However, dishes, cutlery or jewelry are not made of pure silver, but of an alloy - most often with copper. In the air, dark copper oxide is formed, and the product loses its luster and turns black. Therefore, the lower the sample, the more actively silver is oxidized.

Darkening can occur when silver objects come into contact with sulfur-containing foods, such as onions or eggs, with aggressive household chemicals, and a number of medicines. Intensive blackening is also observed under conditions of air polluted with hydrogen sulfide.

Modern jewelry technologies allow you to protect silver from darkening. For this, the processes of rhodium plating, passivation, cataphoretic coating, etc. have been developed. However, antique jewelry and dishes "with history" still need special care.

Silver cleaning soda

The simplest and most affordable silver cleaner at home is baking soda. Moreover, with its help you can not clean the product in traditional sense, and recover silver from sulfide.

It is done like this:

• Dissolve 2 tablespoons of baking soda in 0.5 liters of water;
• pour the solution into an aluminum dish;
• place a silver object in it;
• bring the solution to a boil and boil together with the product for 10-15 minutes;
• cool the solution, remove the object, rinse with clean water and polish with a soft cloth.

The meaning of this manipulation is that an aqueous solution of soda has the properties of an alkali. When aluminum reacts with alkali, atomic hydrogen is formed, which restores silver from sulfide. Therefore, if there is no aluminum cookware, you can put a piece of wire or any other object made of this metal into the enameled one.

Cleaning with foil

A similar chemical reaction can be carried out using food foil, which is also made from aluminum.

This method is especially useful for cleaning small jewelry or silver coins:

• cut the foil into small squares;
• put a teaspoon of wet baking soda in the center;
• put an object on the soda and wrap the foil with an envelope;
• lower the envelope into hot water and boil for 10-15 minutes;
• cool, remove the object, rinse it with clean water and polish with a soft cloth.

If you need to restore voluminous silver items - vases, dishes, candlesticks - you can line dishes of suitable size with aluminum foil, add soda at the rate of 2 tablespoons per 0.5 liters of water and boil them in the same way.

How to clean with vinegar?

Often, various acids are used to clean silver products - for example, orthophosphoric or formic.

At home, acetic acid in a low concentration is also suitable:

• pour a little 3% vinegar into an enamel bowl;
• put silver items in it and warm it up slightly, in no case bringing it to a boil;
• cool the solution for 15 minutes;
• remove the products, rinse them thoroughly with distilled water and polish with a soft cloth.

Alternatively, you can simply wipe the objects with a cotton swab dipped in vinegar, but the reaction goes better when heated. It should be borne in mind that acids do not reduce silver, unlike soda and aluminum. They interact with metal oxides inside the alloy, and therefore act on silver products to some extent destructively.

Citric acid from blackness

Citric acid acts on silver more aggressively than acetic acid, but subject to a number of conditions, it can also be used:

• in an enamel bowl, prepare a solution of 100 grams of citric acid powder and 0.5 liters of water;
• put silver items into the solution, place a piece of copper wire there and put the dishes in a water bath;
• warm up for 15 minutes;
• remove the products, rinse them with distilled water and polish with a soft cloth.

Washing after cleaning silver items in acidic solutions is a mandatory procedure. Acid residues must be completely removed, otherwise there is a risk of damage to the product. Instead of distilled water, a soda solution can be used for this to carry out the neutralization reaction. Then rinse again with clean water.

Ammonia for cleaning silver

Ammonia is an aqueous solution of ammonia. In Soviet times, it was often used by collectors of old coins, since more professional cleaning products were not readily available.

Cleaning silver from blackness with ammonia is very simple:

• for 1 liter of water, take 2 tablespoons of a ready-made pharmacy solution of ammonia;
• lower the product into it;
• soak the object in the solution from 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the degree of darkening;
• remove the product, rinse with clean water and polish with a soft cloth.

An aqueous solution of ammonia dissolves silver sulfide, but does so rather slowly. A particularly low reaction rate is observed when cleaning antiques - in the era before Catherine the Great, antimony and arsenic were included in silver alloys, which form sparingly soluble compounds with silver. Thiourea is more effective - a white powder that decomposes in water to ammonia and carbon dioxide and more successfully copes with the sulfide film.

We clean potatoes

Cleaning a silver object with potatoes is one of the most common folk recipes.

The procedure looks like this:

• one raw peeled potato is rubbed on a fine grater;
• potato gruel is poured with a glass of water and left for 10 minutes with stirring;
• the mixture is leaned back on gauze and filtered;
• the silver product is lowered into the drained liquid for 15-20 minutes, after which it is removed, washed and polished with a soft cloth.

Judging by the reviews, the tool helps a lot with small darkening of silver.

Using toothpaste

Cleaning silver with toothpaste is another product folk art. It is based on the abrasive effect, so the toothpaste cleans off the sulfide plaque in a purely mechanical way.

For manipulation, you need to take a soft toothbrush and any paste. After squeezing out a portion the size of a pea, the paste is gently rubbed over the surface of the product. Then rinse well with clean water and polish.

Olive oil for cleaning silver

Sometimes it is recommended to use all kinds of vegetable fats as a cleaning agent - most often, olive oil. It should be noted that it will not do anything with either sulfide deposits or oxides. Olive oil is not a silver cleaner, but a polish.

If the product has not darkened, has not faded, but you just want to give it an extra shine, it is enough to moisten it with olive oil or any other vegetable oil cotton pad and wipe the metal surface. Then buff with a soft cloth.

Eraser cleaning option

A very simple and even slightly childish way to slightly update a silver item is to rub it with an ordinary eraser. It cannot be said that this is a very effective method, but with a slight tarnishing of silver, some result can be seen. It is achieved solely due to the mechanical impact on the surface.

Strongly blackened objects or products with a non-smooth surface do not clean with an eraser.

How not to ruin silver jewelry?

When choosing a method of restoring silver products, you need to remember the following rules:

1. Do not use coarse abrasives for mechanical cleaning - tooth or scouring powders, salt, soda. They leave abrasions on the surface, and subsequently it will be more difficult to clean the silver.
2. Do not exceed the exposure time of products to acids - they can cause a corrosive process.
3. Do not exceed the permissible concentrations of solutions.

We must also not forget about our own safety. When working with solutions of acids and alkalis, you need to open windows, protect your hands with gloves.

The nuances of cleaning products with stones, gilding

Cleaning of silver items inlaid natural stones, rhinestones, ivory or enamel has its own subtleties. Most of the above means are unsuitable for this.

You can clean such items only with the help of cotton swabs and professional pastes and solutions for cleaning silver:

• "Aladdin";
• "Town Talk";
• "Mascot".

Gold-plated silver products are much less likely to need cleaning, because they do not blacken and practically do not tarnish. With a slight tarnish, you can use one of the indicated professional tools, choosing from their lines one that is suitable for both gold and silver.

It is better not to clean highly artistic silver products at home and contact a jewelry workshop.

Silver is a very beautiful metal that requires special attention and care. Silver jewelry never makes the image vulgar and defiant, but on the contrary - more refined and refined. Besides, jewelry from this metal are suitable for any type of skin. But it is worth remembering that the material is very fragile, and if you are faced with the fact that the silver ring has turned black, it means that you made some mistake in cleaning it. Many women wonder what should be the cleaning of silver with stones. On the Internet you can find a lot of different means and methods of cleaning, the main thing is to carry it out correctly and in a timely manner.

What you need to know before cleaning silver?

Before you clean silver jewelry, you need to familiarize yourself with the main causes of its darkening.

People say that if the jewelry darkens, then the person is in poor health. But in fact, this is far from the case. Experienced jewelers and doctors refute such a theory, because the main reason for the darkening of jewelry is a poor-quality metal sample.

Some masters in the manufacture of silver rings, chains use copper:

• As you know, copper is a very unstable metal, and when in contact with moisture, it quickly oxidizes.
• In addition to a bad test, silver is badly affected by various cosmetics(creams, lotions). Therefore, if you wear jewelry made of this metal, you should avoid the frequent use of creams that contain sulfur and other harmful chemicals.

Important! In order for the cleaning of silver with or without stones to be successful, silver products should be stored in dry places away from water.

Features of self-care of silver products

To clean a silver ring with a stone, you should consider a few important nuances:

• Do not use abrasive cleaners to avoid damaging the stone and the ring or earrings themselves.
• Do not scrub with a hard-bristled brush, as this may loosen the ring mounts. As a result, the gem can be lost.
• Use polishing agents so that after cleaning the jewelry shines.

If you take into account all the above features, you can achieve an effective, positive result.

How to clean silver jewelry at home like a pro?

To clean silver jewelry yourself, you need to consider a few mandatory recommendations:

1. Use soft cloths and sponges for washing so as not to scratch the gem.
2. Regardless of which detergent you use, pre-soak the ring or chain in soapy water.
3. Observe the temperature regime, as a sharp jump in temperature can destroy the product.
4. polish jewelry suede.
5. After cleaning, wipe the jewelry dry, as silver does not tolerate moisture.

Important! These rules must be observed both for products with stones and without.

What folk methods for cleaning exist?

The safest and effective methods purification of silver are considered folk. Consider a few commonly used folk remedies:

• Raw potato mix. We rub raw potatoes on a grater, mix it with a small amount of warm boiled water. Then we lower our earrings, chains or rings into such a gruel for 30 minutes. After all the dirt has disappeared, the jewelry should be thoroughly dried and polished with a piece of woolen cloth.
• Ethanol. Pour some alcohol into a glass or cup and soak our jewelry in it. We leave for a few minutes. Next, rinse with running water and dry the jewelry.
• Ammonium chloride. In a cup of warm water, dilute one teaspoon of ammonia. Dip the rings into the solution. Then dry them with a paper towel.

These methods are very effective and time-tested.

The use of improvised means

If you do not have special cleaners for precious metals and there is no way to purchase them, then you should use improvised means. They are no less effective than purchased ones.

Consider a few basic improvised tools that are suitable for cleaning silver:

• Tooth powder or paste. Apply a small amount of paste to a soft toothbrush and gently remove dirt from earrings or rings.
• Lipstick. Smear the ring on all sides with lipstick. Let it sit for a while, then remove the lipstick with a tissue.
• Eraser. You should thoroughly rub your eyebrow or earrings with a washing rubber band. It will easily remove darkening on the product.

Important! This method is not effective when cleaning a chain with a fine weave.

• Soda. It is necessary to make a gruel from a small amount of water and soda (a state of sour cream). Next, apply the mixture to a soft sponge, carefully clean your favorite jewelry.
• Salt. We put all the blackened jewelry in a plastic container and fill it with salt. Add detergent and a teaspoon of baking soda to it. Fill with boiling water, let stand for about an hour. There will be no trace of pollution.

These funds can be found in every home. Therefore, if you are faced with the problem of contamination of silver products, do not rush to run to the store for expensive by special means.

Gemstone cleaning

Before cleaning silver jewelry with a stone at home, it is necessary to determine the density of the jewelry. The cleaning method directly depends on the density of the gem:

1. Sapphires and aquamarines have a fairly high density, so they are used to clean them. washing powder and warm water.
2. Moonstone, turquoise and malachite can be cleaned using a soft bristled toothbrush and laundry soap.
3. The safest cleaner for all kinds of gems is glycerin. You should dip a cotton swab into the product, carefully process the frame and the gem.
4. Apatites and agates are washed with ordinary alcohol and a cotton swab. Then you should polish the jewelry with a soft cloth.
5. Ivory has a very soft structure, so it is not recommended to use detergents that contain acidic and alkaline substances. It is advisable to hold the product in warm water, and then dry it with a dry towel.

These simple tips help avoid damage to your favorite jewelry.

How to clean silver with cubic zirkonia, pearls and other stones?

most reliable and effective way in the fight against darkening of silver jewelry with pearls and cubic zirkonia - the use of salt and water. In order for the cleaning process to be effective, it is necessary to perform the following algorithm of actions:

1. Place all silver jewelry in a cotton bag.
2. Sprinkle them with a little salt.
3. Prepare a bowl of warm water.
4. Dip the jewelry bag in warm water.
5. Keep it until the salt dissolves.

This method has been used for decades, and it has never let down the owners of silver necklaces and rings.

Jewelry with inserts of mineral semi-precious stones

In order to wash rings or earrings with mineral gems well, you need to know the features of each stone. Consider the main methods of cleaning mineral stones:

• Emerald, opal and malachite are recommended to be cleaned in lukewarm water with the addition of liquid soap or shampoo.
• Topaz, ruby ​​and garnet can only be washed in water at room temperature, since such gems are not resistant to high temperatures.
• For all mineral gems, the rubbing alcohol cleaning method is recommended.

Jewelry with inserts made of organic materials

If you love jewelry with organic inserts, there are a few things to consider. important rules when cleaning them:

1. The surface of gems made from organic materials is processed only with velvet.
2. Products must dry on their own. It is not recommended to use paper napkins and terry towels.
3. In order to wash such decorations, a mixture of potato starch and warm water is made. Then the contaminated surface of the material is treated.
4. When removing contaminants from corals, water and substances based on it should not be used.