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How to clean silver items at home. Toothpaste or tooth powder to clean silver

Almost every woman has elegant silver jewelry - chains, rings, earrings, bracelets, cuffs, pendants.

Silver is a beautiful metal with a soft, radiant shine; many attribute it with magical properties.

Modern designers use silver to create interesting, original jewelry both for every day and for exceptional holiday occasions.

Silver is a noble metal, which means it is not subject to corrosion and oxidation. However, over time and exposure to a number of negative factors, silver jewelry loses its pure shine, becoming dark and dull. How to clean silver at home so as not to spoil the items and restore their beauty?

Metal quality

Before you start cleaning your silver item, you need to check the hallmark displayed on the jewelry. If earrings, chains, rings, pendants and other jewelry are made not of high-quality silver, but of alloys, home cleaning can irreparably damage the appearance. In this case, it is better to take the jewelry to a jewelry workshop for cleaning.

Not all items should be cleaned at home; sometimes a jewelry workshop is the best option.

Attention! You should be especially careful and careful if the product is decorated with enamel inserts, rhinestones, or contains elements made of gold and other metals.

Jewelry decorated with pearls, amber, turquoise, and corals can only be cleaned with ammonia or medical alcohol.

You need to be especially careful when cleaning jewelry with stones.

Cleaning methods

For high-quality silver items, you can purchase special jewelry cleaning products and pastes, as well as wipes.

However, to effectively refresh the appearance of your jewelry, you can use a variety of products that are always on hand in the household, such as:

vinegar;
beer;
soda;
salt;
milk;
ammonia;
lemon acid;
potato;
eggs.

You can also use toothpaste or powder, hygienic lipstick, and an eraser. Food foil is indispensable when processing silver jewelry at home.

Important! Do not use any abrasive substances - they will scratch the coating, and the silver jewelry will never have a clear, clean shine.

You need to clean silver carefully and be patient, because rushing in this matter is inappropriate.

Now let’s learn more about how to clean silver from blackness at home.

Table vinegar.

This is the simplest and least labor-intensive method. A 3-9% solution of table vinegar is used, but the essence cannot be used so as not to spoil the decoration. Vinegar is suitable for cleaning any silver items, including those with stones. The decoration is placed in vinegar for 20-30 minutes, for the best effect and for severe contamination - for 1-2 hours. Afterwards, you need to rub the jewelry using suede.

The easiest way to clean silver is to use table vinegar.

Beer.

The method given above also works effectively if you use beer instead of vinegar. Of course, you can’t drink this beer afterwards!

Soda.

Baking soda is great for removing stains. However, soda powder is too rough for a delicate silver surface, so you must make a solution or slurry from soda:

To 1 part water - 3 parts baking soda. You can wipe the product with this composition or boil it for 5-7 minutes.
Add 20 g of soda to a glass of water, bring the solution to a boil, put the decoration there for 15-30 minutes, then dry.

In this case, food foil will come in handy. It must be placed at the bottom of the container, and decorations are placed on the foil.

Salt.

Table salt helps to quickly clean silver items. The easiest way is to pour fine salt into a soft cloth and wrap silver jewelry there. The package is placed in a container and filled with water. After 1-2 hours the products will be clean.

There is another option that has been helping silver lovers tidy up their jewelry for many years. A paste of salt and soda mixed with a small amount of water is laid out on a piece of foil. Silver items are placed on top. After half an hour, the composition is washed off with cold water, the jewelry is dried and wiped dry with a napkin.

An effective way to get your favorite silver jewelry back to its original appearance is to:

Mix 10 g of salt, soda and any dishwashing detergent, add 0.5 liters of water.
The decorations are boiled in this solution for half an hour.
Cool, wipe until shiny.

Milk.

The milk method does not require much time, and the risk of ruining your favorite jewelry is minimized! A chain, pendant, ring or earrings are placed in milk and boiled for several minutes, then allowed to cool and washed with running water, wiped dry - and everything is ready.

Ammonia.

A wonderful remedy that helps out in many difficult cases is ammonia. How you can use it to process silver products:

The simplest thing is to wipe with ammonia using a soft cloth;

grated chalk is mixed with ammonia until it becomes a paste, this mixture is applied to the decoration and wiped;
10 drops of ammonia are diluted in a glass of warm soapy solution, chains and rings are lowered there, and held for 10-15 minutes;
you can increase the concentration of ammonia by 2 times and leave the jewelry for about half an hour;

heavily blackened silver is dipped into an undiluted solution of ammonia and kept for no more than 10 minutes.

Attention! When working with ammonia or its solution, it is necessary to close the container with a lid to avoid contact of alcohol vapor with the mucous membrane.

If the product is richly decorated with inserts, it is advisable to use medical alcohol. You can simply hold the jewelry in it for 1-2 hours or rub it with a cotton swab.

Lemon acid.

Citric acid is also a good and simple way to help put silver items in order.

The most common use of citric acid is as follows:

100 g of citric acid is diluted with 0.5 liters of water.
Decorations are placed in a container on foil.
Boil in lemon solution for 5-15 minutes.
Wash, dry and wipe dry.

Many people advise adding a copper product or wire to the solution.

This product is great for removing tarnish from silver.

Potato.

Potatoes contain a large amount of starch, which is great for removing stains and blackening from silver jewelry.

How to use potatoes:

Grate 1 potato, add cold water, put the decorations on for 1-2 hours.
You can use cleanings; they are also filled with water and silver is placed there.
The potato broth is cooled and silver items are placed in it for 2-3 hours.

Eggs.

You can clean silver in an interesting way - using ordinary chicken eggs. How it's done:

The yolks are separated from the whites and beaten.
Add 1 tbsp to the yolks. l. Whitening products "Whiteness".
The products are treated with a napkin soaked in the resulting solution.

Egg yolks mixed with “Whiteness” will return silver jewelry to its original appearance

Toothpaste.

It has long been customary to use tooth powder to clean metal, including silver items. However, the powder can cause scratches, so it is better to replace it with white toothpaste. The paste should be the most common one, without additives; gels or colored ones are not suitable.

The silver is laid out on a napkin and cleaned with a cloth, a cotton swab or a soft toothbrush. Then the jewelry should be washed, blot off excess moisture and dry.

Hygienic lipstick.

Old chapstick will still serve to restore the beauty of silver jewelry. To do this, lipstick is applied to a napkin or directly to the jewelry and rubbed. However, we must take into account that embossed chains or earrings can be difficult to get rid of lipstick residue. Lip gloss is not suitable for these purposes either.

Hygienic lipstick copes well with stains on silver

Eraser.

If the stains are minor, you can use a regular eraser. It treats the entire surface of the decoration. This way you can quickly get your items in order.

How to store silver jewelry

In order not to have to spend a lot of effort and money on restoring the original beautiful appearance of expensive silver jewelry, you must remember that there are also storage rules for silver. If you follow them, your silver items will look new, shiny and clean for a long time.

The rules are simple:

Do not store or wear silver in places with high humidity (beach, pool, sauna).
Do not store jewelry near medications.
After removing silver jewelry, you should wipe it with a soft cloth, removing any remaining sebum, sweat, and moisture.

When storing items, you should not put them in one pile; you should carefully lay out or hang the chains, use cases lined with soft suede for rings, and boxes for earrings. You can purchase a special chest to store your jewelry.
If a piece of jewelry is rarely worn, it can be wrapped in foil to prevent contact with air.

Silver has been known since ancient times and was of great value until they learned to smelt it artificially. Until this point, gold was valued much less, and there were very few silver deposits, even compared to gold mines. From Sanskrit, silver is translated as light, and in Ancient Rus' the name of silver was borrowed from the ancient Indian word “sarpa” - Moon and Sickle.

Like other precious metals, silver is marked with a breakdown. The number, for example, 925 means that this is exactly how much pure metal is in the product per 1000 parts of the alloy. Previously, zinc and copper were traditionally used for the alloy, but today, most self-respecting manufacturers have abandoned the use of zinc due to evidence of its harmfulness and use other safe metals.

Regardless of whether silver is high-quality or not, it darkens over time, as any metal oxidizes. Although many superstitious individuals believe that this is damage, it is only a chemical reaction with objects that surround a person in everyday life. The following factors can cause silver oxidation:

humid environment;
direct contact with cosmetics;
human sweat;
household gas and rubber;
egg yolk and onion.

Despite this, silver remains popular and can be easily polished. How to properly clean silver at home? This will be discussed in the article.

Ammonia

Effective cleaning of silver jewelry at home is done using ammonia. This remedy is considered the simplest and most affordable, which allows you to get rid of dirty deposits on silver. You will need to purchase a 10% solution. It is recommended to carry out the cleaning procedure in a small glass container where silver items are placed. After 20 minutes, the silver is thoroughly washed with warm running water and dried. This recipe is suitable for products that are not heavily oxidized or can be prevented in this way.

Ammonia and toothpaste

In this case, first clean the silver with an old toothbrush and toothpaste. After this, the products are immersed in about 15 minutes. This recipe is suitable for silver with strong oxidation, but not for jewelry with stones.

Ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and baby liquid soap

All ingredients are mixed in equal parts and diluted with a glass of water. Silver is added to the mixture for a quarter of an hour. After the metal has dried, it must be polished with a wool cloth.

Dentifrice

The silver must be wetted, but only in warm water and immersed in a container with powder for cleaning teeth. In this case, you will need to rub the products with a wool or suede cloth. At the end of cleaning, the silver is washed to remove powder and dried.

Baking soda

To clean, you will need to dissolve a tablespoon of baking soda in half a liter of water, the mixture should be heated over fire. After the solution has boiled, a small piece of food foil is thrown into it and silver items are placed. After 15 minutes, you can remove the silver and rinse it with water.

Salt

Cleaning silver jewelry at home can also be done with salt. You will need 200 ml of water and one teaspoon of salt. As soon as it is well mixed, silver items can be immersed in the solution and left for several hours, at least 4. If the silver is heavily contaminated, then it can be boiled in the solution for about 15 minutes, but not jewelry with stones.

Salt, baking soda and detergent

For one liter of water you will need a tablespoon of soda, salt and dishwashing detergent. It is better to knead in an aluminum bowl. Place the container with the solution on low heat, add decorations and boil for about 20 minutes. After this, take out the silver, dry it and wipe it with a piece of suede cloth.

Potato

This recipe can be combined with cooking. After the potatoes are cooked, the water from under them must be drained into a separate container, add a little foil and immerse the silver jewelry, boil for about 5-7 minutes. After this, the products are removed, dried and polished.

Vinegar

Cleaning silver jewelry at home will be effective if you use 9% vinegar, which is heated and the jewelry is immersed in it. After 10 minutes, the silver can be taken out, dried and wiped well with suede.

Water after boiling eggs

After the eggs are cooked, the water should not be poured out, but simply cooled. Place jewelry in warm liquid for 15 or 20 minutes. After this time, the silver jewelry is taken out, washed very well and rubbed with natural cloth.

Lemon acid

Effectively cleaning silver jewelry at home does not require much effort or expense. For example, use citric acid. To dilute the composition you will need a sachet of the product, about 0.7 liters of water and a small piece of copper wire. The entire composition is placed in a water bath. The decorations are placed in the solution and boiled for 30 minutes. After the procedure, the jewelry should be dried and polished.

Coca-Cola drink

How else is it done at home? The methods may seem strange, but they are effective. Many people have heard about the washing and cleaning properties of Coca-Cola, and its use for silver is no exception. To clean jewelry, you will need to pour the drink into a container, immerse the silver in it and put it on low heat. After 7 minutes, the jewelry must be removed and dried.

Rules for cleaning silver jewelry with stones

Cleaning items with precious or semi-precious metals and non-inlaid silver makes a big difference, especially if it is done at home. In this case, the density of the stone is very important. The higher it is, the easier it is to clean silver items.

You already know how to clean silver jewelry at home. But what if they have stones? If the product contains an emerald, aquamarine or sapphire, then you can even clean them with powder, use a toothbrush and even heat them.

Do not clean items inlaid with turquoise, moonstone, opal or malachite with washing powder or other abrasive products. Even though these stones also have a high density coefficient, they may still leave scratches after aggressive cleaning.

Under no circumstances should stones such as ruby, garnet and topaz be exposed to heat. They may even change color after being immersed in hot water.

Silver items that are encrusted with glass or enameled stones are no exception. Such jewelry can also be cleaned, but only in a “soft” way. For example, a cotton swab is placed in tooth powder and the dirt is gently removed. The cotton wool can first be immersed in ammonia. Under no circumstances should you use abrasive agents or high temperatures. Such stones cannot withstand mechanical damage.

Cleaning silver with soft and porous stones

What other methods are known? How to clean silver jewelry with soft and porous stones? Such stones include mother of pearl, pearls, ivory and amber. Under no circumstances should ammonia-based cleaning agents, acidic, alkaline or abrasive substances be used.

Amber and pearls can be soaked in warm, but not hot water and wiped with a soft cloth. You can add a little laundry soap to the water. If a silver item contains corals, then it is better to clean it without touching the stone itself, since it is too sensitive to almost any impact.

How to make silver shine

In addition to the fact that you want to see your silver in perfectly clean condition, you also want it to shine.

How to make it shine at home? For polishing and obtaining highlights on products, they are used. In principle, all of the above methods of cleaning products allow you to achieve shine. But sometimes, even if all the dirt is gone, the silver seems faded. In fact, such a coating is the thinnest layer of corrosion. Therefore, to obtain shine, it is best to use special polishes. They safely remove plaque from the metal surface and give them the attractive appearance they had when they were purchased.

For polishing, it is better to use a sponge made from cellulose, as it will not scratch the silver. Some polishes come with them. The sponge is moistened with the product and the product is cleaned using back-and-forth movements, that is, up and down, but not in a circle. After polishing, the product is washed with running water and wiped dry with a clean and soft cloth.

Preventive actions

Try to always dry your silver items after swimming in a river, bath or swimming pool. It’s best to take them off before you go into a humid environment.

If you use rubber gloves to wash dishes, it is better to remove the rings. Remember that silver does not tolerate contact with rubber well.

Silver items can be seen in every home. Jewelry and utensils are made from this metal.

Silver, like any other material, requires special care. Over time, the products become dirty, begin to darken and lose their shine. A cleaning procedure that can be easily done at home will help restore your previous attractive appearance.

If you have tarnished gold jewelry, find out what you can use to clean it from.

What kind of silver can be cleaned at home?

Products made from silver are varied. They can be decorated with precious and semi-precious stones, openwork carvings, and other metals. Each type of product has its own cleaning characteristics.

With rocks

Silver jewelry with stones should be cleaned carefully. It is best to purchase a cleaning solution from a jewelry store. As a handy tool, you can use tooth powder and a soft toothbrush or brush. You can restore the shine of stones using cotton wool soaked in cologne, and then polish with a soft cloth.

Products with topaz, ruby, and garnet cannot be cleaned when exposed to high temperatures, as the stone may darken. It is better to entrust the cleaning of jewelry with pearls, amber, ivory, and coral to professionals.

Silver plate

The easiest way is to use regular dishwashing detergent. However, in order to restore shine and perform the best cleaning, it is also better to use special solutions for silver.

You can clean tarnished silverware with chalk and ammonia. A paste is prepared from a crushed piece of chalk and 5 ml of an alcohol solution of ammonia. Moisten a clean napkin with the mixture and rub the silver spoons, forks and knives well. Clean appliances are rinsed with warm water and dried with a towel.

Another way to clean silverware at home is to use potato broth. Pour the potato broth into a container, for example a plate, and put a piece of foil there. When the water reaches room temperature, lower the dishes into it.

Jewelry and costume jewelry

You can use egg yolks to clean jewelry. To do this, you need to soak a cotton pad in the yolk, wipe the product and set it aside for a while. Wash the dried yolk with warm water.

A solution prepared from 150 ml of milk mixed with 2 tbsp will quickly and thoroughly clean silver rings, chains, earrings and jewelry. l. vinegar. The jewelry should be immersed in this mixture for 8-10 hours, then rinsed in hot clean water and wiped dry.

Another interesting way for girls is cleaning with lipstick. However, it is only effective on a smooth surface. Wipe the product with a cotton pad coated with lipstick. The blackness will disappear instantly.

With gilding

Caring for gold-plated silver should be especially delicate, as it is easily damaged. Chemicals and other improvised means are not suitable for cleaning such products. In this case, a cloth is used, preferably a piece of suede, with which the product is wiped until it shines.

Soft gold plating is easily scratched by abrasives. Therefore, you can use a simple recipe at home. For one liter of warm water, take 1 tsp. dishwashing liquid. It can be replaced with grated laundry soap. 6 drops of an alcohol solution of ammonia are added to the solution. Gold-plated jewelry should be in the mixture for no more than half an hour. After this, the products are washed with running water and rubbed until shiny with a soft piece of suede.

Blackened

A solution of soap and soda will help remove dirt from such jewelry. It is necessary to immerse the products in it for 20 minutes, and then rinse with water. If blackening remains, a regular eraser will help remove it.

The following recipe will quickly get rid of metal blackening.

For a 0.5-liter saucepan of water, take 3 tablespoons. regular table soda.
The composition is mixed until the powder is completely dissolved. Use the resulting mixture to wash rings, earrings or cutlery.
The metal should be rinsed and dried with a soft towel.

A solution of soda is an effective remedy - it removes tarnish from silver.

Matte

Acids and abrasive materials are not suitable for such products. The best way is to use soapy water. Grate a bar of soap and pour in. Keep the metal in this mixture for a short time and rinse with water.

You can try using citric acid and copper wire.

Take 100 grams of water for a 0.5-liter enamel pan. lemons. Jewelry is strung on copper wire, and a chain can be wound around it.
Rings and earrings on wire are placed in a pan, which is placed in a water bath. Cleaning time – up to 20 minutes.

Periodically, the wire must be removed and the cleaning process checked. The contact between copper and silver plays an important role in the recipe.

How else can you clean silver?

There are many methods for cleaning silver items that have lost their shine. You can find interesting recipes and watch videos on the Internet. Among the recommendations there are both traditional cleaning methods and unusual ones.

Soda

This component is suggested for cleaning silver more often than others.

A thick paste is prepared from baking soda and water. Products are rubbed with this composition. This can be done with a sponge or toothbrush.
Decorations or cutlery are washed with running warm water. This helps avoid streaks.
Clean items are dried with a towel.

This method is not suitable for gold-plated silver. The soft gold plating may be scratched.

Foil

A piece of foil measuring 20x20 cm and 2 tbsp will help restore the shine to silver items. regular soda.

The powder must be diluted in a 0.5 liter cup of water.
When boiling, add foil and decorations to the solution. Keep on fire for no longer than 1 minute.
Remove metal products, rinse and dry.

Soda and water can be replaced with a decoction of 2 potato tubers. In this case, the cleaning time will increase to 5 minutes.

Ammonia

Well-tarnished silver items are cleaned with a mixture of an alcohol solution of ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and laundry soap. You need to take 5 ml of liquids and 20 g of soap, grated. Mix all ingredients in a liter of water. Place metal products in the composition for half an hour, then rinse and dry with a soft cloth.

Ammonia

To clean silver with ammonia, you need to wear gloves. This substance is aggressive. This method cannot be used to clean jewelry with stones.

Products must be immersed in ammonia water for about an hour. The ratio of ammonia and water is 1:10.
After an hour, wash the jewelry from the solution and dry it.

Toothpaste

One common tip for cleaning silver is to use toothpaste or powder. The powder has larger particles; they can scratch the surfaces of rings, spoons or knives.

Toothpaste is a milder product. To avoid damaging the jewelry when cleaning, it is better to apply the paste to a napkin rather than to a toothbrush. Gently rub the products in a circular motion and rinse with water. You don’t have to rub for a long time, the blackness is removed immediately. You can add one dropper of ammonia to the paste. This will enhance the shine of the products.

Salt

A mixture of baking soda and regular salt works well to remove tarnish and dirt from silver jewelry. Add both components to a 0.5 liter saucepan with boiling water and add decorations. Boil the mixture for about 5 minutes. Remove, rinse, dry with a napkin.

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide does an excellent job of removing tarnish on silver. Its effect can be enhanced with ammonia. Take equal parts of both liquids and grated soap and add them to the water. The composition must be brought to a boil, then the product is placed in it for about half an hour. Washed and dried items will shine again.

If there is a lot of blackness

To remove strong blackening from jewelry, you can use tooth powder, ammonia and plain soda, taken in equal parts. You need to apply the paste to a toothbrush and rub the products in a circular motion until the darkening disappears completely. Rinse the earrings and rings thoroughly with water to prevent streaks from forming on them, and dry with a soft cloth.

What not to clean silver

Cleaning silver jewelry and cutlery should be done with care. Lack of knowledge and inept actions can lead to scratches. Hard toothbrushes and abrasive sponges can damage metal. Do not use aggressive detergents for cleaning. Such “chemistry” will harm the jewelry.

Particular care must be taken when cleaning blackened metal. Excessive zeal will cause the blackening to disappear. Ammonia is not used to clean them.

To prevent silver rings, bracelets, earrings, and cutlery from becoming dark and having to be cleaned, you need to follow simple rules:

It is better to remove jewelry during cleaning;
wet items need to be dried quickly;
To store silver you need a dark, dry place.

Silver jewelry will not darken if stored wrapped in foil.

Since ancient times, silver has been used to make jewelry, dishes and coins. Mystical properties were attributed to this metal. It was believed that products made from it were able to protect a person from evil spirits and diseases. Therefore, silver amulets and household items were in every home. This noble metal has many positive properties:

Thermal conductivity - it’s not for nothing that the habit of putting a silver spoon in tea is still preserved so that it cools down faster.

Ability to kill germs. Scientists have proven that silver does have disinfecting properties, and when people put silver objects in water, they did so not out of prejudice, but in order to purify it.

Wearing silver jewelry helps with many diseases: improves vision, treats hypertension and diabetes, improves immunity and normalizes the functioning of internal organs. This has been confirmed by scientists, and silver ions are added to many medicines.

Another property of this metal is that it cleanses a person’s energy, helps to think more clearly, increases intuition and promotes spiritual development. But scientists are skeptical about this.

Anyone who has used silver objects knows that this metal has one negative quality, which often darkens the joy of owning such lovely things. This means that silver darkens over time and spots and a greenish or yellowish coating appear on it. Previously, this was explained by mystical reasons, but now it is known that this metal easily reacts with various substances in the air or on the human body.

What can cause silver to darken?

from high air humidity;

body silver darkens due to human illness or the characteristics of his sweat;

Various medications and chemicals that come into contact with silver items can cause it to darken;

under the influence of cosmetics that a person uses;

silver darkens from contact with onions, egg yolks, salt, rubber and household gas.

But silver products are still popular, because they are very easy to clean and do not lose their properties if they are properly cared for.

Cleaning silver items is not too difficult

Methods for cleaning silver

Recently, special products for cleaning silver items have become available on the market. But they are not available to everyone; in addition, professionals believe that they contain aggressive chemicals that are harmful to human health and can corrode silver items if they are not washed off well. Even before, when they didn’t exist, people cleaned silverware and jewelry, and there are many effective folk methods for this. You can choose any one that you like best and that takes into account the characteristics of your silver items. It is recommended to hold the product in soapy water and rinse under running water before using any method. So, what can you use to clean silver?

The most famous and common method is brushing with toothpaste or tooth powder. Dampen a soft cloth and squeeze some white paste onto it. If you use powder, first dilute it to a pasty state with water, or better yet, a solution of ammonia. Then use this cloth to gently rub the product with straight-line movements. But keep in mind that this is a rather rough method, and along with the blackness you can remove quite a few particles of the silver itself. Therefore, it is not recommended to use it for cleaning jewelry and valuables.

Very often they also use soda for this. You can simply dilute baking soda and water in your palm or on a soft cloth and rub your silver items. But there are also more gentle ways. For example, it helps if you immerse silver in a soda solution for several hours, and then rinse with water and polish with a soft cloth. But it’s most effective if you use an aluminum pan for this or put a piece of foil in the solution. Bring a liter of water to a boil and dissolve two tablespoons of soda in it. Soak your silver items for 10-15 minutes and they will shine like new. Instead of soda, you can use salt or mix them together.

Silver items rubbed with soda shine brighter

Silver items can be easily cleaned of blackness using ammonia. Lightly contaminated items can be cleaned immediately; you just need to dip them into its solution - two tablespoons per liter of water. You can keep the silver in it for 10-15 minutes. Or you need to wipe the products with a cloth soaked in this solution. More persistent plaque can be removed by mixing ammonia with water and adding a little washing powder. Rinse the items well in this solution and rinse thoroughly with water. Ammonia can also be mixed with hydrogen peroxide in equal parts and put silver in there for 15 minutes. Small objects, for example, a silver ring, can be lightly rubbed with a mixture of chalk and ammonia.

Silver is often cleaned with acid. It is best to take a 6% vinegar solution or a 10% citric acid solution and rub the products with a cloth soaked in it. Or dip them in lemon juice for a few minutes. Make sure to rinse your silver items thoroughly. Coins and other heavily darkened objects can be boiled in a five percent solution of sulfuric or formic acid. In recent years, an alternative remedy has appeared - Coca-Cola and some other carbonated drinks containing phosphoric acid.

People often peeled silver with potatoes. The easiest way is to keep the product for several hours in water where chopped raw potatoes lie. You can rub it to enhance the effect. It is also good to use the water in which the potatoes were boiled, especially if you add a piece of foil to it.

Less well-known methods for cleaning not very dirty products are boiling them with garlic peels, washing them with a hot decoction of eggshells and salt, or mechanical cleaning with a regular office eraser. Sometimes lipstick is used instead of an eraser. Silver items can also be easily cleaned from ordinary stains by washing with a soapy solution, you can use washing powder or Fairy.

All these methods are quite aggressive and are only suitable for cleaning simple items without stones, gilding or engraving. And for such items there are special cleaning methods. In such cases, abrasive materials, strong temperature changes and aggressive liquids should not be used.

How to clean silver items with stones

Such items should be washed regularly in soapy water and avoid heavy contamination. They need to be cleaned very carefully. Amber, pearls and coral are especially sensitive.

Take care of your stone jewelry regularly

It is best to have them cleaned by a specialist or cleaned with special products.

But if this is not possible, prepare a solution of laundry soap and a few drops of ammonia and, after moistening a soft cloth in it, gently wipe the products. The cracks and space around the stone can be cleaned with a cotton swab, after dipping it in the same solution.

Wrap silver jewelry with pearls in thin linen cloth, pour a spoonful of salt there, and rinse in warm water.

Regular dirt and dust around the stones can be removed with a cotton swab dipped in cologne or alcohol.

How to clean gold-plated silver items

Such jewelry should not be cleaned, but soaked for half an hour in a cleaning solution. And then wipe with a soft cloth or cotton swab. What solutions are used for gilding silver?

soap solution;

a tablespoon of ammonia per glass of water;

a tablespoon of vinegar per glass of water;

After soaking, rinse the product in running water, dry and rub with a soft cloth, or even better, suede. Instead of soaking, you can wipe the silver with cotton swabs soaked in alcohol or cologne, or with a cloth on which a little lipstick has been applied. Such items need to be cleaned regularly, because old dirt will be very difficult to clean from them.

How to clean 925 sterling silver

Such products should only be cleaned with special products or in a workshop. Any solutions, and especially abrasive substances, can cause irreparable harm to these valuable things.

How to clean silver alloys

Cutlery, figurines and other household items are often made from an alloy of silver with nickel and copper, or with the addition of zinc or iron. Such alloys are called cupronickel or nickel silver. To clean, they are placed in a zinc container filled with salted water for 3-4 hours.

There are conditions for cleaning alloys

How to clean rhodium plated silver items

Sometimes jewelry is plated with rhodium. It is quite chemically resistant, but wears off over time. Do not use any abrasive materials or brushes to clean such products, only a soft cloth.

Silver items need to be cleaned regularly; fresh stains are easier to clean.

There is so-called filigree silver, it is specially blackened, this gives the products a special charm. They don't need to be cleaned too much.

It is not recommended to use hard brushes and abrasive materials, as they can damage the top layer of the product. Clean them only with a soft cloth. Toothbrushes are especially harmful, as their plastic bristles scratch soft metal. In rare cases, if the product has crevices or a carved pattern, you can use a soft natural bristle brush.

After using aluminum for cleaning, be sure to polish the product well with a soft cloth to prevent aluminum sulfate from forming.

To make silver items shine, wipe them with a cloth soaked in lemon juice and rinse with hot water.

Don't get carried away with silver cleaners. They contain strong chemicals and can damage your jewelry if used incorrectly. Therefore, follow the instructions carefully. Better yet, purchase special wipes for cleaning silver.

After using any cleaning method, rinse the silver item thoroughly with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.

If the silver is very dirty, blackened, or the item is very valuable to you, it is better not to risk it and have it cleaned by a specialist.

To avoid having to frequently clean your favorite silver items, you need to store them properly and follow special rules when using them.

How to store and care for silver

In order for silver items to darken less, you need to store and use them correctly. In this case, you will still have to clean them, but less often. Particular care should be taken when handling jewelry:

store them in a closed box in a dry place, and if you do not use any decoration for a long time, it is better to wrap it in a flannel cloth;

before storing the product for long-term storage, wash it in warm water and soap and dry thoroughly;

do not wear silver jewelry when visiting a bathhouse or swimming pool;

also remove them when applying cosmetics and receiving cosmetic procedures;

wash jewelry after sports and heavy meals;

When doing housework, remove rings and bracelets so that they do not come into contact with household chemicals.

Store silver items properly

Other silver items also require special conditions. Spoons, glasses, trays or salt shakers may become darkened by contact with certain foods, household gas or improper care. They should be washed immediately after use. It is best to store silver items in boxes or boxes lined with flannel, or wrapped in parchment. Never place them in such a way that they come into contact with plastic or rubber. All silver items should be thoroughly washed and dried before storage. Take special care to wash off salt from salt shakers. Never use silver trays for dishes with eggs and mayonnaise, otherwise they will quickly tarnish.

If you follow these rules, then your silver items will delight you with their brilliance and beauty for a long time.

Vinegar

A table warmed to 40–50 °C will help cope with darkening. Immerse your jewelry in it for 15 minutes, then rinse it and wipe dry with a soft cloth.

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Toothpaste

Toothpaste, a brush and your persistence will remove plaque from a silver chain or ring. A few minutes of careful polishing will make the metal shine.

Ammonia and hydrogen peroxide

Dissolve two tablespoons of ammonia and the same amount of peroxide in a liter of water. Immerse the jewelry in the solution for 15 minutes. The silver will react with ammonia and the dirt will disappear without a trace.

Citric acid and copper wire

Pour half a liter of water into an enamel saucepan, add 100 grams of citric acid, and then place everything in a water bath. Put rings and earrings on the copper wire, wrap chains around it (the contact between copper and silver is important). Boil the liquid for 15–20 minutes, periodically checking the cleanliness of the jewelry.

Soda

Add water to baking soda until you get a thick paste. Rub the resulting mixture onto silver items using a toothbrush or sponge. Then rinse the jewelry with warm water to avoid streaks.

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Vinegar, salt, soda and foil

To clean your silver using a spa treatment, you will need half a cup of boiling water, half a cup of vinegar and a tablespoon each of salt and baking soda. Place a sheet of foil at the bottom of the container, add dry ingredients and fill with liquid ingredients. Decorations are placed in the solution so that contact with the foil is maximum. Silver will be perfect in just 5 minutes.

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How to clean silver jewelry with stones

Sapphire, emerald and aquamarine are high density gemstones. They won't be harmed by cleaning, no matter which method you choose.
Opal, malachite, turquoise and moonstone are not as dense; abrasive substances can scratch their surface. Therefore, choose mild cleansers or baths.
Ruby, topaz and garnet should not be cleaned in hot water: high temperatures may cause them to change color.
Give items containing amber, pearls, coral or ivory to specialists for cleaning. These materials are very sensitive to acids, alkalis and any solvents.

How to clean matte silver

The only warning for owners of jewelry made of this metal: do not use abrasive materials or acids. They will ruin the appearance of the product. Soap shavings dissolved in water are an ideal mild remedy.

When cleaning such products, act carefully and delicately so as not to damage the unique top layer. A soap and soda solution will help you: soak the silver in it for 20–30 minutes.

Here's another effective way. Peel a few potatoes, place them in a container of water and add your decorations there. After 3-4 hours, remove the silver and rinse with water. If the coating is not completely removed from the metal, wipe it off with a rubber eraser.