Rules and methods for cleaning silver at home

It is difficult to find a person who does not have a single piece of jewelry or cutlery made of silver at home, because such products are characterized not only by wear resistance, but also by sophistication. Despite the advantages of silver, items made from it lose their attractiveness over time - they become covered with a dark coating and darken. The reasons for the contamination of silver items are: a reaction to the components of cosmetics for body care, contact with sweat, exposure to household chemicals, etc. Therefore, all owners of silver items, without exception, are wondering how to clean their silver.

Using a toothbrush and paste

rules

If a person decides to clean silver at home, he should be aware that, despite the strength and wear resistance of the metal, some substances can spoil products made from it. It is recommended to periodically wear jewelry to a jewelry workshop in order to clean it, but if desired, this work can be done at home. Therefore, before you clean the silver at home, you need to learn about the rules, the observance of which will allow not only to clean the jewelry from plaque, but also not to harm their appearance:

1. It is not recommended to use products containing abrasives. Particulate matter can scratch the product and impair its appearance. This is especially true for silver plated with rhodium.
2. The cleaning of silver instructed by gemstones must be done with extreme care, as the stones can deteriorate under the influence of many chemicals and high temperatures. It is better to clean silver jewelry with stones from a specialist in a jewelry workshop.
3. After washing, the silver must be air-dried.
4. To clean silver at home, do not use products containing acids and mercury - they can hopelessly ruin jewelry.

Wipe the ring with soft flannel

How can you clean silver?

The means with which silver are prepared without difficulty at home. The recipes for such funds are as follows:

1. Ammonia: A jewelry cleaner that contains ammonia can effectively remove dark deposits from silver and restore its original shine. To clean the jewelry, it is enough to take 10% ammonia, pour it into a small bowl and soak the silver in it. After 15 minutes, the product should be removed and rinsed thoroughly with water. There is also a second option for preparing a solution, which contains ammonia. It is enough to take a glass of water and add a couple of drops of dishwashing gel, the same amount of hydrogen peroxide and a teaspoon of ammonia to it. The components should be thoroughly mixed and the decoration should be soaked in the resulting solution. After 15 minutes, the product should be rinsed with water. Important: you cannot clean pearl jewelry with ammonia.
2. Citric acid: a solution with this component effectively removes dark plaque from silverware. Silver cleaning fluid is prepared from 0.5 liters of water and 100 grams of citric acid. The product is immersed in the resulting liquid and the dishes with it are placed in a water bath. The solution with the decoration should boil for about half an hour over low heat. After boiling, it is recommended to rinse the silver with water and wipe it dry with a soft cloth.
3. Soda: You can clean your silver chain at home with the baking soda that everyone has in stock. To prepare a solution for washing silver, take a liter of water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Mix the soda thoroughly with a spoon and put the container on fire. After boiling water, a sheet of foil is placed on the bottom of the dish, on which silver jewelry is then placed. The decoration is boiled for a couple of minutes, then washed with water and dried. For the care of silver items, you can prepare another product that contains soda. To do this, take a liter of water, a tablespoon of dishwashing gel, the same amount of soda and table salt. Stir the ingredients, and put the dishes with them on the fire. A silver item is placed in the resulting solution and boiled for at least 20 minutes (if the jewelry is heavily soiled, it will take half an hour).
4. Potatoes: This recipe is great if the silverware is heavily soiled. After boiling the potato tubers, it is tedious to drain the liquid and immerse the silver decoration in it for 5 minutes.
5. Vinegar: just take half a glass of vinegar (9%), heat it slightly and pour over the decoration. After 15 minutes, the silver will sparkle like new.
6. Toothpaste: This product removes plaque not only from teeth, but also from objects made of metal. toothpaste is simple: just take a soft brush, apply a little paste on it and rub the decoration. After a couple of minutes, the paste should be washed off and the product should be air-dried.

These methods are also suitable for cleaning silver cutlery.

Cleaning silverware with soda

Nowadays, rhodium-plated silver jewelry is very popular. Despite the protective coating, such products also fade and a dark coating appears on them, which is why they require maintenance.

How to clean rhodium-plated silver? Answering this question, it should be borne in mind that a limited list of products can be used to care for such jewelry. So, you can take toilet soap and water, and then prepare a solution from them. The jewelry should be immersed in the resulting liquid, and after fifteen minutes, take it out and rinse with clean water. At the end of the manipulation, the product is wiped with a soft cloth, for example, flannel.

It is important to take into account that over time the rhodium layer wears off, so at least once every few years, such a decoration should be taken to the workshop in order to renew the coating.

In order for silver jewelry to retain its excellent appearance, they must be properly stored. A jewelry box is suitable for this purpose. When storing silver, do not allow direct sunlight to hit it. Also, you should avoid storing jewelry in places with high levels of humidity.

When cleaning with household chemicals, all silver rings and bracelets should be removed. Also, do not allow cosmetics to come into contact with silver, which may contain sulfur, acids or mercury. Before intense physical activity, such as sports training, silverware should be removed, as sweat promotes oxidation of the metal. If the silver is not worn for a long time, it is recommended to wrap it with foil during storage, because this technique will help protect the product from darkening.

Compliance with the listed simple rules will allow you to maintain the ideal appearance of jewelry for a long time.