How to clean silver from dark deposits

Silver has been known to mankind since ancient times. Coins, cutlery, jewelry and other products are made from it. However, over time, the surface of the silver may tarnish. In this article we will look at the main methods that will help you remove dark deposits from metal and return it to its original appearance.

All life hacks can be used at home, so if you need to clean silver quickly and effectively, read to the end.

But first, a few important points.

How to Determine the Best Way to Clean Silver

To answer this question, three nuances should be taken into account:

Product quality;
Pollution level;
The presence of other elements (gilding, stones, etc.).

Before you start cleaning silver, you should remember that using any aggressive means is only appropriate for things that are entirely made of silver.

If there are stones or some kind of coating on this or that object, then it is wiser to use gentle products. It is better to entrust the cleaning of any miniature jewelry to a specialist.

Today you can buy a variety of cleaning agents for silver. They can be liquid or paste-like.

When cleaning silver, you should avoid using hard brushes or sponges to avoid damaging the items.

Health

Excessive exercise leads to increased sweating, which affects the color of jewelry. The released hydrogen sulfide, entering into a chemical reaction with silver, leads to gradual oxidation. The cloudiness of the metal also causes a change in the acidity of the skin.

The nitric acid contained in sweat can lighten the product. It reacts with sulfide crystals, destroys it and changes the color of the metal to a light shade.

Disorders in the endocrine system and hormonal disruptions lead to increased sweat. A sharp darkening of the metal may indicate diseases of the liver, kidneys and gall bladder. The chain on a woman's neck may change color during pregnancy due to hormonal changes.

As a result of the disease, sweat becomes acidic and caustic. The fact that the disease affects the color of the jewelry has not yet been confirmed by science, but it is better to turn to medicine if the silver rapidly darkens after cleaning.

How to clean silver at home

First of all, prepare a soap solution and wash your silver items in it to remove grease and other contaminants.

Then you need to rinse the silver accessories in water and wait until they dry.

Toothpaste and powder

The powder must be diluted with water until a thick mass is obtained. There is no need to prepare anything for toothpaste, the main thing is that it does not have any impurities.

This mixture should be applied to a napkin and begin to process silver objects with it. It is very important to make movements in one direction and in a straight line.

At the end of the entire procedure, it is worth rinsing the metal with clean water and polishing it with an appropriate cloth.

The method described above cannot be considered delicate, so it should be used for things made of silver that are not of great value.

Soda

Using soda you can easily and efficiently clean silver. To do this, you need to dilute soda with water to a mushy state and apply it to silver objects.

After 10-15 minutes, rinse off the mixture with water and wipe dry with a napkin.

You can clean silver items more carefully using a soda solution. To do this you will need:

Boil a glass of water, add about 20 g of soda to it and stir everything;
If you are using non-aluminum cookware, then a piece of foil should be placed at the bottom of the container;
Then you need to put the jewelry in the hot solution and wait 15-20 minutes.

Citric and other acids

Here is another option on how to clean silver from darkening using citric acid.

Take a half-liter container and add 100 g of acid to it;
Place the container in a water bath, having first placed some copper object inside it;
When the solution begins to boil, place silver accessories in it for 15-20 minutes.

If the decoration is not very large and dirty, it is enough to wipe it with a cloth soaked in vinegar. You can also use a 10% citric acid solution.

Salt

An interesting fact is that the most common salt can also give silver a shiny appearance. To do this, do the following:

In one liter of hot water you need to dissolve 50 g of salt and 20 g of cream of tartar. Place silver items in the resulting liquid and wait 15-20 minutes.
Pour 1 liter of water into an aluminum container. When it starts to boil, you need to add 20 g of salt, soda and some detergent. After thorough mixing, you need to put silver objects inside the container and boil for half an hour.

What do the signs say?

In folk tales, legends and other stories, silver is often mentioned as a powerful energy agent. It kills werewolves, protects against evil spirits, and plays an important role in magical rituals. The church rite of blessing water is also carried out using argentum spoons, pre-charged with special prayers. Therefore, believers and people prone to magical thinking take changes in the state of metal very seriously. Here's how they explain the reasons why silver can darken.

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On the limbs

Most often, jewelry can be seen on the hand: fingers or wrist. But there are also bracelets on legs. The latter option does not have any special sacred meaning, since from ancient times it was used exclusively as a symbol of human prosperity. But the silver ring darkens for a reason. It is believed that the crown of celibacy was placed on the girl with the blackened jewelry on her finger. If a man wears the ring, then he will also have the life of a bachelor. By turning to a medium for help, you can ward off misfortune and return the metal to its former luster.

The darkening of a bracelet on the wrist is not considered separately from other jewelry. According to folk superstitions, in this way the metal protects its owner from evil forces, damage, the evil eye, failures or illnesses. If the color changed, then the person was attacked by magic, but the silver saved him from harm. It is for this reason that amulets and amulets are often made from argentum.

On the neck

Why does the silver chain on the neck of a child or adult turn black? Our ancestors explained this by the intervention of dark magical forces. Someone has cast the evil eye - representatives of different peoples and cultures were sure of this in ancient times. Modern psychics, sorcerers and healers also see in such a transformation the effect of an unkind glance, or deliberate damage. The strength of the spell cast depends on the speed and degree of darkening.

On the chest

People have their own interpretation of why a silver cross turns black on the body. In Christianity, this item is God-given protection from the devil and his minions. The inscription “save and preserve” is a kind of amplifier for this weapon against demons. And if the consecrated cross or icon becomes smoked, then serious damage has probably been caused. The wearer of such jewelry is in danger of trouble; it is necessary to turn to a strong priest for prayerful help.

Not only jewelry, but any silver items can turn black. Dishes changed in this way indicate the presence of evil spirits in the room. The best option for getting rid of uninvited neighbors is sprinkling with holy water. It is not without reason that on the feast of Epiphany, Christians have a custom of calling a priest to perform a rite of cleansing of the house. The ancient Slavs used wormwood and garlic for these purposes, hanging bunches and bundles of plants near doors or windows.

How to quickly and effectively clean silver

Not everyone knows that you can quickly and effectively clean silver using such a simple product as ammonia.

To do this, the surface of the metal must be wiped with a swab dipped in it. If the item has darkened too much, then it should be placed in a 10% solution of ammonia and left in it for 10-15 minutes.

In addition, you can clean silver in the following ways:

Mix water, ammonia and tooth powder in a ratio of 5:2:1. Then process the metal with the resulting mass. After 15 min. rinse the product in water;
Mix ammonia with hydrogen peroxide in equal proportions. You need to dip silver items into the resulting liquid and wait 15 minutes;
Pour a little ammonia into the tooth powder and form a thick mass. Then, using a soft cloth, apply this composition to the silver.

A little about superstition

Why not. In various legends, silver appears as a remedy for evil spirits and a metal with powerful energy. Silver items were used for magical rituals. Even in the church, silver is used to bless water. In this regard, it is not surprising that among believers and supporters of magic, many signs have appeared that explain the reason for the blackening of silver on the human body.

The ring on the finger turned black - they imposed a crown of celibacy.
The bracelet darkened - they tried to cast a spell on you, but the silver protected you.
The chain or cross on the neck has become black - damage has been imposed, and its strength is determined by the degree of darkening.
The silver dishes turned black - evil spirits had settled in the house.

Whether you believe these superstitions or not is up to you.

Many people wear a variety of items made from silver, an attractive and inexpensive precious metal. Often silver accessories turn black on the body. There are reasonable explanations for this phenomenon and several folk beliefs about it. You can avoid blackening of the metal using preventive measures.

How to clean silver from blackness

We invite you to familiarize yourself with some more methods that will allow you to efficiently clean silver at home.

Pour into the container any carbonated drink (Coca-Cola, Sprite, etc.) that contains phosphoric acid. Then you should put the silver item inside the container and boil for 10 minutes.
Take washing powder and dilute it with water until a thick mass forms. Place the silver item there and boil for 10 minutes.
Spray the silver with window cleaner and gently wipe it with a cloth.

Real reasons for the phenomenon

Many people believe in omens, but there is a scientific explanation for the blackening of silver on the body. The change in color of the metal is a chemical reaction. Most silver jewelry contains copper, which can oxidize. This reaction occurs with increased sweating or in conditions of air oversaturated with moisture.

There is another version of darkening of silver on the body. This noble metal is very sensitive to biochemical processes in the body, and therefore can turn black due to illness, severe stress, or emotional overload.

If there is a metabolic disorder, the body may produce more sulfur. It has a bad effect on silver, causing it to turn black.

Silver jewelry often darkens during pregnancy, pathologies of the endocrine system, and hormonal imbalances. This confirms the medical version of the reasons for the blackened metal on the body.

Another logical explanation for the darkening of silver is poor product quality. Usually this is a low-quality material hidden under silver plating.

Tips for cleaning blackened silver

Add tbsp to 1 liter of water. a spoonful of soda and 20 g of soap. The decoration should be immersed in the resulting liquid for 20 minutes.
Peel and cut raw potatoes, put them in water and put silver in there for 3 hours.
Do not clean blackened silver with ammonia!

General rules for cleaning silver

In order to properly clean silver, you need to follow the general rules given below.

It is necessary to wash silver items regularly.
Avoid abrasive materials and use only gentle products.
925 sterling silver can only be cleaned with special means, as the metal may lose its original appearance.
Radiant metal should only be cleaned with a soft cloth or swabs, otherwise it will be scratched.
If you want to add shine to the product, then they should be treated with lemon juice and hot water.
It is advisable to dry silver on paper napkins.
It is recommended to polish silver accessories with flannel, wool or suede cloth.
Experts advise not to wear silver jewelry after you have cleaned it for 3 days until a natural protective layer has formed on it.

Scientific background

In fact, there is nothing unusual about the rapid darkening of silver jewelry. To understand this, let’s figure out what exactly your rings, earrings and chains are made of.

Point 1: Silver is a soft metal that breaks and deforms easily. Jewelers solved this problem by making an alloy of copper and silver. The test on silver jewelry just shows what the ratio of metals in the alloy is. The higher the purity, the higher the silver ratio.

Point 2. Copper is susceptible to oxidation. When interacting with sulfur, a layer of patina is formed, which gives the products a dark shade. The more copper there is in silver jewelry, the faster it oxidizes.

Point 3. Sulfur, due to which copper oxidizes and jewelry silver darkens, is part of air, water, cosmetics and, most importantly, human sweat. Sweat contains sulfuric acid salts, and the higher their concentration, the more sulfur is formed, and the faster the silver turns black.

Conclusion: the human body sweats, the sweat comes into contact with the silver jewelry, a chemical reaction occurs, and a black patina forms.

How to properly store silver

Finally, here are some key tips on how to store your silver. And although this cannot be a 100% guarantee of the safety of the appearance of silver items, we still strongly recommend that you keep them.

Silver items should be kept in closed containers and with minimal humidity. If you are not going to use any silver item for a long time, then it should be washed with soapy water and wrapped in foil or flannel.
It is unacceptable for silver to lie next to medicines, food, cosmetics, household chemicals, etc.
Before going to the beach, taking a shower or going to the bathhouse, it is advisable to take off your silver items.
If the silver gets wet, be sure to dry it with a napkin or soft cloth.

With proper care of your silver, it will always look good. We hope that our tips will help you clean your silver and make it shine.

Scientific arguments

Progress contributes to the formation of other, more down-to-earth versions of many incidents that are not understood by humanity. This gives rise to a new explanation for why silver on the human body turns black. At the same time, the opinion of scientists also does not always coincide. But they agree on one thing: the unpleasant gray-black color is associated with sweating.

Silver itself is a soft substance. To prevent things made from it from crumbling or breaking, argentum is mixed with other metals. All alloys contain copper, and it oxidizes when interacting with sulfur.

In turn, human sweat is a waste product of the body. Among other components, it contains sulfur. When it comes into contact with earrings, chest or other jewelry, it enters into a chemical reaction. In this case, it does not collapse, but is covered with dark silver sulfide. Therefore, blackening is not an inevitable or irreversible problem. The main thing is to find and eliminate factors affecting the appearance of products.

Causes of darkening:

diseases of internal organs
stress
alloy composition and quality
changes in hormonal levels
high air humidity

Doctors believe that the color can change if there are problems with the kidneys, liver or gall bladder. In such cases, sweat becomes more acidic and caustic, so the silver reaction intensifies. This also includes the body’s reaction to the use of certain types of medications, the remains of which are excreted through the sweat glands.
The amount of sulfur also increases during training in the gym, lifting weights, and playing sports. The body tenses up and puts a lot of effort into performing certain actions. Here you don’t have to think long about why the silver chain with the pendant is darkening, because there are a large number of pores on the chest.
In stressful situations, the body also reacts violently. By sweating profusely, it tries to get rid of excess negativity and calm the nervous system. This reason should not be overlooked in the busy pace of life.
The more impurities there are in silver, the more often and more strongly it darkens. This way you can determine the quality and sample of metal products. Sometimes blackening is used specifically to create a special decoration effect.
The ratio of sweat components also changes during periods of hormonal surges. Pregnancy or problems with the endocrine system can lead to such not very pleasant consequences. The unattractive grayness worn on the body will disappear once natural hormone levels are restored.
Another reason why silver changes color when worn is atmospheric conditions. Plaque forms when there is high humidity or prolonged contact with water. Therefore, it is not recommended to take a steam bath or swim with any jewelry on the body.