How to clean silver at home: 8 methods that will definitely work

February 25, 2021 How to clean silver at home is perhaps one of the most common questions asked by owners of precious metal jewelry. The cool matte sheen and recognizable surface texture seduce many people, but beauty has a downside - silver items darken and oxidize over time, regardless of the intensity of wear. Hence the strict care rules that any buyer must adhere to.

In one of our previous materials, we discussed in detail why silver turns black and what needs to be done about it. Now let’s try to figure out how to effectively clean silver at home so that your chain, cross, rings, bracelet, silver earrings and other jewelry regain their original shine, preserving it for as long as possible.

Why does silver darken?

Why does silver darken
? Silver is a noble precious metal with unique properties, such as:

• plastic;
• strength;
• ductility;
• electrical and thermal conductivity;
• high reflectivity;
• chemical activity.

Accessories, cutlery, and jewelry will delight the owners for a long time if you learn to maintain the original shine of the products.

It is worth finding out how you can clean silver and where the darkening comes from. The unattractive blackness that affects jewelry occurs for several reasons:

• Interaction with hydrogen sulfide. Silver alloys always contain copper. It is she who reacts with the active sulfur-containing compound. As a result, the product oxidizes, acquiring a dark color.
• Poor quality alloy. Each product made of precious metal has a sample that allows you to determine the quality of the jewelry. The highest standard is 925. Such products are resistant to negative external influences and do not oxidize. But if the item is made of a low grade alloy (from 720 to 830), then the quality of the product will certainly be reflected in its resistance to darkening.
• Environmental impact. If the silver has darkened, it is possible that the product is often in contact with environmental objects: some food products, chemicals, including cosmetics, high humidity.
• Health problems. It turns out that during disruption of the body or stress, hormonal levels change, resulting in increased sweat production. Human sweat contains substances such as sulfur and sulfates that react chemically with silver. As a result, silver items quickly lose their shine and become covered with dark spots.

There are also factors that can increase the rate of silver oxidation:

• Physical exercise. Sweating increases during exercise. Silver reacts with sweat and begins to darken.
• Stress. During times of stress, the sweat glands become more active, producing more sweat. As a result, jewelry that comes into contact with the skin becomes dull.
• High ambient temperature. When it's hot, sweat is produced more actively so that the body can cool down to normal temperature. With high humidity, silver turns black faster.
• Swimming in the pool. Pool water contains many chemical impurities used to kill pathogenic bacteria. Contact and chemical reaction with disinfectants lead to blackening of products.

Jewelry turns black on the body

This phenomenon is observed quite often. The silver chain turns black on the neck because there are many sweat glands in this place, and the darkening of the chain may indicate changes in the body at the hormonal level. The owner of the jewelry needs to be tested for hormones .

Products darken after using a new body care cream. Experts advise removing rings and chains when performing cosmetic procedures.

The cause may also be changes in room temperature or air humidity. Sometimes the product cleaner causes a reaction. Silver can turn black from contact with household chemicals, as well as foods: onions, raw eggs, salt.

How to clean silver at home using salt

Before the procedure you should prepare:

• aluminum pan;
• water;
• salt 1-2 tbsp. l.;
• cloth or paper napkin.

It is better to take finely ground salt, because it will dissolve in water much faster.

How to do

The following recipe will help you prepare a saline solution for cleaning silver and getting rid of blackness:

1. Boil 2 tbsp in an aluminum pan. water.
2. Add 1-2 tbsp. l. table salt. If the product is almost black, then add more salt.
3. Stir the liquid with a spoon until the crystals are completely dissolved.
4. Immerse the product in the prepared solution for 5-10 minutes.
5. Rinse the cleaned product in clean running water and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth.

Nuances of removing certain contaminants

There are impurities that appear only on precious metals, for example, horn silver. To get rid of it, you should pay special attention to the types and causes of contamination.

Black

Blackness is the most common contaminant of precious metals. To get rid of it, you can rub the product with soda, soak it in a saline solution, clean it with lipstick, an eraser or olive oil. The vinegar removal method is also effective.

Dirt

Soap infusion will become an indispensable bleach. You need to grate the soap, dissolve it in water, let the product sit for 30 minutes, then rinse and dry.

Yellowness

One of the most common types of stains. Yellowness may appear even after going to the pool. The reasons for its appearance are the organic reaction of chlorine and iodine. To remove yellowness, you need to put the decorations in a solution with raw potatoes. You can also remove stains with baking soda, olive oil, toothpaste or soap solution.

Iodine

Raw potatoes, soap solution, soda, salt, toothpaste will help destroy iodine stains. You can also use foil envelopes.

Burn

Grind 1 potato, place the potato pulp with juice in a separate bowl. Place items there and leave for 2-3 hours. Afterwards rinse with water.

After hydrogen sulfide

“Foil envelopes,” as well as salt and soda solutions, will help restore shine and whiteness after hydrogen sulfide. Housewives also note the effectiveness of tooth powder.

Horny plaque

A dull, purple tint to jewelry or coins indicates the appearance of horn silver. When processing such things, you need to be extremely careful or contact specialists, since the risk of irretrievable loss is too great. Add ammonia with a concentration of 5% to the water bath, remove it after 5-10 minutes, wipe with a sponge or a special brush. Then rinse and dry.

How to whiten silver with soda

The carbonated drink will effectively remove stains on jewelry.

What do you need

Stock up on a half-liter or liter bottle of the drink - the volume depends on the amount of jewelry. Then take:

• pan, kitchen ladle;
• soft dry cloth.

How to do

If the silver has turned black, you need to:

• fill the pan with soda - a couple of centimeters is enough so that the liquid covers the decorations;
• lower the jewelry;
• heat, boil for 10 minutes;
• wash off the remaining Coca-Cola with water;
• wipe with a cloth.

How to remove blackness from silver with toothpaste

How to clean silver with toothpaste

Toothpaste is an excellent product for cleaning silver. It is important to choose a product with small particles. The homogeneous consistency gently envelops the surface of the jewelry, does not scratch, and does not leave damage.

What do you need

Before cleaning tarnished jewelry, prepare everything you need. In addition to toothpaste, you will need:

• a toothbrush with soft bristles or a sponge;
• a piece of natural fabric;
• water.

How to do

How to clean dirt from jewelry using toothpaste, steps:

1. It is convenient to pick up the darkened product and apply toothpaste thickly.
2. Using a toothbrush, carefully polish the entire surface, paying special attention to recesses and individual decorative elements with an uneven silver surface.
3. When you are sure that the product is completely clean, rinse it in warm running water, then wipe it with a soft cloth, preferably made of natural material - cotton, linen.

How to clean a silver ring to freshen up its look

There are many reasons for the darkening of silver, but do not immediately panic. Plaque forms only on the surface of the ring; dirt does not penetrate into the metal. It must be regularly and safely treated using both professional means and folk methods.

It doesn’t matter how to clean a silver ring at home, the main thing is to follow these recommendations:

• before cleaning silver jewelry, leave it for several minutes in warm water with diluted shampoo or soap concentrate;
• to avoid scratches, place a soft cloth on the bottom of the dish;
• products that have cracks or carved patterns can be cleaned using a soft natural bristle brush;
• do not make much effort, all manipulations should be moderate.

Regardless of whether the jewelry is darkened or dirty, cleaning must be done without abrasives once every 45–60 days.

How to clean silver with soda

How to lighten silver from plaque and blackness using soda? It is known that soda is a good and strong antiseptic that effectively destroys bacteria and helps remove even long-standing dirt from any surface, including jewelry.

What do you need

Before cleaning a blackened object, in addition to baking soda, you need to prepare:

• water;
• a container in which you can make a soda solution;
• sponge;
• a piece of cloth or paper napkin.

If the surface of the product is uneven, with all sorts of patterns and depressions, then instead of a sponge it is better to take a toothbrush with soft bristles.

How to do

Recipe for cleaning silver with soda:

1. In a container, combine baking soda and water in a 2:1 ratio. You should get a thick paste of uniform consistency.
2. Dip a sponge or toothbrush into the prepared mixture, then gently rub the product until the dirt is completely removed.
3. Rinse the silver under running water and wipe dry with a soft cloth.

Soda copes well with stains and effectively removes oxidation products. After such cleaning, the surface becomes shiny, smooth, without stains or deposits.

Table: cost of professional silver cleaning in your city

To restore the original properties of jewelry, jewelry workshops use different methods. Common:

• steam generator;
• ultrasound.

The choice of method is made taking into account the type of product and the degree of contamination. Taking this into account, the cost of work also changes. It is different in each city:

City	Workshop name	price, rub.
Moscow	nota-gold.ru	from 350
Ekaterinburg	"Just a minute"	from 300
St. Petersburg	masteruvelir.ru	100
Tula	Jewelervtule.rf	from 200
Kursk	Jeweler-Kursk.rf	from 150
Stavropol	zolotoy.net/masterskaya	75-225

Silver jewelry after cleaning

How to clean silver with citric acid

The method depends on the sample; low-grade items simply need to be wiped with a cloth soaked in a solution of lemon juice. High quality - soak or boil.

What do you need

Cleaning the house takes 20-30 minutes. Take available tools:

• 50 g citric acid;
• half a liter of running water;
• ceramic, glass container;
• copper piece (wire, segment, bracelet).

Copper enhances the cleansing properties of lemongrass and allows you to cope with old discolorations.

How to do

Step-by-step instructions on how to clean silver at home in the evening:

• dilute lemon in water;
• put a copper object into the solution;
• place the container in a water bath;
• place jewelry in heated liquid;
• boil for half an hour;
• rinse in running water;
• dry with a cloth.

How to clean silver with ammonia

Please be careful when using this method because:

• Ammonia vapors, once on the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory tract, have an irritating effect.
• Contact of the concentrated solution with the skin and mucous membranes may cause a burn.
• Prolonged inhalation of vapors can cause spasm and erythema of the throat and bronchi.

What do you need

In addition to ammonia, prepare:

• water – 1 glass;
• hydrogen peroxide – 2 tbsp. l.;
• soft fabric;
• container for preparing the solution;
• gloves to protect the skin of the hands.

How to do

How to bleach silver from blackness and return it to its natural shine? Follow the suggested instructions:

• Put gloves on your hands.
• Pour water into the container, then carefully add two tablespoons of ammonia and the same amount of hydrogen peroxide.
• You need to carefully lower the silver product into the resulting composition and leave it for a maximum of a quarter of an hour. During this time, all dirt should completely come off.
• Rinse the cleaned product in clean water and wipe dry with a soft cloth.

If the stains are ingrained, you can additionally rub the silver with a sponge or toothbrush. You don't have to use hydrogen peroxide. It is enough to dip the product in undiluted ammonia and leave for a quarter of an hour.

Home methods

Housewives often choose home methods for cleaning silver due to the simplicity and availability of folk recipes, as well as the ecology of the selected products, which do not leave chemicals on precious metals.

Soda

Using baking soda is one of the effective ways to clean the kitchen. It also works well to remove tarnish on silver.

1. Pour liquid soda until a slurry appears, apply it to a sponge or cloth and clean the products until the plaque is removed. Then rinse thoroughly to remove stains. At the same time, you need to be careful with matte and smooth objects; traces of soda may remain.
2. Dilute 2 standard spoons of soda per half liter of water solution. Wait until it boils, remove from heat, place things in a container. You also need to add a piece of foil there. After 10-20 minutes, remove the products and rinse.

Soda baths and boiling are often used when processing not only silver, but also gold.

Foil

Cut kitchen foil into medium squares and add a teaspoon of moistened baking soda to the middle of each square. Then put things in and cover with foil to make an envelope. Throw into boiling water for 10-20 minutes, remove, cool, and then rinse and wipe with a special cloth.

Ammonia

The effectiveness of ammonia has been proven by more than one generation of housewives and jewelry lovers. To remove plaque, just take 2 standard spoons of the specified alcohol, dilute it with a liter of water, then put all the Argentum things into the resulting solution. Another way is to add a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide and a drop of detergent to the existing solution. Immerse the products in it for 10-20 minutes and then rinse.

How to clean silver with foil and baking soda

Cheap ingredients are sold in every store. An effective method demonstrates how to quickly bleach silver in a quarter of an hour without searching for rare substances.

What do you need

You will find the necessary items in the kitchen:

• 45 g soda;
• 300 ml water;
• steel or glass container;
• aluminium foil;
• wooden spatula.

How to do

The solution is prepared in a ratio of 15 g per 100 ml. You can fit a handful of jewelry in 300 ml of solution, so you will need approximately 45 g of soda.

• heat the water to 95-100 oC;
• pour the prepared soda;
• place the foil - cover the bottom with a sheet of foil at the beginning or throw in a piece as you go;
• lower the jewelry for 15 minutes;
• Stir occasionally with a wooden utensil.

There are dozens of ways to clean silver at home, but the best method is soda. It is inexpensive, fast and effective. Compared to citric acid, it is less harmful to soft surfaces.

How to clean blackened silver

Dark spraying does not withstand aggressive influences, acids, destructive solutions and boiling. It is important to choose a gentle method, observing the following conditions:

• For cleaning, it is prohibited to use chemicals with aggressive components.
• Boiling will not help remove dirt and plaque. At high temperatures the blackhead does not come off.
• It is forbidden to rub blackened silver with a hard cloth or sandpaper.

What do you need

Safe cleaning of silver is possible in 10 minutes using ingredients that every housewife has on hand:

• soda – 1 tbsp. l.;
• salt – 1 tbsp. l.;
• detergent - 1 tbsp. l.;
• water – 1 glass.

How to do

The cleaning procedure is simple and takes only 10 minutes. Stages:

1. Take a large plastic container and cover it with foil.
2. Place decorations that need cleaning on the bottom.
3. Fill everything with pre-mixed soda and salt, then add a detergent, such as Fairy.
4. Pour boiling water over everything and leave for ten minutes.
5. After the time has passed, remove the products, rinse under running water, and wipe dry.

You can also use a regular eraser. You need to rub the product with a regular rubber band, and then remove the resulting lumps with a paper napkin. This simple method is suitable for small items: rings, brooches, earrings, etc.

Preventive measures

In order to worry about cleaning silver as little as possible, adopt a number of simple rules. They will help your favorite products and devices stay shiny for as long as possible.

1. Always remove accessories when exercising, cleaning, washing dishes, or even taking a bath. Remember that increased humidity, sweating and exposure to chemicals accelerate oxidation.
2. Cosmetics also have a negative effect: do not apply hand cream to a ring, or perfume to a cross or chain.
3. Pay special attention to storage. Accessories should be left in a dry, dark place, for example, in a box, preferably separately from each other. If this doesn’t work out, at least don’t mix metals and stones.
4. The same applies to storing cutlery. They should also be placed in a soft case or box separately from medicines, cosmetics and even other utensils.
5. If the ring or chain gets wet, wipe it dry as quickly as possible.
6. Regular light cleaning also gets rid of stagnant plaque. But this only applies to devices, not personal accessories. For preventive purposes, once every month or two they can be rinsed in soapy water with the addition of ammonia.
7. After polishing, you should not immediately put on earrings, rings or chains. Allow a protective layer to form on their surface.

Accessories will last you longer if you order not only cleaning, but also rhodium plating from a jewelry store. This is a special coating with rhodium, a cold metal that is never patinated. This means that caring for it will be much easier.

Source