Silver is a noble metal, which is widely used in industry, medicine and other fields. Coins are minted from it, household utensils and various jewelry are made - chains, rings, bracelets, earrings, brooches and others.
Products made from “lunar” metal have the ability to darken over time. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically clean silver items, including chains.
Why did the silver chain turn black?
We will not debunk the myth that silver jewelry turns black, “taking” negative energy or damage. Believing it or not is a personal matter for everyone.
Long gone are the days when jewelry was worn only on holidays and kept in a box the rest of the time. Although in this case, silver darkens over time. Chains, rings, earrings, bracelets have long become items of everyday wear and require regular removal of dirt.
There are several reasons why “lunar” metal turns black:
Firstly, low-quality alloy - impurities of other metals, low silver content.
Secondly, influence of external environmental factors – dust, smog, exhaust fumes, tobacco smoke and others.
Third, contact with various aggressive environments, chemicals, rubber, detergents and cosmetics.
Fourthly, various changes in our body - the production of fat by the sebaceous glands, toxins released when health conditions change, hormonal imbalances, problems with the kidneys and liver, taking certain medications and others.
If the silver chain begins to darken quickly while being worn, you should pay attention to its health.
From a chemical point of view, silver oxidizes at the slightest contact with sulfur-containing compounds and even traces of them. A sulfide film forms on its surface, giving the metal a dark color. It's called patina.
If you are not a collector who appreciates the “patina of centuries” on jewelry, then they need to be regularly cleaned of all types of dirt.
How to clean a silver chain at home?
Let's look at a number of ways to clean silver jewelry using a chain as an example.. Why her? The answer is obvious. The chain is the most common and versatile accessory. It is worn by women, men, children and old people.
The chain has a much more complex configuration than, for example, a ring. Complex weaving and many links provide “hard-to-reach” areas for cleaning. In addition, the absence of a rigid shape does not make it easier to care for.
Certain rules and caution should be followed when cleaning silver chains so as not to damage the jewelry by scratching or removing the shine from the metal.
Cleaning with ready-made products
The simplest, but not the most budget-friendly option is store-bought silver cleaning products. A huge range of gels, creams, powders, tablets, special wipes - for cleaning, shine and polishing can be found on the shelves of stores selling household chemicals. Such well-known brands as Dual, Sano, HG, CONNOISSEURS will help you cope with the task.
Proceed strictly according to the instructions!
Dry cleaning
Soda. With its help you can cope with minor stains. Take a clean, dry cloth - flannel, cloth, old terry towel. Place it on your palm, pour a little baking soda into your palm and rub it along the entire length of the chain on both sides. Rinse the product with running water.
You can act in another way. Place the chain in a wide container and cover it with soda. Brush the decoration on all sides.
Don’t be too zealous; you should stop rubbing in time, as the soda will remove the shine from the chain.
Tooth powder or paste. These products are also suitable for cleaning silver. The principle of operation is the same as with soda.
The powder can be replaced with chalk.
Toothpaste is applied to an old toothbrush. By the way, this is the most convenient “device” for cleaning chains, since the bristles penetrate into all hard-to-reach places.
The second option for cleaning the chain with tooth powder is to add a drop of water, any detergent and ammonia to it, and mix. Apply the resulting mixture onto the jewelry with a brush and gently rub the jewelry. Rinse with water and wipe dry.
The listed products have a mild effect on silver. Under no circumstances should you use hard abrasive materials, such as pumice.
Dry cleaning is more suitable for thin chains and small items.
The brush should be chosen with the softest bristles.It is very convenient to clean silver with an old Oral-B toothbrush with cylindrical rubber bands. It will not only clean hard-to-reach places, but also polish the jewelry with rubber parts.
Wet cleaning - standard means
Ammonia pour into a glass jar so that it “covers” the decorations. Add any detergent. Close the lid and shake. Leave for 5 minutes, shaking the container occasionally. If the water darkens, the cleaning process was successful. Immediately remove the product, rinse and wipe dry.
You can simply wipe the chain with a woolen cloth soaked in ammonia and rinse.
It is not recommended to clean products with stones using ammonia!
Aluminium foil It is very often used to clean the chain from sulfide film. Cover a small bowl with foil. Place decorations on the bottom. Sprinkle a good amount of baking soda on top and pour boiling water over it. A couple of minutes and “Voilà” - we take out clean and shiny silver. There is no magic - just a chemical reaction.
Soda can be replaced with regular table salt.
This cleaning can be done by throwing rolled up balls of foil, a piece of aluminum wire into boiling water, or using a bowl made of this metal.
Lemon juice or citric acid. Squeeze the juice from half a lemon into a jar or add a spoonful of lemon. Fill with hot water. Place the chain in the solution and leave for 5 minutes. Remove and wipe off the dark film with a brush. If the product has not brightened enough, lower it into the liquid for another 5 minutes. Rinse and dry the decoration.
Egg yolk fluff with a fork and lubricate the chain with it. Let dry for 10–15 minutes, rinse and wipe with a cloth. The yolk will add shine to the decoration.
Do not throw away hot water from boiling eggs.Place the chain in it for 15–20 minutes. Remove the product from the “broth”, rinse and dry with a cloth.
This method is not suitable for jewelry with stones, like other boiling methods.
Olive oil, which some recommend to clean silver, does not remove the sulfide film from the chain. It is more of a polishing agent. It is necessary to apply oil to the decoration and polish it with flannel or cloth.
Raw potatoes rub on a grater along with the peel. Place the chain in the “shavings” for 10–15 minutes. Rub with a brush directly into the paste. Rinse the jewelry and dry it with a cloth.
Other – unusual methods
Along with traditional “grandmother’s” methods, our savvy people have come up with new life hacks.
Coca Cola. Everyone knows that this “yummy” food is unhealthy. But it can be very useful on the farm. The drink cleans toilets from lime deposits, teapots from scale, and silver from dark deposits.
It is enough to lower the chain into a container with a “magic” liquid and boil for 5 minutes. Remove, remove corroded dirt with a brush, rinse and wipe dry.
Stationery eraser rather, it applies For polishing and adding shine to the product.
Lipstick - an unusual method that is written about on the Internet. “Paint” the chain and rub the lipstick over the surface with a brush in a circular motion. After a few minutes, wash thoroughly with soap and water.
Olive oil and lipstick are quite controversial methods. They are suitable for polishing jewelry. There may be particles of fat left in the chain links, which can harbor harmful bacteria, fungi and mold.
How to clean a silver chain - the best way
The best method for cleaning a chain from dark deposits is a mixture of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide. Pour both products in a 1:1 ratio into a plastic container, place the decoration in there for a couple of minutes, cover with a lid. The water will turn black and all the plaque will go away. Immediately remove the product and rinse and rub with a cloth.
Do not smell or inhale the vapors of this composition!
Another very reliable and fast way. In an aluminum bowl, mix 1 tbsp. l. salt and soda and add water. Place on fire and bring to a boil. Dip the chain into the liquid and “cook” for a couple of minutes, stirring lightly. Remove the decoration and rinse. Wipe dry.
How to restore the former shine to a silver chain?
To make the chain shine like new, It is best to use a silver polish, such as Silver Polish or special polishing wipes.
For polishing, the already listed eraser, lipstick, olive oil, a brush with rubber inserts, or just a clean cloth, flannel or woolen cloth are suitable.
Shine can also be achieved with a cloth soaked in alcohol.
Under no circumstances should you use chlorine to clean silver. There is a possibility of “killing” the decoration.
Prevention of blackness
To prevent blackness it is recommended:
- before swimming in the river, pool, taking a bath, applying cream and masks, remove silver chains, rings, earrings;
- wash floors, windows, laundry and cooking without decoration;
- When removing silver items at night, wipe them with a clean cloth, removing dirt and grease that has accumulated during the day;
- store silver in a dry place, away from the medicine cabinet, and do not leave it in the bathroom;
- wash the chain once a week with tar or laundry soap using a brush;
- periodically polish the product with cloth or flannel moistened with alcohol.
Line the bottom of the box in which the silver is stored with foil and place a packet of silica gel.
Speaking about cleaning silver jewelry, it is worth noting that this is done professionally in jewelry workshops, where they will carry out the “proper” cleaning. Once a year you can use the services of specialists. The rest of the time - using home methods.
When cleaning silver jewelry, keep in mind that silver without inserts is easy to clean. If they have spraying, stones, enamel and other decorative elements on them, you should clean the product with special care.
We hope that the listed methods for cleaning silver chains will be useful to you. Which one to use is up to everyone to choose for themselves. All of them will also be useful for cleaning any products made of “lunar” metal - jewelry, dishes and coins.
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