How to clean silver with soda?

Silver, like any other material, requires special care. Today we’ll talk about how to clean this noble metal with soda.

Currently, there is not a single house where there would be no silverware. It can be elegant dining sets, candlesticks inherited from my grandmother, a couple of sets of earrings or a bracelet. Silver has its modest charm and in ancient Egypt was valued on a par with gold, and sometimes exceeded its price. This metal is appreciated now.

Over time, silverware tends to lose its appearance: they darken, and sometimes a green or blue coating appears on them. Why is this happening? One of the factors of darkening of this metal can be increased humidity, and also such an effect can occur with regular contact with human skin, therefore, there are three factors that increase the dullness of silver:

• dampness;
• cosmetics with sulfur;
• human sweat.

One and the same product may not darken for one owner for years, while for another it will change color in a matter of weeks or even days. The whole secret lies in the specific composition of a person's sweat. So, in the body of one, there may be an increased content of nitrogen and sulfur, and it is their excess that leads to the rapid oxidation of silver.

To clean your darkened jewelry and household items from silver at home is quite simple.First you need to figure out what alloy your products are made of:

• monetary;
• sterling;
• blackened;
• matte;
• filigree.

Remember that filigree and blackened silver cannot be cleaned. Their blackness gives them sophistication and charm, so you should not try to clean them - this will only ruin the products. In addition, check the jewelry for the presence of stones such as:

• coral;
• amber;
• pearls.

It is quite easy to clean silver items with special purchased products, but it is expensive and not necessary. Today we’ll talk about how to clean your silver at home with ordinary soda, vinegar, salt and foil. These are fairly simple methods, and they have been working successfully since ancient times. Due to the ability of soda to penetrate into complex curls and bends of jewelry, as well as to remove any plaque, the method of home cleaning is so loved by many housewives. Besides, the use of foil allows you to restore silver to its former luster.

For all methods, use household rubber gloves, they will protect your hands from unnecessary consequences. Consider several successful ways:

• for 1 liter of water you need to take 2 tablespoons of soda and mix, put this solution on fire. When it boils, you need to put a piece of aluminum foil in it. We put our silverware there and hold it for 15-20 minutes. All this time, gently mix the composition with a wooden spatula or a long skewer so that the silver continuously touches the foil. Then we take out and wash it under running water. Then the products need to be wiped and polished with a soft cloth;
• add 1 liter of soda, 1 liter of salt, a little detergent to 1 liter of water and pour this solution into aluminum dishes. Bring to a boil and lay silver jewelry there. Boil over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring constantly. We make sure that the decorations lighten evenly. Then we rinse in running water, wipe with a towel and polish with a soft cloth. Our jewelry is again clean and sparkling;

• Take a deep container where jewelry can fit. Line it all with aluminum foil and place all the silver items there. Then sprinkle with baking soda so that it completely covers the silver. Boil the water separately and pour in the boiling water over the decorations filled with soda. Wait until the reaction is over: the soda will hiss and foam. After 10-15 minutes, remove the jewelry and rinse with clean water. Then wipe and polish;
• if a green or blue tinge appears on your silver jewelry, it is most likely mold. Prepare a piece of cloth and 6% vinegar. Dampen the cloth with vinegar and wipe the items with it. If this method does not help, there is another option;

• take a glass container and cover its bottom and walls with aluminum foil. Pour 100 ml of vinegar, 1 tbsp of soda and 1 tsp of salt there. Mix everything with a wooden spoon or spatula so that there is no contact with metals. Then put silver objects there, close the lid and leave for 10 minutes. When you see how the water begins to darken, then silver is cleansed. Then drain the solution, remove the items and rinse with clean water. Dry and polish;
• you need to prepare gloves, a brush, vinegar and soda. In a small container, mix vinegar and soda until gruel is obtained. Then, putting on gloves and taking the product in one hand, the second, lowering the brush into the pulp, we clean our jewelry. After cleaning, rinse objects under running water. This method is suitable for cleaning jewelry that does not contain stones and smooth surfaces, as it can leave the smallest scratches.

Pour this drink into the container and place your silver items. Leave on for 12 hours or more, then rinse under running water.The acid in the drink will help clear the browning on the metal.

When using this method, you need to be sure of the composition of the products, since it is suitable only for completely silver products that do not contain impurities. Otherwise, your jewelry may be damaged. For cleaning, mix in equal proportions ethyl alcohol and 3% hydrogen peroxide.

Then we lower our products into this solution. Jewelry should be kept for 15-20 minutes. Cutlery 60 minutes. After exposure to this solution, the products are washed and wiped dry.

This is one of the simplest methods for which both tooth powder and regular toothpaste are suitable. It is necessary to take an old toothbrush and moisten it with water, lower it into powder, then clean the product. This method is convenient for cleaning jewelry with small details or chain links. As in the previous methods, it is necessary to rinse the cleaned jewelry and thoroughly wipe it.

If there is no baking soda in your home, washing soda will do. It is more concentrated, because for the preparation of solutions you will need it a little less.

Consider how to properly store silver jewelry:

• they should be cleaned once a year if it is cutlery and once a quarter if it is jewelry;
• the remaining moisture-absorbing bags can be placed with silver items. This will save them from dampness;
• Do not keep perfume, cosmetics or medicines near silver;
• cutlery is well preserved and will not darken if you wrap them with foil;
• after each contact with water, silver jewelry should be removed and thoroughly wiped dry;
• if your silver jewelry darkens very quickly, it is recommended to remove it at night.

If you follow these simple tips, you will keep the purity and brilliance of your silver products.

See how to clean silver with soda in the next video.