Silver, like any other material, requires special care. Today we will talk about how to clean this noble metal with soda.
Causes of pollution
Currently, there is not a single house where there would be no products from silver. It can be elegant table sets, candlesticks that have been granted from grandmother, a pair of series of earrings or bracelet. Silver has its own modest charm and during the time of ancient Egypt, it was valued on a par with gold, and sometimes exceeded it in price. This metal is appreciated now.
Silver cutlery do not lose their relevance. They are beautiful, durable and give the nobility of any table serving.
Over time, silver products tend to lose their kind: they are darker, and sometimes green or blue flare appears on them. Why is it going on? One of the factors of the darmentation of this metal can be increased humidity, as well as such an impact may be provided with regular contact with human skin, Therefore, it is possible to distinguish three factors that increase silver dullness:
- dampness;
- cosmetics with gray;
- Human sweat
The same product may not darken for years at one owner, whereas the other will change its color in a matter of weeks and even days. The whole secret lies in the specific composition of the person's sweat. Thus, in the body of one can be an increased content of nitrogen and sulfur, and it is their excess that leads to the rapid oxidation of silver.
Another important factor is the location of medicinal or cosmetics, in close proximity to silver products.
How to clean?
Clear your darkened decorations and household items from silver at home is quite simple. First you need to figure out What exactly all the alloy are made by your products:
- coin;
- sterling;
- black;
- matte;
- filigree.
Remember that filigree and black silver are not cleaned. Their black gives them sophistication and charm, so do not try to clean them - it will only spoil the product. In addition, check the decorations for these stones as:
- coral;
- amber;
- pearl.
If your decorations are decorated with them, then it is not recommended to clean them. Trust this work a professional, since there is a risk to ruin decorative inserts.
It is pretty easy to clean the silver products with the help of special purchased drugs, but it is expensive and optional. Today we will talk about how to clean your silver at home with the help of ordinary soda, vinegar, salt and foil. These are pretty simple methods, and they successfully work for a long time. Thanks to the ability of soda to penetrate complex curls and bends of jewelry, as well as remove any flare, the home cleaning method is so loved by many hostesses. Besides, The use of foil allows you to return to silver former shine.
For all methods, use household rubber gloves, they will remove your hands, from unnecessary consequences. Consider some successful ways:
- On 1 liter of water, you need to take 2 tablespoons of soda and stirring, put this solution on fire. When it boils, it needs to be placed a piece of aluminum foil. There we put our products from silver and keep 15-20 minutes. All this time, we gently mix the composition with a wooden blade or long skewer so that silver continuously concerned the foil. After that, we take out and rinse it under running water. Then the products must be wiped out and polished with a soft cloth;
- On 1 liter of water, we add 1 l soda, 1l salt, a bit of detergent and pour this solution into aluminum dishes. I bring to a boil and lay silver jewelry there. Boil on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring constantly. Watch the decorations brightenily uniformly. Then we rinse in running water, wipe the towel and polish the soft cloth. Our decorations are pure and sparkling again;
- Take a deep container where decorations can fit. Will it all aluminum foil and place all silver products there. Then pour the food soda so that it completely covers silver. Boil the water separately and fill with these boiling water with soda decoration. Wait until the reaction is over: the soda will hiss and foam. After 10-15 minutes, we get decorations and rinse with clean water. Then wipe and polish;
- If a green or blue shade is placed on your silver products, most likely it is mold. Prepare a piece of matter and 6% vinegar. Moisten the fabric to vinegar and wipe it the products. If this method does not help, there is another option;
- Take the glass container and cover it the bottom and the walls of the aluminum foil. Pour there with 100 ml of vinegar, 1 st l soda and 1 h l salt. Mix everything with a wooden spoon or blade so that there are no contact with metals. Then place silver items there, close the lid and leave for 10 minutes. When you see how water becomes dark, it means silver cleaned. Then drain the solution, remove the products and rinse with clean water. Dry and polish;
- It is necessary to prepare gloves, brush, vinegar and soda. In a small capacity it is necessary to mix vinegar and soda until the casis is obtained. Then, putting the gloves and taking the product in one hand, the second, lowering the brush in the cleaner, clean our decoration. After cleaning, we rinse objects under running water. This method is suitable for cleaning decorations that do not contain stones and smooth surfaces, as it can leave the smallest scratches.
Non-standard methods
Coca Cola
Pour this drink into the container and place your silver products. Leave for 12 or more hours, then rinse under running water. The acid contained in the drink will help clean the darkening on the metal.
Hydrogen peroxide
When using this method, you need to be exactly confident in the composition of the products, as it is suitable only for completely silver products that do not contain impurities. Otherwise, your decorations can be spoiled. For cleaning you need to mix in equal proportions Ethyl alcohol and 3% hydrogen peroxide.
Then in this solution omit our products. Jewelry must be kept for 15-20 minutes. Cutlery 60 minutes. After exposure in this solution, the products are washed and wipe dry.
Dentifrice
This is one of the simplest methods for which both dental powder is suitable and the usual toothpaste. It is necessary to take an old toothbrush and smoem it with water, omit into powder, then clean the product. Such a method is convenient For cleaning just jewelry with their small details or chain links. As in the previous methods, it is necessary to wash the purified decoration and wipe thoroughly.
If there was no food soda in your house, soda is suitable for washing. It is more concentrated, because for the preparation of solutions you will need it slightly less.
It is important to remember that it is more eager and should avoid its skin getting.
How to store?
Consider how it is necessary to store silver jewelry correctly:
- They should be brushing 1 time per year if it is cutlery and 1 time per quarter if it is decorations;
- The remaining sachets for absorbing moisture can be placed together with silver products. It will keep them from dampness;
- Do not hold next to silver perfume, cosmetics and medicines;
- Cutlery will well persist and do not darken if you wrap them with foil;
- After each contact with water, silver jewelry should be removed and thoroughly wipe dry;
- If your silver decoration darkens very quickly, it is recommended to shoot it overnight.
If these simple tips are met, you will save the purity and glitter of your silver products.
About how to clean silver with soda, see the next video.