How to clean cupronickel?

From time immemorial, cupronickel cutlery has been considered an invariable attribute of wealthy houses and owners with good taste. The table for the invited guests was served with silverware. However, cupronickel does not have the best property - it loses its shine under the influence of moisture. So cleaning knives, forks and spoons, as well as women's jewelry from this capricious alloy leaves the hostesses a forced scope for "creativity".

To understand why cupronickel is fading, one must imagine its origin. Even in ancient China, it was established that a beautiful light metal is actually not precious - it is copper, nickel and small impurities. The Europeans, to whom cupronickel got under the name Pakfonga, christened the miracle alloy "new silver". Then the French intervened and gave cupronickel the name of the brothers-chemists.

Since the copper in the alloy is half its volume, oxidation cannot be avoided. And small inclusions of iron and manganese add to the "windy" "new silver" an almost black color with dark blue stains. This is the nature of pollution.

Provokes darkening of the silverware and cleaning in the dishwasher. Any, even minor, metal contacts with agents that contain chlorine enhance the oxidation reaction. Here, as they say, it's all about chemistry.

To clean cupronickel at home is a tedious business, but its rules are quite simple. For example, you can prepare 50 grams of soda, the same amount of ammonia. Stir any of the ingredients in a liter of heated water and rub the dull cupronickel. If the browning is not very old, your silver will shine again.

Try placing forks and spoons on the foil lining the bottom of the pot. Pour water on top and salt. The devices must completely "sink". As you boil (about three minutes), the food foil will darken and the spoons and forks will lighten.

It is quite easy to use chalk to update alloy products. It is crushed, diluted with water to a creamy state and cleaned with cupronickel porridge. The effect is impressive. Especially if you are not too lazy after cleaning and how to polish the devices.

By the way, a toothpaste containing silicon oxide and tooth powder is also suitable for this procedure. The paste is applied to the products using a damp cotton swab and wiped actively.

Perfectly brings cupronickel to the desired gloss dishwashing liquid. Dilute it slightly in a saucepan with boiling water, froth it. Put dirty forks, spoons, knives, including those stained with grease, in the solution. Let the day "soak", and you stir them periodically. In the morning, brush over all surfaces with a toothbrush.

If you decide to clean tableware with a chemical composition, then choose one that is specially created for cupronickel. Their consistency is varied: gel, emulsion, paste. Remember to wear gloves and ventilate the area after work. And also keep in mind: the cleaning powder will also be effective in this case, but there are large particles in it that can scratch the vulnerable cupronickel. When using powder, do not press on the surface of the products and do not apply special force - wipe them with gentle movements.

A quick result gives sodium thiosulfatethat you buy at any pharmacy kiosk. It is necessary to apply it to a sponge, process forks, spoons and knives, and then rinse the products with clean water.

There is also such a way of cleaning cutlery as their soaking in warm milk whey. Dip knives, spoons, cupronickel forks in fresh milk whey. Let the solution work in a heated form for 20 minutes. Then take out and wipe dry.

With the galvanic method, cupronickel is also brought to a shining look. For this, cupronickel devices and some other metal object, for example, a nail, are placed in one basin. A weak current is passed: the "minus" is connected to the cleaned things, and the "plus" is connected to the "third-party" metal. 24 volts is enough to clean the cupronickel spoon. But here you have to be at odds with physics, not to confuse anything. This is an extreme method to achieve your goal.

Many housewives believe that forks, cup holders, and other accessories from table cupronickel cannot be effectively cleaned, but washed. Here again is a good recipe for washing spoons or knives. using food foil (the solution is prepared by boiling foil in a saucepan with salt; try pouring potato broth instead of a liter of water).

It is easy to bring the darkened accessories to a shine by means of such a popular recipe: pour a liter of water into the container, boil, put the crushed shell of two chicken eggs and a tablespoon of salt. This composition is my cupronickel.

It will be useful for devices made of cupronickel and citric acid procedure. You need 100 grams of acid per liter of water. A piece of copper wire should also be put there. Add soiled spoons and forks and boil for 15-20 minutes. The stains come off. Then forks and spoons should be rinsed, wiped and stored.

This is not a complete list of options for washing cupronickel. With not the most catastrophic contamination, a good effect is given by soaking spoons and forks in carbonated drinks (for an hour and a half), boiling with garlic peels, a solution of hyposulfite with water in a ratio of 1: 5. This substance is usually used for processing photographic films.

Of course, one always wants to see the most luxurious appliances on the festive table. Therefore, cupronickel knives, forks and spoons are often decorated with gold plating. These sample cutlery sets must be cleaned separately from all others. To do this, soak a cotton swab in wine vinegar or turpentine and walk over the gilded surfaces.

Cupronickel is quite popular for making not only dining room attributes, but also for creating original jewelry. It is believed that cupronickel looks quite presentable in rings, earrings, bracelets, pendants. But taking into account the specifics of the alloy, from time to time, such jewelry must be cleaned.

It is better not to experiment with this, and use a specially purchased chemical agent for delicate cleaning. As a rule, the application notes describe in detail what to do. So you just have to put on gloves and follow the instructions. A mixture that you can easily prepare, apply to the ring or bracelet and carefully cover the entire surface with it.

The stones with which the cupronickel ring, bracelet or ring are decorated, you have to clean separately. Most of all dust and dirt accumulates in the frame under the stone. The stones themselves fade too. There is an easy way to bring back their shine and transparency.

You can cope with the task with an ordinary cotton swab or a match with a wound piece of cotton wool. Dip a cotton swab into a bottle of cologne, wipe the stone and the frame from the top and bottom. Your instrument should not be sharp, otherwise you will damage the jewelry. Finally, carefully polish the ring with a flannel cloth.

Since cupronickel products are perceived as silver, they, undoubtedly, should shine no worse than precious metal. At home, it is quite possible to achieve this, although not so easy. Cupronickel must be polished. To achieve a sparkling effect, the options below are suitable.

"Macaroni" way:

• Boil water in a saucepan.
• Put pasta in it and mix them with dark cupronickel spoons.
• Leave the spoons along with the cooked pasta for another 20 minutes.
• Take out, towel dry and polish. Shine comes back easily.

With chalk:

• Crush the chalk, collect soap shavings and fill it all with a liter of water.
• Soak a cloth with the composition and polish objects with it. Then wipe dry again.

With toothpaste:

• Apply any detergent to the product.
• Apply toothpaste on top and rub thoroughly. Tooth powder works for this too.

In order for any products from cupronickel to retain their shiny appearance, and you were freed from rather long cleaning operations, you need to learn a few simple rules for storing devices made of this metal.

Experienced housewives always have at hand tightly twisting natural boxes, wooden boxes, where you can also hide spoons, knives, jewelry for safe storage. In this case, be sure to add a piece of chalk to the products. It will inhibit oxidation due to its chemical composition.

In general, all your actions to keep cupronickel things clean should be aimed at creating maximum dryness. Make sure that after use and washing the cutlery is thoroughly wiped clean and does not have any drops on it. Cupronickel is well kept wrapped in food foil.Never put cutlery made of different metals in one pile. "New Silver" should always be packed separately for storage.

Prevention of dirt and dullness is washing cupronickel only in cold water. After each use, the products should be treated with a bleaching agent containing soda or alcohol. Close to cupronickel it is impossible to "let" chlorine - there is a catastrophic reaction for it, and it will immediately darken.

When you know all the rules for caring for appliances, your table for a gala dinner will be served only with mirrors, in which the cheerful lights of bright chandeliers play. A pleasant evening with friends is guaranteed.

For more information on how to clean cupronickel, see the next video.