How to clean a silver chain?

Silver is a beautiful, attractive, even mystical metal. Special importance is attached to jewelry made from it. Many believe that the silver chain conveys information about the physical and mental state of its owner, and if the silver darkens, the person has health problems or was jinxed. One can doubt the relationship between the appearance of a dark coating on silver and the health of the owner, but the owner will have to refresh the darkened metal in any case. If you don’t want to give your piece of jewelry to a jeweler for cleaning, you can clean the silver chain using homemade methods.

Based on modern scientific information, the appearance on silver of a gray, black, greenish or rusty coating is caused by absolutely objective reasons, although some of them are related to the vital processes of the human body, which regularly uses this jewelry.

The darkening process of silver is a chemical oxidation reaction, the result of which is the formation of the thinnest film of sulfur sulfide on the metal, sometimes with an admixture of copper or iron oxide, giving, respectively, greenish or yellowish tints.

Being an objective sluggish process, the oxidation of silver, however, can be accelerated by the action on the metal of some external factors, namely:

1. Constant high air humidity;
2. Regular exposure to bright ultraviolet light;
3. Contact with chemical elements such as sulfur and hydrogen sulfide.

Since the presence of sulfur in human sweat has been scientifically proven, a constantly sweating person will notice the darkening of their silver jewelry fasterthan one who is free from such a physiological deficiency. Excessive sweating is typical for people who often catch colds, for the elderly, and for those who take certain types of medications. These categories have to pay particular attention to the condition of their silver jewelry.

Hydrogen sulfide is present in the composition of some cosmetic preparations; it can be dissolved in seawater and is found in the chemical industry. That's why it is recommended to remove the silver chain when relaxing at sea, when applying cream or when working with chemicals. Intense solar radiation is, on the one hand, the cause of active perspiration of human skin, on the other hand, it becomes a catalyst for the oxidative process.

The quality of the metal also matters. The slowest oxidation occurs on the surface of 925 sterling silver jewelry, or, as they say among jewelers, on the surface of sterling silver. Therefore, experts recommend this type of silver for everyday wear.

The plaque that appears on silver is sulfur sulfide, it is just a coating in the form of a film and can be removed even by home methods. That is why you can independently clean almost any silver jewelry and objects to a shine, be it rings, bracelets, a cross or silverware.

However, the cleaning approach will differ due to the quality of the metal, as rust or copper oxides may need to be removed in parallel. Also, cleaning can be complicated by the presence of a coating or inserts that must be able to properly clean, without violating the identity of the decoration.

There are a lot of ways to clean silver, to decide which one to give preference to, it is worth reading user reviews.

This method of purifying silver is very risky. This is due to the peculiarity of the chemical reaction between hydrogen peroxide and metal. Since the composition of the silver alloy can be completely unpredictable, it can contain components that, when exposed to hydrogen peroxide, will blacken even more.

A similar effect has been repeatedly described in messages on the forums of jewelers, warning the owners of silver jewelry against this method of cleaning. Darkening can be partial or complete, but in any case, the appearance of the chain will be hopelessly spoiled. At the same time, it is mentioned that in order to "save" the damaged product, the owner will have to contact a specialist jeweler, since it will be impossible to cope with such a reaction at home.

Wash the silver chain in vinegar, judging by the reviews of those who have tried this method, it is quite safe. However, it must be remembered that in this case we are talking either about a 9% solution of food vinegar, or about a bite of wine, which is filtered to remove sediment. It is dangerous to purify silver with vinegar essence, or a thick sediment that may be present in wine vinegar.

Vinegar does an excellent job, since it contains acid, the concentration of which is sufficient to affect the sulfur sulfide film. At the same time, it is not capable of causing damage to such a soft metal such as silver.

In the event that the silver chain has only minor contamination, it will be easiest to wipe it with a soft cloth dipped in a vinegar solution and restore its original shine.

To remove more serious stains, you will need to apply more cardinal method, which is designed to remove medium dirt:

1. The chain fits into a plastic container;
2. Then a 9% solution of food vinegar is poured, which completely covers the chain;
3. For exposure, both 20-30 minutes and up to one or two hours may be enough; you have to visually control the cleaning process;
4. Then the chain is rinsed under running water and polished with a soft cloth.

The following method is suitable for dealing with significant browning on the chain:

1. We heat table vinegar until it boils;
2. We omit the chain;
3. Remove the solution from heat and leave for 15 minutes;
4. Using tweezers, take out the chain, rinse it under running water and leave it to dry on a soft napkin.

Citric acid is not difficult to get at any of the grocery stores.

She successfully affects the black plaque that appears on the chain. The process of its removal is a sample of a mild chemical reaction, for the full course of which it is required carefully observe all the prerequisites.

Method number 1, which is used for cleaning with citric acid, is simple, it perfect for restoring lightly soiled silver jewelry, for example, for a gray chain:

1. Pour half a liter of water into an enamel pan;
2. We dilute in water 30 gr. citric acid;
3. Bring the solution to a boil and turn it off;
4. We put the chain in a hot solution and leave it for half an hour;
5. We remove, rinse with water and wipe dry.

Method number 2 is used for significantly darkened jewelry, it is also suitable for removing rust from the chain:

1. We breed 20 gr. citric acid in 100 ml of water;
2. Place the food foil on the bottom of a small enamel pot;
3. Put the blackened chain on the foil, wrap the edges of the foil so that the decoration is "in an envelope";
4. Bring the composition to a boil, then reduce the intensity of the fire and continue to boil for 10 minutes;
5. The appearance of black or yellow flakes in the water is an indicator of the cleaning efficiency;
6. We remove the chain with tweezers, trying not to touch the flakes floating on the surface of the water, otherwise they will again settle on the metal;
7. We rinse the chain in running water, wipe it with a microfiber cloth, gently polishing it.

Method number 3 will help to cope with significant contamination:

1. We dilute 20 g of citric acid in 100 ml of water, pour the resulting composition into a container for a water bath;
2. We place a chain in the prepared solution;
3. Then we lower a small piece of copper wire there;
4. We heat the solution in a water bath and boil for 30 minutes;
5. With care we take out the chain from the hot solution;
6. We rinse the chain under running water and let it dry, wiping it with a soft microfiber cloth from time to time.

At home, you can wash a silver chain from blackness with the help of many available tools.

One of the very common techniques, as Internet users write, is to remove black plaque from silver using a solution of ammonia, which can be purchased at every pharmacy and used at home. according to the recipe below:

1. In 100 ml of water we dilute 1 teaspoon of ammonia and a small amount of dishwashing detergent or liquid soap;
2. We place the darkened silver chain in the solution and keep it in it until the metal is brightened;
3. We wash the chain and wipe it dry with a soft cloth.

You can quickly and effectively clean a darkened silver chain using regular table salt. The advantage of using this substance is that salt is always at hand for every housewife. There are many ways to purify silver with salt. Among them there are very simple ones that are suitable for removing a small plaque from the decoration, but there are also quite complex ones that can restore the color of even a neglected product.

Method number 1, which is recommended for cleaning a slightly darkened chain:

1. We spread the chain on the surface of the flannel or microfiber;
2. We abundantly fill the decoration with table salt;
3. We roll up the fabric with the contents and place it on the bottom of a glass or plastic container;
4. Fill in water, completely covering the package, and leave for an hour or an hour and a half;
5. After removing, rinse the chain under running hot water, wipe and polish.

Method number 2 will help to remove moderate contaminants from the links of the chain:

1. Put food foil on the bottom of the plastic container, on which we put the chain;
2. We fill the decoration with salt mixed with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in equal proportions;
3. Close the edges of the foil and fill the package with hot water;
4. The exposure time is 1 hour, after which we take out the chain;
5. We wash the jewelry under running water, wipe and polish with a soft cloth.

In addition to the above methods of removing plaque from silver jewelry, which users call reliable and proven, there are many very unexpected ways to clean this metal on the Internet.

For example:

1. A method in which raw potatoes are used. Rub 1 potato on a fine-mesh grater, squeeze the juice, in which the chain is soaked until the desired effect is obtained;
2. A method using potato broth, in which the decoration is "boiled" for half an hour;
3. A method in which the chain is placed in food foil, placed on the bottom of a saucepan and poured with hot potato broth, leaving to act for 20 minutes;
4. A method using Coca-Cola, in which the chain is simply poured with a fresh drink and left in this state for 1 hour.

In the event that the chain has very serious dirt or if the owner of the jewelry does not trust home cleaning methods, he can always purchase one of professional cleansers for silver, which is offered in every jewelry store.

The manufacturer positions this product as a safe and effective composition for quick cleaning of silver jewelry. Judging by customer reviews, this drug copes with its task at a C grade. The cost of a 100 ml bottle is from 250 rubles to 500 rubles.

The solution, which has a high acidic composition, is therefore capable of cleaning the silver chain very quickly and efficiently. It is necessary to use this composition with gloves; it is necessary to lower and remove the product with tweezers. The cost of 50 ml is about 60 rubles.

This tool is reusable, it cleans the jewelry literally within a minute, protects for some time from the appearance of plaque, as evidenced by customer reviews. The cost of 50 ml of the product is approximately 64 rubles.

This preparation cleans not only black, but also green plaque from the surface of silver. Many users are satisfied with it, but they advise not to leave the chain in this composition for more than half a minute.After cleaning, Leuchtturm creates an invisible protective film on the surface of the chain, thanks to which the shining appearance of the jewelry is preserved for a long time. The product costs about 400 rubles for 250 ml.

This cleaning agent is highly rated by consumers, it copes with dirt in 2-3 minutes, without violating the integrity of the enamel inserts. The cost of 150 ml is approximately 350 rubles.

One of the most effective ways to restore blackened silver jewelry is the following:

1. Place the chain on a piece of food foil, fill it with plenty of salt and wrap it in an "envelope";
2. Pour a soap solution prepared from 1 teaspoon of any soap, grated on a fine grater (it is best to take laundry soap) and 200 ml of water into a saucepan;
3. We put the bundle with the chain in a soapy solution;
4. Bring the solution to boiling point, then reduce the heat and continue to boil for 15 minutes.
5. We remove the chain from the hot solution using tongs and leave it to cool completely;
6. We wash the cooled chain under running water, wipe and polish.

Sometimes the silver chain not only darkens, but also takes on a greenish tint. This effect is due to the significant presence of copper in the silver alloy.

Conventional means to cope with such a plaque will not work, you either have to resort to a professional drug Leuchtturm made in Germany, either purchase a domestic product Trilon B.

You can buy these compositions in the numismatic departments, as they are widely used for cleaning coins. Trilon B is also sold in the stores of companies that service heating systems, as it is used to wash radiators.

To clean silver from green plaque using Trilon B, you must strictly follow the instructions:

1. We prepare a 10% solution in a non-metallic container. In order to obtain a similar concentration, mix 10 g of powder and 100 ml of warm water;
2. Soak the chain for 15 minutes;
3. To remove the chain, be sure to use plastic tongs;
4. Remove the greenery from the chain using a soft toothbrush;
5. Thoroughly rinse the chain, then dry it;
6. To give additional brightness and freshness to the decoration, we wipe it with a napkin dipped in a solution of ammonia.

A few simple rules will help you use silver jewelry and store it in such a way that so that they delight the owners for many years:

• You should not dump all the jewelry in one heap, since silver is the softest of jewelry metals, and if stored improperly, it deforms very quickly, the chains break. According to the reviews of jewelers, it is precisely with mechanical damage to silver items that the largest number of clients turn to them.
• It is advisable to purchase a special box with separate compartments for storing silver rings, bracelets and earrings. Keep your silver chains in their cases. As a last resort, you can use small plastic bags for storage.
• Avoid storing silver jewelry in places with high humidity, as this will lead to the rapid appearance of a dark coating. Or pack each piece of jewelry in a plastic bag or food foil to protect the silver from moisture in the air.

• Also, silver is negatively affected by high temperatures, so you should not wear silver chains and rings in the sultry summer at sea or store near heating appliances.
• Silver should not be stored in places where the sun is constantly lit, as this will lead to a loss of the metal's luster.
• It is advisable to polish silver jewelry as often as possible with a soft microfiber cloth.

It is not advisable to allow the darkening of the metal, which requires significant cleaning efforts.It is best to do a preventive surface treatment with a mild cleaning agent.

Jewelers advise to wear silver jewelry as often as possible, since it has been noticed that this metal looks better when it is in use all the time. With prolonged storage, it becomes dull and loses its wonderful shine.

For information on how to clean a silver chain in 5 minutes, see the next video.