How to Clean Silver and Silver Jewelry

Do you use silver jewelry but don't know how to clean it when it starts to lose its former luster?

Most of us have a silver accessory in our jewelry box, be it earrings, a ring, a chain, or a bracelet. Or maybe even a coin, a souvenir, some cutlery, or a tray made of this metal.

The problem occurs when these items start to turn black or yellow and no longer look like what they were when you bought them.

Silver takes on a yellowish-brown or even black color either due to chemical reactions that take place between the metal and the pH of our skin, or due to the passage of time and wear. This natural process is called silver oxidation.

The specialists show you how to clean silver by easy to apply methods, cheap and sometimes even without chemicals or toxins.

Before reaching this stage, however, it is better to prevent their degradation.

Here's how to put one together for use with your silver jewelry.

Wear them with pleasure and as often as possible! The fat of your skin has a cleansing effect on jewelry. Expose them as little as possible to cosmetic solvents or substances! When cleaning, give up silver rings, bracelets or watches, because they will alter their shine.

The same goes for cooking: egg sulfur, mayonnaise, mustard, or onions can act as a corrosive on silver. The same goes for silver jewelry when exposed to direct sunlight, so it's best to leave it at home when you want to go to the beach.

Cosmetics such as creams, lotions, hair fixatives, and perfumes are among the main factors that alter the beauty of silver jewelry.

So, when you have to go to a party and you want to wear a silver set, it is recommended to wear it after your style and make-up.

Storing silver jewelry is essential in storing jewelry. The ideal is not the jewelry boxes, as we would expect, but the vacuum bags, made of plastic. Oxygen mustn't come into contact with the metal when it is stored.

How to clean silver with natural remedies

You don't have to buy all sorts of silver jewelry cleaning solutions or go to a jeweler every time. You can easily use natural products that you have at hand in your homes, such as baking soda, garlic peels, potatoes, vinegar, citrus fruits, or ammonia.

How to clean silver with lemon/vinegar: all you need is a bowl of lemon juice to dip your jewelry in. Take them out after half an hour, rinse them with warm water and wipe them with a cotton towel or a microfiber cloth.

How to clean silver with ammonia: you need an ammonia solution with a concentration of 10%. Soak the silver in the solution and take it out after 10 minutes, wash it well with clean water, dry it and rub it with a soft towel.

How to clean the silver with potato stew: boil a few potatoes (peeled) in a little water and, after it has cooled a little, immerse the silver objects for 5 minutes. Then wipe it with a soft towel so that there are no traces of the potato stew.

How to clean silver with baking soda, method 1: spread an aluminum foil on the bottom of a bowl, put the silver jewelry, and cover them completely with baking soda.

Pour boiling water over them, just enough to exceed the level of jewelry. You will notice a chemical process that will result in foam. What's going on? During the reaction, the sulfur atoms (which give the jewelry its black color) are transferred from silver to aluminum, and baking soda acts as a catalyst.

You can turn the objects on all sides with a fork to clean them better. After a few minutes, take them out with a tool so that they don't burn and rinse them under a stream of warm water.

How to clean silver with baking soda, method 2: if you have pretentious silver jewelry, with stones or patina, it would be best to clean them with a damp cloth soaked in baking soda, with which to rub them until they recover initial color. Baking soda granules are abrasive and wipe away the oxidation layer as the friction process takes place, the silver gradually turning light in color.

How to clean silver with garlic peel: put garlic peels in a bowl with water on the fire and dip the jewelry. Let them boil together until you notice that the silver regains its color.

How to clean silver with various solutions

If natural products do not catch your eye, you can clean your silver objects and jewelry with various solutions bought from the store or some prepared by you at home.

How to clean silver with toothpaste: Wet the object with water half an hour before and then rub it lightly with a soft bristle toothbrush and toothpaste. Impurities on the silver will disappear immediately and will remain a smooth and shiny surface.

How to clean silver with hydrogen peroxide and alcohol: Prepare a solution of alcohol and hydrogen peroxide, in equal proportions, and immerse jewelry or other silver objects. Take them out after about 20 minutes, wash them with clean water and wipe them with a paper towel.

How to clean the silver with the special solution: put the silver jewelry in the purchased solution for 5 minutes, take it out and rinse it with water, then dry it with a towel.

How to clean silver with detergent: boil the jewelry in a bowl with water and detergent (a teaspoon). After 5 minutes of boiling water, remove the silver, rinse with cold water and dry with an absorbent towel.

Now that you know how to clean silver with our methods, share other tricks you used for this purpose.