Silver products require periodic care, as over time this metal darkens, becomes covered with plaque and black spots. Especially often this happens with jewelry that comes in contact with the skin, such as silver chains. They oxidize very quickly and fade.
Silver does not like moisture and cosmetic creams. How to clean a silver chain at home? First you need to determine if silver has impurities of other metals. This happens if it is of low sample. Most often there is an alloy of silver with copper. If such a product begins to become dirty, a greenish coating appears. It can only be removed with a special cleaning solution.
How to clean a silver chain at home?
If the product is not very dirty, it is possible to use improvised materials available in the house for cleaning.
Try to put toothpaste on silver and rub it with a soft brush or even with your hands. After thoroughly wiping the product, rinse it with plenty of water.
Ammonia not only cleans plaque, but also gives shine. This method is suitable for cleaning dishes made of silver, since there is no possibility of scratching the product. It is necessary to dissolve two tablespoons of ammonia in a liter of water, it would be nice to add hydrogen peroxide. Silver is placed in the resulting solution and kept in it for some time. Then the products are wiped dry with a soft cloth.
For complex and small items there is a special recipe for how to clean silver. A chain, for example, due to its weaving, is sometimes difficult to wipe from a dark coating. Mix ammonia, toothpaste or powder in equal proportions, dilute with water. With this abrasive compound, carefully process the chain along its entire length. Rinse the product well after such cleaning.
If radical cleaning is required, the sodium hyposulfite used in the development of photographs is suitable. Silver is washed in its solution, wiping the blackened places with a soft cloth. Rinse thoroughly with warm water after cleaning.
How to clean a silver chain at home without resorting to potent compounds? There is a slightly unusual way. A little water is poured into a metal foil, salt, soda are added and just put jewelry in this mixture for 30 minutes. Dark plaque disappears by itself.
Attention: all these methods are absolutely not suitable for jewelry with pearls. In general, one should be very careful in choosing what to clean silver jewelry with precious stones on.
Is it possible to avoid the darkening of silver
In order not to be tormented by the question of how to clean a silver chain at home, try to prevent exposure that causes oxidation. Each time, going to do homework, take a shower or apply cream, remove jewelry. If contact with moisture does occur, wipe them dry with a soft cloth. Store silver jewelry separately from each other. In order not to darken the silverware, keep it wrapped in foil.