Healers believe that the darkening of silver items indicates problems in the body of their owner. Especially if the chain and pectoral cross have faded.
This is a signal of problems with the kidneys and cardiovascular system. The reaction is associated with high sweating and changes in the acid-base balance of the skin. In addition, people say that silver things turn black, protecting a person from negative energy, as if they “absorb” it into themselves.
At the same time, science explains the appearance of dark plaque by a specific chemical reaction of the metal. It occurs under the following circumstances:
- high humidity in the place where products are stored;
- prolonged contact of jewelry with skin;
- contact with cosmetics and substances containing sulfur ions.
How to get rid of scratches on silver
Pastes
I would call this method the most labor-intensive and time-consuming, but since it still helps get rid of minor scratches and defects, it is worth mentioning. The problem can be solved by vigorous polishing with a soft cloth and a silver cleaner. This can be green GOI paste or regular chalk soaked in water. Through prolonged grinding you will achieve a level surface. But if the damage is severe, this method will not help.
Fine skin
On some products, deep scratches can be removed using the finest sandpaper (“zero”). After this, the surface must be thoroughly polished using GOI paste (for silver, No. 2 is better) and soft cloth or felt. The method, of course, requires increased accuracy and tenderness, since if you overdo it with pressure, the thing can be completely ruined.
Nail files
To eliminate minor defects, nail files with a soft coating are suitable. These are exactly the ones used to polish the nail plate. If the scratch is in an “inconvenient” place, you will have to look for a file with a narrow end to get to the flaw.
Polishing paper
If you can purchase special polishing paper, you can use it to remove scratches from a silver item. Sheets of paper have different degrees of abrasiveness, so moving from rougher to softer, there is a chance to smooth out the damaged area to perfection. The advantage of this paper is that it is convenient to fold and repair even products with small parts in inconvenient places.
Silicone rings
This option also requires the purchase of special things, namely round silicone nozzles. Just like with paper, they come in different forms - from the so-called “sandpaper” to soft polishing ones. The size of silicone circles can be selected according to the product.
To work, you will also need a grinding machine or any of its home equivalents - for example, a bead expander. A silicone ring is placed on the rotating rod of the machine, first for rougher processing and then for more delicate polishing. Such attachments have teeth, so when replacing it is important that they point in the same direction as the teeth of the previous ring.
What you need to remember to avoid scratches on silver
- Keep silver items away from items with sharp edges. Silver is a soft metal, so it is very easy to scratch.
- To avoid mechanical damage to the surface, cleaning items made of white metal must also be done separately from other items.
- Clean items regularly using special or improvised products.
- Do not get carried away with professional polishing too often - this will thin the metal layer.
- Do not use powdered soda to clean silver - this abrasive leaves numerous small scratches.
- Polish silver only with a soft cloth (flannel, felt).
- If you use cleaning sponges, you can polish only with the soft side, but in no case with the rough side.
- Remove jewelry made from precious metals before swimming in the sea or pool.
Depending on the nature and degree of damage, the design of the item itself, as well as financial and other possibilities (attachments and polishing paper cost money), you can choose the best silver restoration option for yourself. But finally, one more piece of advice - start with the gentlest method, if it doesn’t help, move on to more radical ones.
Source
How to clean silver jewelry with stones
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- Sapphire, emerald and aquamarine are high density gemstones. They won't be harmed by cleaning, no matter which method you choose.
- Opal, malachite, turquoise and moonstone are not as dense; abrasive substances can scratch their surface. Therefore, choose mild cleansers or baths.
- Ruby, topaz and garnet should not be cleaned in hot water: high temperatures may cause them to change color.
- Give items containing amber, pearls, coral or ivory to specialists for cleaning. These materials are very sensitive to acids, alkalis and any solvents.
How to polish silver: 3 effective ways
Greetings, dear friends!
Silver is a valuable 925 sterling metal, which is actively used for the manufacture of luxury jewelry and expensive sets of kitchen utensils. It is known that silver ions have disinfecting properties , and the use of silver utensils has a positive effect on health.
Despite all its grace and beauty, this metal, unfortunately, has the tendency to quickly fade. Over time, silver loses its shine, acquires a dark tint, and also becomes scratched. In order for this precious alloy to continue to delight its owner with its brilliance for a long time, it is important to properly care for it. In today's article, we will take a closer look at the most effective ways to polish silver at home without damaging your valuable treasure. Before moving on to considering this issue, it is interesting to know why does silver darken in general?
Which samples can withstand this treatment?
Silver is a very malleable precious metal, so alloys containing 96 percent or more silver are not used to make jewelry or cutlery. The most common samples are 875 and 925. Products made from silver in combination with copper are considered more durable, but they have a yellowish tint.
No matter what quality the product is, even with the most careful handling, it will somehow get dirty and darken. It is possible to treat a silver alloy of any standard with a solution of ammonia.
Why does silver lose color?
From a scientific point of view, the gradual darkening and oxidation of silver can be explained quite simply - contact with sulfur-containing compounds. In everyday life there are many opportunities for such contact - sulfur is contained in many cleaning substances and rubber gloves. In addition, silver darkens as a result of contact with human skin due to the release of sulfates - sulfuric acid salts.
Thus, it is almost impossible to protect silver from gradual oxidation and darkening, which means it is very important to periodically polish silver, and today we will figure out how to do this with our own hands. So
Polishing silver with a special polish
Store-bought polish effectively removes plaque, helping to polish silver to its original shine.
The first thing to start with is choosing the type of polish you need. The fact is that it is produced in three variations:
- in liquid (Talisman - cost about 100 rubles);
- in the form of a cream (Autosol Silver Polish - cost 200-250 rubles);
- in the form of a spray (Emulsio - cost about 300 rubles);
The former is suitable for regular silver processing, while the latter is suitable for items that are too tarnished and large in size. A spray is similar to a liquid.
Having selected the desired polish, apply it to a soft towel and polish the silver. Leave the product for 2-3 minutes.
After time has passed, carefully polish the surface of the product again with a clean towel, paying special attention to areas that are too dark from plaque. Using a soft sponge, rinse off the polish with warm running water, carefully removing stains and particles of the product.
Finally, you need to completely dry the silver item by wiping it dry with a soft microfiber towel. This should be done immediately after polishing to avoid the formation of water stains. All that remains is a test polish and the product will shine like the day it was purchased!
Polishing with baking soda, vinegar and aluminum foil
No less effective way. To do this, you need to prepare a deep and capacious bowl. Cover all inner walls of the container with foil. At the same time, the foil should fit as tightly as possible to the bowl, covering every centimeter of the walls of the dish.
To boil water. The amount of liquid depends on the size of the silver item - it must be completely covered with water.
Add a tablespoon of soda, the same amount of salt and 200 ml of white vinegar to the water. If the product is large, you should double the number of components.
Mix everything thoroughly. Each grain of sand must completely dissolve in water - this is very important!
After boiling completely, add more water and mix everything thoroughly again. Using tweezers, lower the products into the solution for 2-3 minutes.
After the silver has been in the liquid for the required time, remove it and wrap it in a soft towel. Once the items have cooled down, you can begin polishing.
Polish the silver with a soft sponge or cloth, paying special attention to stubborn plaque.
Other cleaning methods
There are many other methods for cleaning silver. These include:
- Egg yolk. Soak a cotton pad in it and rub the product, then let it dry a little and rinse it off.
- Vinegar. Polish the silver with the product for several minutes using a brush or sponge. The vinegar needs to be heated a little first.
- Kefir. Place the decoration in a container with sour milk and leave for 2 hours, then rinse well.
Lemon acid. The product is dissolved in water and simmered in a water bath. They also put a small piece of copper wire and a silver decoration there. Boil for 20 minutes. Wash the silver under running water.- Coca Cola. It is recommended to boil silver in the drink for 10 minutes.
An original way to remove dirt from silver is to clean it with lipstick. Rub the item well with it, then wash it off.
The following methods will also help to give your jewelry a new shine:
- soaking in sour milk;
- rubbing with vinegar;
- polishing with soap mixture;
- soaking in vinegar-soda solution.
After cleaning, you can wash your products not only in plain water; it’s good to add 2 drops of Ferry to it.
A few more ways to polish silver
You can polish silver to its original shine using such simple means as:
Alkazeltzer. By dissolving this effervescent product designed to improve digestion in a cup, you can get a wonderful carbonated solution, after polishing it the silver will sparkle like a New Year's toy!
Ammonia. Mix 100 ml of this component with 200 ml of warm water and dip the product into the resulting solution. After lying in such a liquid for 10 minutes, the dirt and plaque deposited on the silver will dissolve to the last speck. All that remains is to wash, dry and polish the silver with a special cloth.
Tips and tricks
The rapid loss of shine of silver is affected by ordinary air. If you have silver cutlery, it is recommended to store them in chests of drawers, and jewelry in boxes and special cases.
As for silverware, it is not recommended to wash it in the dishwasher, because... The “dishwasher” performs a fairly aggressive wash. To keep silver dishes in their original form longer, it is better to wash them by hand , using a sponge and a mild detergent, and then dry thoroughly.
If you regularly wear silver jewelry, it will darken much more slowly.
You should get a special polishing cloth , which can be found in any jewelry store. It allows you to carefully and effectively polish silver, be it a miniature ring or a massive decorative dish.
It is important to protect silver items from contact with food and chemicals with a high acid content. It can discolor precious metal. In this case, even if you polish the silver, you will not be able to return it to its original shine.
If you often go to the pool, then it is better to remove silver items while swimming - chlorine has a negative effect on silver, destroying it.
You also need to be careful not to forget silver items in the bathroom - due to increased humidity, silver will quickly lose its shine and become covered with plaque.
Precautionary measures
It must be remembered that when cleaning jewelry with ammonia, precautions should be taken. This substance is a powerful solvent and has a strong odor, so it can be harmful to health .
When working with ammonia, you must adhere to the following rules:
- Do not allow skin contact with the solution. It is advisable to work with the substance wearing rubber gloves.
- It is not allowed to breathe ammonia vapors, so cleaning must be done with a respirator or a face covering.
- If the solution accidentally gets on the mucous membranes, you should rinse them with water. If necessary, you should seek medical help.
It is best to use tweezers to remove silver from solution.- After cleaning, the product should be rinsed thoroughly to avoid causing skin burns or poisoning.
- After processing silver, it is necessary to ventilate the room.
If the product is made of gold-plated silver, then it is not recommended to use ammonia solution. For jewelry with stones, the dose of ammonia should be reduced.
