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Jewelry periodically needs to be cleaned and polished, as its appearance deteriorates as a result of oxidative processes when exposed to air. Even high-grade silver and gold require high-quality cleaning at least once every 4-6 months. How to clean jewelry made of precious metals - below are 9 effective and simple home methods.
Classification of costume jewelry
Despite the fact that all jewelry made from base metals belongs to costume jewelry, they are classified into groups depending on their purpose. You can find 3 types of jewelry on sale:
- Classic. Analogue of jewelry made of precious metals. Costume jewelry is made from simple metals and then coated with gold or silver plating. Some elements are decorated with artificial stones - cut glass, zirconium or artificial pearls.
- Avant-garde. Made according to an individual sketch by hand. In the process of creating jewelry, a master can use: polymer clay, leather or plastic. Semi-precious stones, rhinestones, and beads add sophistication to avant-garde jewelry.
- Ethnic. It represents decorations in the style of folk motifs. The product consists of stones, animal fangs, feathers or wood.
Causes of darkening
You may have noticed that any jewelry made from base metals darkens over time. This process is explained by the property of metals to enter into oxidative reactions with other substances. Since jewelry comes into contact with skin, air and water during wear, these reactions occur faster. In particular:
- when metal interacts with water, skin and air, the product loses color due to oxidation;
- during contact with other products, the coating may be scratched;
- When it comes into contact with household chemicals, the surface of jewelry quickly loses its shine and color.
To protect jewelry from possible oxidative processes and defects:
- remove all jewelry before water procedures;
- protect products from contact with any detergents;
- store jewelry in a box or soft box;
- For especially valuable jewelry, buy a separate fabric bag.
Don't despair if your favorite earrings or rings have darkened. They can still be restored to purity and shine.
Citric acid is a great remedy!
You can clean silver with citric acid in just 15 minutes. To do this, you will need a glass liter jar, into which you need to fill half of the water. Place the jar in a water bath and let the water boil. After boiling, 100 grams of citric acid is poured into the container and (!) a piece of copper wire is placed on the bottom of the jar. After this, you can dip your jewelry into the resulting solution. The product must be kept in boiling water for 15 minutes. Then dry and polish them with a soft cloth.
Advice! The copper wire can not be placed at the bottom of the jar, but can be used as a loop/loop for stringing products. After you put all your rings, earrings and bracelets on it, it will be very convenient to place such a bunch in a boiling solution of citric acid and remove it from it.
Cleaning silver with baking soda and foil
If the silver has become very dark, you can use a very effective cleaning method - using foil and soda. All you need to do for this is cut out a piece of food foil, place it in a saucepan and spread silver items over the surface. Fill it all with water so that the decorations are completely hidden and place the container on the stove. When the water boils, you need to pour a tablespoon of soda into it. A violent reaction will begin and foam will form - don’t be alarmed, as a result of the chemical process, silver jewelry will be cleaned just perfectly and can be removed within 10 minutes. Polish them with flannel and no one will distinguish old jewelry from new.
When baking soda is added, abundant foaming will begin - this chemical reaction will completely remove all contaminants.
How to clean silver at home
Unlike gold, which simply tarnishes slightly, silver can develop a layer of black patina that detracts from the appearance of the item. But there are effective ways to clean silver that do not require expensive pastes and powders. You just need to find easily accessible products in your closet that are found in every home. To remove blackness you can use:
- Powdered chalk;
- Dentifrice;
- Baking soda;
- Ammonia;
- Salt;
- Lemon acid;
- Vinegar.
Something from this list will certainly be found in the far corner of the closet and you can proceed directly to cleaning the product.
