How to clean a chain of silver, or Operation "Brilliant result"

Silver in ancient times was valued more than gold. He was credited with a certain magical power and ability to heal diseases. Forged coins, jewelry, cutlery and even weapons. It was believed that if the metal changes color during socks, this is a warning about the owner’s imminent illness.

In the modern world, there is no mystery about why a silver chain blackens, as a rule, they do not look out for. But the problem of decorating jewelry is still relevant.

Why shine fades

The reasons why a product made of a noble metal loses its original shine, as a rule, are associated with the nuances of socks. Especially when it comes to a chain that is in contact with the body. Here are the main factors that affect the appearance of jewelry:

• sweating
• cosmetics;
• perfumery;
• humid climate;
• salty sea water.

Why is the silver chain and cross still darkening? From improper care. Also, the decoration may fade if for a long time lying idle in the box.

What do jewelers offer ...

In jewelry workshops, they advise cutting several options than cleaning a chain of silver. For example, you can buy a special liquid solution, use a double towel to remove dirt and polish the product, or order an ultrasonic cleaning service.

• Jewelry Most often, this is a special liquid that copes with the results of oxidation and plaque in just a couple of minutes. The kit includes a brush and a mesh basket for immersing products in a solution. The latter device avoids direct contact and protects hands from exposure to the product. You can choose a liquid for cleaning products with inserts. However, in the case of amber, pearls, turquoise, there is a risk of damage, so it is important to read the instructions on the tube. 200 ml of such cleaning fluid costs an average of 170 rubles (data for June 2017).
• Reusable cotton napkin. It is impregnated with a special solution, which allows not only to tidy the faded decoration, but also prevents oxidative processes. Does not scratch the surface, is suitable for stone care. The shelf life of the product is not organic, no washing is required. Price - 135 rubles per piece measuring 14 × 7 cm (data for June 2017).
• Set of disposable napkins. Tear-off or sealed in separate bags. Sometimes they go in pairs - dry and wet. A package of 12 pieces in a tube (tear-off) costs 400 rubles (data for June 2017).
• The ultrasonic apparatus. The decoration is placed in a special bath - a device that can be bought for home use. The flows of ultrasonic waves literally push dirt out of the chain links. The cost starts from 1100 rubles (data for June 2017). The device also cleans gold and jewelry. The procedure is carried out using ordinary water, lasts from five to 15 minutes. After cleaning, wipe the product dry.

The described methods are simple and work 100%, but cost money. Is it possible to save money, quickly and efficiently clean the chain with the means that are always at hand? There are options.For example, a method with toothpowder is heard. With a wet toothbrush, it is distributed over the surface of the product.

This method is good for simple products. For example, rings without “flourishes”. But for curly products and chains with many links - it is not ideal, since the brush fibers cannot penetrate into all the recesses and corners of the pattern. But zealous housewives got the hang of shining jewelry and using other household means - from soda to soap.

... and ways to clean a silver chain at home

Take a peek into the cupboard and first aid kit. There is a whole arsenal of tools that are useful in the process of ridding jewelry of plaque. You can imagine yourself in the role of an alchemist, then cleaning will become not only useful, but also fun. So, we begin the experiments and check the effectiveness of the main folk remedies.

Potato steeping

1. Peel raw medium-sized potato tubers and grate finely.
2. Pour gruel with cold water.
3. Lower the chain into the resulting starchy liquid.
4. Five minutes later, remove the product.
5. Rinse off.
6. To polish with a woolen or cotton cloth.

Ammonia treatment

1. Prepare a soap solution.
2. Add ten drops of 10% ammonia.
3. Leave the chain in the product for 20 minutes.
4. Remove decoration, rinse.

Boiling with soda

1. Dissolve two tablespoons of soda in ½ liter of water.
2. Bring the solution to a boil.
3. Add two to three pieces of foil.
4. Put a chain in boiling liquid.
5. If the product has only slightly faded, then it is enough to boil it with soda and foil for three to five minutes. And in order to get rid of a stubborn plaque, the procedure time should be increased to 15-20 minutes.

Night way

1. To clear the silver chain of blackness, you need to mix the following components in equal proportions (three teaspoons): soap solution, vodka, lemon.
2. Lower the chain into the cooked product.
3. Leave until morning.
4. Remove, rinse.

Doubtful and dangerous advice

At the forums, the housewives share other tips on how to clean the silver chain. For example, boiling with cigarette ash and lemon juice helped someone. Others write that they managed to wash the silver chain by preparing a solution of laundry soap and vinegar at home. There are also original tips to clean the silver chain ...olive oil. In this case, the "juice" of the olive literally rubs the product.

The network has recipes for bleaching jewelry with hydrogen peroxide. However, this is a method with many question marks. Indeed, peroxide is able to bleach silver. But the problem is that in the alloy of modern products there are impurities of other metals. For example, copper. And in this case, the reaction will be exactly the opposite: a persistent coating will appear, which can no longer be removed.

Care Features

Despite the fact that there are simple ways than cleaning a silver chain at home to make it shine, it is better to minimize the frequency of aggressive effects on the metal. Preventive measures will help:

• before bedtime - it is recommended to remove the silver chain;
• to the gym, bath, sauna- it is better to go without silver items;
• after each sock - jewelry should be wiped with a soft cloth to remove the remnants of sweat, perfume and cosmetics;
• with liquid - the product should be immediately wiped dry;
• store in a casket - with fabric upholstery so that different decorations are not in contact with each other;
• the box should be far away- from drugs and cosmetics, so that silver does not oxidize under the influence of possible fumes.

You can also apply a layer of colorless varnish, then the product will retain its original appearance longer and it will be possible to return less often to the question of how to clean a silver cross from black at home.