Clean Silver: 7 Infallible Methods
November 07, 2017
Silver is one of the most beautiful, and extended the world metals. This "brightness of the Moon" around us in the form of jewels, but also other parts: tableware, cutlery, picture frames... And unfortunately we all know the silver gets ugly. It darkens to lose all its luster, leaving a sad looking, that makes us think more about "junk" than in a precious metal.
Fortunately, cleaning silver is simple. It's an easy craft, which requires some diligence on your part, but it offers spectacular results: nothing like clean that piece of silver, and see it shine again as the first day. So I'm going to explain to you 7 systems or tricks to clean silver, so you choose which best fits to your needs, your resources, or your parts.
Why gets ugly silver?
Basically by two factors that you can't control: the air, and your own / or.
As air is concerned, the problem is a poison commonly called hydrogen sulfide (H2S). This is the gas responsible for many of the "bad smells" that we perceive (called also "sewer gas," with that I say everything), and for example found in natural gas, or result from the decomposition of some foods.
This gas, which traces in the atmosphere are as usual, is responsible for the darkening of silver. Contact the silver, is given a chemical reaction that generates silver sulfide (Ag2S), leaving the compound set on the surface of the silver object.
And while all this is happening, entering game, we, the people: the pH of our skin, our sweat compounds, including what we eat or with what we medicamos, contribute to accelerate the chemical reactions explained before.
Result: silver black. The solution? It is in your hands.
How to clean Silver: 7 methods
1. The Prevention
It is not more to remember it. Although the process of blackening of silver is almost inevitable, we can put on our part so that the pieces are better protected. Remember, separate blackening, another problem of these pieces are the scratches, scratches and other marks. To avoid to the extent possible, and also better protect the jewels of the environment, the main thing is to save them to a jeweler. But not piled up. The typical hodgepodge of pendants and rings mixed in a box without compartments only serves to make scratching each other. It is important to have a jeweler with their compartments, and possibly with cotton or some other soft tissue that quilt pieces.
2. The Eraser
This does not appear in any article about how to clean silver, and everyone is shocked when I explain. But it is surprising the amount of stains that can be removed from a piece of silver by applying just a pencil eraser. Don't forget to try it before you jump to other more expeditious methods.
3. Sodium Bicarbonate
We started with something more elaborate methods, seeking above all a chemical reaction that would eliminate that layer of silver sulfide. The first trick, one of the most well known, is to use baking soda. Create a paste with water, spread it on the surface of silver you want to clean, and then wipe well with a soft cloth. That will be the sulfur ahead.
4. The Toothpaste
This is an even more "home" than the previous Variant. The components of the paste react with the silver sulfide, eliminating the sulphur. So in very large parts (for example, trays or silver teapots) you can use toothpaste. First you must thoroughly clean the surface with SOAP and water, and then apply the paste with a cloth. Leave it for a few minutes, and delete it with another round of SOAP and water. And you can already use that deck as a mirror, if you like.
5. The Ammonia
A more expeditious system. Personally, and given the risks and the options available, is that I least like to use. But it works well if done correctly. It's mix of water hot with another of ammonia, exactly in the same proportion. This combination removes sulfide of silver at great speed, but ammonia is a very abrasive agent: If you spend, can end up affecting piece. In fact, if it's a jewel in which there are gems, or especially pearls, it is better you forget it, because to them it will affect them. Ammonia, for example, corrodes the mother-of-Pearl covering the Pearl, and gives that special shine.
6. The combined "Dishwasher"
A blend that gives good results: a glass of hot water, a handful of salt, a tablespoon of vinegar, and a stream of liquid detergent. Removes well (interested in salt will go dissolving in water) and dipped in this solution the pieces of silver. Leave them a quarter of an hour, rinse them under running water, and dry with a cloth: as new.
7. Aluminum Foil
A more elaborate method, but it offers wonderful results for cleaning silver. It's take a container (a cube, a large bowl... depends on your parts) and line it with aluminum foil. Then you only have to fill it with hot water and salt. A curious chemical reaction takes place to place the pieces of silver: salt chlorine reacts with aluminum, taking down the road the silver sulfide, and instead leaving pure silver. Give ten minutes so that the reaction is complete, take out the silver, dry it, and enjoy the results.
4 Tips to clean silver
With the methods explained above already have a wide range of options for cleaning silver and leave it as the first day.Methods are, in addition, that can serve both for large parts, dinnerware, etc, and silver jewelry (with precautions already commented). However, there are 4 tips that I want to give, and that will help you in cleaning your jewelry and pieces of silver.
- Brush and chamois: often have to clean silver engraved, or forms that make it difficult to clean the whole surface with a cloth. On these occasions, you need to use a brush, soaked in the formula you used. It is important to have soft bristles (you don't want to scratch the silver), and rub in a straight line. On the other hand, when you've finished cleaning, it is important to dry the piece with a soft cloth, and rub it to get the brightness. That gives the final touch, leaving the silver to put in a display.
- Wax: A common silver coin is the candlestick. Many times, it's candelabra that we use, and therefore it is normal for having stuck "impossible to remove" wax. Well, to clean the piece, you will have to remove it. But you can not think to do it with the nail, or a stick, or anything like. It is as simple as filling a cube or a pan with very hot water, and leave there inside the chandelier. The water will take wax, and then you already clean the chandelier in the solution that you prefer.
- The specific products: all the solutions mentioned above are homemade, and ecological. But if you don't have the means, or the mood, remember that in many supermarkets sell special products for cleaning and repairing scratches on the silver.
- Outdoors and gloves: elements such as ammonia, or other combinations, produce toxic gases, as you well know. And ultimately, to the a el limpiar clean you are eliminating sulphur. Remember to always do this in a ventilated, so that fumes do not accumulate, and use gloves to clean the jewelry.
Cleaning silver jewelry with gemstones
Clean any gem that carry embedded gemstones in general, represents an added difficulty. I leave here a series of ideas that you should keep in mind:
- You may not use very hot water, gems depending on the technique of setting used, are fastened with own metal that surrounds you, whether grain, claws, etc. However, for many jewelry currently adhesives are used to fasten them. Be very careful because the heat of the water can weaken the adhesive properties and thus cause the fall of gems.
- Rub with extreme caution, important that is a very soft bristle brush.
- Prevents the sheets of cloth, since it is very easy that a thread to catch some of the crimping flange, and that may damage the jewel or even start the stone.
- If you wear pearls you never use ammonia as the protective layer of nacre is eaten, ruining the Pearl and leaving it off, rough and ugly. To clean silver jewelry with pearls the best is generally limited to the warm water with neutral SOAP, only water or, very carefully rubbing with a chamois or soft bristle brush. And then allow to dry in the open air for quite a while, so dries also the thread that links the pearls if it's a collar.
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