Silver objects and jewelry, over the years, accumulate dirt and lose their shine. To provide you with the best tips, we have found a very effective home trick to easily clean silver at home.
The best? You will only need a little table salt, aluminum foil, and hot water. Your silver jewelry will be sparkling!
Silver is a metal that tends to rust. The reason? It is an element that, when in contact with hydrogen sulfide, present in the atmosphere in small amounts, generates a chemical reaction of silver sulfide, something that causes its blackening.
Before cleaning any silver object you need to have the following products on hand: a pair of gloves, a towel, kitchen paper, or cotton swabs. In this way, you will avoid leaving fingerprints on the silver and you will make sure to take all the precautions not to scratch or damage it.
How to clean silver
To clean silver ornaments, clocks, cutlery, frames, and knobs we provide you with two homemade tricks:
- Baking soda and white vinegar
We have already told you about the different uses of baking sodaand vinegar in housework. In this case, both products are ideal for cleaning 925 Sterling Silver objects. Follow these two steps:
Step 1
In a bowl or bowl add a tablespoon of baking soda and add vinegar little by little until creating a paste. Place the paste on a clean cloth and rub the silver objects you want to clean with it.
Step 2
Do this polish for a few minutes, then remove the paste with a clean cloth and you’re done.
Another option, if they are small objects, is to create a solution of vinegar and baking soda solution: 1/2 cup of vinegar plus 2 or 3 tablespoons of baking soda or common salt. Let the silver soak for 2 to 3 hours. Then rinse them and dry them with a dry cloth.
- Hot water with detergent (dishwasher)
For frequent cleaning of silver objects, we recommend using hot water with a little dishwasher. Of course, this action requires a subsequent rinsing with a dry cloth or only dampened in water. The important thing is to remove all traces of detergent from the object.
Clean embossed or embossed silver
If these are objects such as trays, cutlery, or some silver frames that have reliefs, it is best to use a solution of hot water with pH-neutral soap. If you apply the baking soda trick, darkened or aged silver could lose that characteristic shading.
We recommend using a soft bristle brush or moistening a clean microfiber cloth or cotton swab and starting to remove stubborn dirt.
If you use a special chemical to clean the silver, we recommend that you clean the objects outdoors or in a place with good ventilation to prevent the vapors from hurting your health.
Cleaning silver jewelry and jewelry
Silver jewelry also collects dirt. With these three homemade tricks, you can clean 925 sterling silver earrings, rings, or pendants (or silver plated jewelry ).
- Aluminum foil, baking soda, and hot water
For this homemade trick, first line the bottom of a container (cup or bowl) with aluminum foil . Next, pour in a cup of hot water and two tablespoons of baking soda.
Put the jewelry in and let it soak for 2 to 5 minutes. Then remove with a toothbrush that you no longer use or a wooden spoon. Remove the jewelry, rinse it in cold water and then you can dry it with kitchen paper (absorbent), with a clean cloth, or allow it to air dry.
If you don’t have baking soda, you can substitute salt for it and follow the above process. The soaking time can be from 5 to 10 minutes.
- Toothpaste to clean silver
Toothpaste is another great product for cleaning silver jewelry. To do this, apply the toothpaste on the surface to be cleaned and once it is dry, remove it with a dry, polish cloth.
How to polish silver
To polish small silver ornaments or jewelry, you can resort to the classic grandmother’s trick and use sodium chloride (common salt ) to polish silver jewelry.
- In a bowl pour a cup of boiling water.
- Add a tablespoon of salt .
- Dip the silver jewelry and leave it in the solution overnight. The next day, remove the jewelry, dry it with a towel, then a clean cotton cloth.
Silver care tips
As important as cleaning them is knowing how to take care of them to prevent dirt from encrusting or scratching shiny jewelry.
After cleaning, store them in airtight or anti-stain bags
If you have silver jewelry, try not to pile them up to prevent them from deteriorating.
Avoid the use of chemicals and/or abrasives. If you do, try to read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully to obtain the expected result.
Silver reacts to chemicals in perfumes, creams, makeup, or hair sprays, even with the natural oils present in the skin. Therefore, it is advisable to clean silver jewelry regularly.
