Nothing is worse than noticing one day that your favorite piece of silver jewelry is tarnished and black. You may be tempted to throw it in the trash, but there are simple cleaning solutions for silver chains and other pieces. You have to first come to terms with the fact that silver tarnishes, you can't stop it and it doesn't matter if it is pure silver or mixed. It oxidizes because of a chemical reaction, called silver sulfate, and that is why it has tarnish and black marks on it. You could try to wear your silver all the time, but that limits your fashion style too.
Polishing cloths are what jewelers recommend to keep the silver looking new. Some companies today produce these with a polishing agent and tarnish inhibitor worked into the fabric. These are soft and are perfect for buffing the chain, removing tarnish and dull areas.
If the tarnish is not coming off with a soft cloth, it may be time to purchase a silver cleaning polish. In general, this is actually a liquid and you just put the chain or whatever right into the solution and let it sit. When it is ready to come out of the solution all you need to do is rinse it off, dry it, and then buff it to bring the shine back.
There are home remedies that people turn to and swear by also. One is the toothpaste method. This is where you will use a white, non-gel, type of toothpaste. You rub it into the chain and gently clean the chain up and down with a soft bristled toothbrush. When you are done, you rinse with lukewarm water and dry. Buffing may be needed after that to enhance the shine. You need to be careful with this method as the bristles on the toothbrush can scratch the silver.
You could also try the aluminum foil and baking soda technique, this one rarely requires any scrubbing unless the black marks are really bad. You simply line a pie pan with aluminum foil, pour boiling water till it is halfway full, and add two tablespoons each of salt and baking soda. Stir that up really good till it is dissolved and then lay the chain in the solution. The chain needs to lay flat and touch the aluminum or it won't work.
The salt, baking soda, and aluminum will react and this acts as a magnet to remove the tarnish. Let it soak for about five to ten minutes and then gently clean the stubborn black spots with a soft cloth or if you choose a soft bristled toothbrush. You can then rinse, dry, and buff or place it in a bowl of clean water with soap for a few minutes before rinsing.
Wearing your silver as much as possible will help reduce the amount of tarnish that accumulates on it, as well as always handling it with clean hands. Tarnished silver is not ruined forever and can be brought back to life with cleaning. Choosing the best method for your silver chains is a matter of preference and which works right for your piece.
Polishing cloths are what jewelers recommend to keep the silver looking new. Some companies today produce these with a polishing agent and tarnish inhibitor worked into the fabric. These are soft and are perfect for buffing the chain, removing tarnish and dull areas.
If the tarnish is not coming off with a soft cloth, it may be time to purchase a silver cleaning polish. In general, this is actually a liquid and you just put the chain or whatever right into the solution and let it sit. When it is ready to come out of the solution all you need to do is rinse it off, dry it, and then buff it to bring the shine back.
There are home remedies that people turn to and swear by also. One is the toothpaste method. This is where you will use a white, non-gel, type of toothpaste. You rub it into the chain and gently clean the chain up and down with a soft bristled toothbrush. When you are done, you rinse with lukewarm water and dry. Buffing may be needed after that to enhance the shine. You need to be careful with this method as the bristles on the toothbrush can scratch the silver.
You could also try the aluminum foil and baking soda technique, this one rarely requires any scrubbing unless the black marks are really bad. You simply line a pie pan with aluminum foil, pour boiling water till it is halfway full, and add two tablespoons each of salt and baking soda. Stir that up really good till it is dissolved and then lay the chain in the solution. The chain needs to lay flat and touch the aluminum or it won't work.
The salt, baking soda, and aluminum will react and this acts as a magnet to remove the tarnish. Let it soak for about five to ten minutes and then gently clean the stubborn black spots with a soft cloth or if you choose a soft bristled toothbrush. You can then rinse, dry, and buff or place it in a bowl of clean water with soap for a few minutes before rinsing.
Wearing your silver as much as possible will help reduce the amount of tarnish that accumulates on it, as well as always handling it with clean hands. Tarnished silver is not ruined forever and can be brought back to life with cleaning. Choosing the best method for your silver chains is a matter of preference and which works right for your piece.
About the Author:
Mr. Pauer is expert in silver jewelry, working over 16 years in silver jewelry business. The manufacturing company (Silver.Ag), he works for, physically stock up to 120.000 pcs of jewlery to be able to dispatch customers orders within 24 hours. The company has over 500.000 customers worldwide.
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