Many people like silver, and even prefer it to gold. But unlike gold, silver is easy to care. Probably, all owners of silver jewelry, trinkets or dining sets from the metal, are wondering how to clean silver at home and return the product of a pristine shine and luster.

"Moon" metal

The first silver jewelry appeared in around 5000 BC in Egypt. Silver metal has long attracted people stylish cold brilliance. At some times, silver was valued as gold or even above it.

Astrologers believe silver "moon" metal that fits born under the sign of Cancer or Monday. Ornaments made of metal endowed with special qualities, were considered magical. Some of the legends associated with silver, were later confirmed by scientists. For example, today it is proved that silver possesses antibacterial properties.

Silver - noble, chemically stable metal having high ductility. But unlike the other precious metals, silver in air still oxidized. For example, silver darkens on contact with hydrogen sulfide.

Many people believe that silver jewelery which are worn continuously (eg, crucifix) darken if their owner ill. According to scientists, this statement is not entirely true. On the darkening of silver is influenced not so much a disease as part of human sweat. If the pot contains a large amount of sulfur, then quickly covered with a dark silver coating. At the same time, those whose sweat contains large amounts of nitrogenous substances, darkening of silver jewelry is less common. Darkening of the metal and may cause some cosmetic products.

Over time, the metal tarnish, it appears pink, black, dark green or gray patina. This coating does not look too appealing, so care is required to silver. Silver jewelry cleaning services are offered by many jewelers, but they easily can be cleaned independently. This does not apply to ornaments with some stones: pearl, coral and amber are very sensitive to chemicals that are used to clean silver. One careless movement - and the decoration will be hopelessly spoiled. Victims may inserts and other stones. Therefore, products with better cleaning stones still give professionals.

General recommendations

Before cleaning silver chemicals products must be cleaned of dirt, dust, sweat and cosmetics residues. Hot soapy water will cope with such pollution. You can use liquid soap or dishwashing liquid. Grime from the surface of the jewelry is convenient to remove the old soft toothbrush.

You also need to figure out a sample of silver. For the manufacture jewelry using different types of silver alloys, each of which has its own characteristics. To clean 925 silver compounds are used alone, but for some alloys require special tools.

Professional compositions for cleaning silver

In jewelry stores you can buy special tools for safe cleaning of silver. Use these compounds is simple: just pour them into a suitable container, and then immersed in the liquid for a few minutes of decoration, that it shone like new. Besides often means not only removes plaque and prevent its occurrence, posing on a metal surface a thin protective film.

A greenish patina on the products made from the alloy of silver and copper can be removed with a ten percent solution "Trilon B". This means a few minutes, the solution layer of plaque, after which it will be possible, if necessary, clean the product, other silver compounds.

Sometimes it is not possible to buy special compositions for cleaning silver. Fortunately, the metal can be easily and simple to clean, which is in every house - salt, soda, and other smelling salts.

Home remedies

The easiest way to clean silver soda. Jewellery and utensils stacked in a deep container, generously sprinkled with powder baking soda and pour boiling water. In this solution, the product should be left to cool and then wiped with a soft cloth.

You can dilute soda with a little water to make a thick paste. Use a soft brush to apply the paste on the surface of silver jewelry for a few minutes. After that, just need to rinse and rub the silver with a soft cloth.

Sometimes used to clean silver and ordinary toothpaste. Do not choose a paste with whitening effect and solid abrasive particles. Same procedure as in the case of soda: applied with a brush to the surface, wash and wipe.

Dark spots are cleaned well with silver ammonia. Ammonia should be diluted with water at a ratio of 1:10. The duration of the bath with smelling salts for silver - five or six hours. After that the product should be rinsed with water and dried. Ammonia can be used for the prevention of pollution: just periodically wash the silverware in soapy water with a few drops of ammonia to make them look like new.

Silverware should regularly refresh the boiling solution of salt and cream of tartar (2 tablespoons of salt and 10 grams of cream of tartar to half a liter of water). A product of nickel silver is best to use boiling water, which added a tablespoon of salt and shells of two eggs.

Maria Bykov