How to clean silver that has turned black? Discover the secrets!

We often wonder how to clean silver that has turned black. But there are some very practical homemade recipes that can restore the shine of your jewelry and any other piece you have.

Certainly the silver It is an item that many love, its fans who use everything from accessories to decorative items, deal with a question that many people don't know how to answer!

Well, we're talking about the difficulty in removing the darkening from silver objects. So cleaning silver ends up being a problem, but there are super easy methods to How to clean silver that has turned black.

What can cause silver to darken?

Also called silver, silver is a material that is sensitive to the darkening process, which is a consequence of its contact with the environment in which it circulates.

In fact, there are several objects that we can use in silverware:

• Toys
• Bracelets
• Necklaces
• Rings
• Cutlery
• Cups
• Trays
• Crossbars
• Vases
• Mirrors
• Musical instruments and several others.

Therefore, there is the blackest layer which is the silver sulfide, created by and in response to the material and sulfur derivatives that remain in the air, such as hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide gases.

As well as, the sweat that our body releases is a villain that also causes darkening. Because this sweat has compounds, such as sodium chloride, when mixed with any of them, it speeds up this process of darkening the silver.

What possible solutions can we have in these cases?

There are certainly a lot of people racking their brains trying to figure out how to make silver shine again.  

First of all, do some maintenance so that your parts last longer. Let's see guidelines for each one:

• Jewelry: in their case, it is recommended to store them in dry, dark environments, preferably in plastic or fabric bags.
• Household items: As for them, first, avoid leaving them near products with chemical substances, such as those containing sulfur or chlorine.
• Tip: Substances such as bleach (or hydrogen peroxide) and perfumes remove all the shine from your silverware. So, be careful when handling these materials.
• Plates or cutlery: When you wash them, soak them if you can't clean them right away so they don't stick.
• Tip: Do not use the roughest parts of the sponges to prevent the silver from scratching, and do not even think about steel sponges!

Before storing items in your closet, wrap them in plastic wrap, leaving no part uncovered, reducing contact with the environment. This way, the pieces will stay polished for longer.

So check out the recipes on how to clean silver that has turned black!

Right after we briefly explained the reasons why silver turns dark, now we show you the methods to clean it once and for all. Let's get started!

In total there are 8 ingredients that you may have in your home and that help to remove all the darkness from your pieces.

Baking soda

This ingredient is ideal for this type of service, however when used it can be abrasive on more refined pieces, as its chemical compound tends to degrade the surface of the silver.

Therefore, this is a recommended method cheaper parts!

1. Step: in a pan with 400ml of water, two tablespoons of baking soda and the silver pieces, leave on the heat.
2. Step: As soon as it starts to boil, remove from the stove and let it soak until the mixture cools down. Then, rinse the pieces with soap and water and dry well.

For larger silver pieces, dampen a cloth with the same combination of water and baking soda and wipe them. After doing this, continue with your usual washing routine.

Toothpaste

It may seem like a myth, but it's true that toothpaste is used to clean silver and other objects. On silver, this toothpaste reduces the appearance of scratches and restores its shiny tone.

1. Step: use a sponge or brush (soft bristles), applying toothpaste to the entire piece, without applying too much force so as not to cause further scratches on these pieces.
2. Step: then, wash them with soap and water, polishing them with a flannel when they dry.

Salt and aluminum foil

Certainly the most practical recipe, as salt is its main ingredient and everyone has it at home!

So when the aluminum foil and water react, they restore the shiny appearance of the metal pieces. Let's get to the recipe?

1. Step: Pour 1 liter of hot water into a container, along with 3 tablespoons of 2 tablespoons of baking soda.
2. Step: Arrange your silverware and small pieces of chopped aluminum foil.
3. Step: after soaking for 30 minutes, continue rinsing, washing and storing them according to the instructions provided.

Water and aluminum foil to whiten your rings

Try it now and see that a cup with salt and aluminum foil allows your silver rings to return to their previous shine.

Banana peel

Not only combat acne, spots and those wrinkles on the face, the peeling of banana It is a great silver polish.

To achieve this result, use a flannel or any other cloth, polish the materials as usual, but with the inside of the banana peel.

White vinegar

1. Step: In a bowl, make a mixture with 500ml of boiling water and a tablespoon of detergent and three tablespoons of white vinegar.
2. Step: Use a cotton cloth dampened in this mixture to clean the silver pieces. After that, wash the pieces and dry them.

Beer or cola

This last method is a practical tip, because you only need beer or cola.

Here, simply place your pieces in a narrow, tall bowl, filling its entire volume with these liquids.

It may seem like a waste, but by immersing silver pieces in these liquids, all the black layers are worn away.

See, How to clean silver that has turned black here in the Kitchen Manual It's easy to learn and very useful for our daily lives!