Loss of original shine silver products is explained by several factors: the formation of an oxide film due to exposure to oxygen, the influence chemical substances(shower gels, cosmetics, chlorinated pool water), clogging small decoration elements with dust and dirt particles. Cleaning silver with soda and foil effectively removes all of the listed types of contaminants. It belongs to the category of chemical, as it is caused by the reaction of aluminum and soda with water.
This method is not suitable for cleaning blackened silver. Dark areas will become faded, and white areas may appear stained from the oxide film that has settled on them.
How it works?
The recipe requires only 3 ingredients:
- baking soda;
- baking foil (aluminum);
- water.
Soda plays the role of a cleansing and bleaching component. In addition, it enters into a chemical reaction with aluminum and water, during which atomic hydrogen is released. It is he who restores metal from oxides. As a result, the oxide film from the silver is removed and cleaned. Sometimes it immediately dissolves in water, but more often after treatment the product needs to be wiped with a soft cloth to remove any remaining plaque.
Step-by-step instruction
The procedure will not take much time. It will take about 15 minutes to do everything. At the same time, no special knowledge or skills are needed - the method is absolutely safe for use at home.
So, how to clean silver using foil and baking soda?
- Tear the foil into a deep bowl (for example, a mug), add baking soda and stir. For 200 ml of water you will need 2 teaspoons of soda and a piece of foil approximately 15 cm by 10 cm.
- The next step is to place silver items in a container and pour boiling water on top. Be careful! A reaction will occur and foam will form, which may spill onto the table.
- Without waiting for the water to cool, after 5-10 minutes you will need to remove the silver and wipe it with a soft cloth. After this, the products will sparkle like new.
During the cleansing process you will feel bad smell hydrogen sulfide. Don't be alarmed, it indicates that a reaction has occurred and the silver is actively being purified.
How to enhance the effect?
There are several options for using the recipe. Cleaning occurs even in cold water when soaking. However, in this case you will have to wait from 1 to 2 days. Many, on the contrary, strive to intensify the reaction so as not to wait, but to immediately get a clean, sparkling product out of the solution.
- To enhance the effect, the classic recipe includes laundry soap and salt. The proportions are: 500 ml water, 2 tbsp. spoons of soda, 1 tbsp. spoon of table salt, 2 tbsp. spoons of grated soap or the same amount of dishwashing detergent.
- Heating always speeds up a chemical reaction. Therefore, in order to clean silver as quickly as possible, the solution with the products can be brought to a boil over low heat. But no more than half an hour!
- Instead of regular baking soda, you can use baking soda for washing. It is more caustic, so the concentration must be halved (1 teaspoon per 200 ml of boiling water).
Using foil you can not only clean silver, but also store it. It protects the metal from darkening (oxidation). To do this, each product is wrapped in a thick layer of foil and stored in a dark place, for example in a box.
In conclusion, the foil and soda method is effective and allows you to quickly and effectively clean silver at home. However, it is better not to take risks with expensive products. It would be better to delegate this task to a professional jeweler or purchase special remedy. To clean silver, wipes, washing and cleaning solutions are produced (Tableau, HG or other companies).
Silver that has become tarnished or covered with a black coating can easily be restored to purity and shine using the simplest materials at hand: soda and foil. Once you know how to clean silver with foil and baking soda, you can do it in minutes.
Please note that these ingredients are suitable for processing both silverware and jewelry, but provided that the jewelry does not have natural precious stones.
A prerequisite for cleaning silver using foil is that all objects must touch its surface.
During the reaction, a weak electric current is generated, which helps clean the metal from dirt and silver sulfide, which causes darkening of the surface.
Method No. 1
Take a small deep bowl and line its entire surface with foil. Place the silver jewelry in this bowl and add baking soda until the powder completely covers it. Pour boiling water over the soda and wait for the reaction to complete. When the baking soda stops fizzing (after 10 minutes), remove the cleaned jewelry, rinse it with clean water and dry it.
Method No. 2
Pour 500 ml of water into a saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of soda. Wait until it boils and place a piece of aluminum foil at the bottom of the same container. Turn off the heat. Now put your silver items in the water and keep them there for about 5 minutes. During this time, silver sulfide will react with aluminum and the silver will be purified. Carefully remove items from the solution and rinse with cold water. Dry the items thoroughly before storing them in the box.
Method No. 3
Line the bottom of the container with foil and place the silver jewelry in a single layer. Fill them with a mixture of soda and salt (1:1 ratio) and drop a little dishwashing liquid. Fill the container with boiling water and leave for 10 minutes. Once your silver items are clean, rinse them under running water to remove any remaining cleaner and dry them.
Method No. 4
Severely tarnished silver can be cleaned as follows. Cover the pan with foil and lay out the silver so that it lies in one layer and each item is in contact with the foil, but does not touch the areas of the container that are not protected by it. Take baking soda and salt in a 2:1 ratio and dissolve this mixture in hot but not boiling water. Fill the pan with the solution (the water should completely cover the items) and wait 10 minutes.
Remove silver items one at a time and scrub them well with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Dirt accumulated in hard-to-reach corners will easily peel off from the metal. Rinse cleaned items with clean water and dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.
Silver is the second-ranked jewelry metal after gold, but in the hearts of many fashionistas it takes an honorable first place. Graceful, stylish jewelry, with semi-precious and precious stones They suit any outfit and perfectly emphasize both radiant youth and the splendor of maturity. But unfortunately, silver has one unpleasant drawback - over time it loses its shine and darkens.
Pure silver without impurities has properties similar to gold and does not change color. However, such metal is used only in industry. The jewelry alloy contains copper, which darkens when in contact with sulfur. Sulfur gets onto jewelry from the surrounding air and from human sweat. Therefore, for example, chains and pendants darken faster than earrings or rings.
Clean silver as needed
The rate at which dark deposits appear on jewelry also depends on the sample. Budget silver 875 and 925 are produced with a significant percentage of impurities, so they are guaranteed to darken. The more expensive 999 standard will retain its shine much longer. But silver jewelry coated with rhodium is not in danger. And in 10 years they will shine like new.
And yet we prefer to buy silver jewelry without a protective layer. Because the characteristic color and even slight blackening are a distinctive feature of noble metal. Such rings, bracelets, and earrings can never be confused with jewelry. And excess blackness can be easily removed using several time-tested methods. And soda is the first assistant here.
Methods for cleaning silver
There are three main ways to restore the original shine of silver:
- soak,
- boiling,
- mechanical cleaning with a brush or cloth with a cleaning mixture.
The following substances are used: ammonia, soda, tooth powder, salt, foil. Soda is most suitable for large items: dishes, cigarette cases, business card holders, candlesticks. It is also good to use for jewelry that has darkened in hard-to-reach places that cannot be cleaned with a brush or is dangerous. Clean your silver in the following order:
- Remove simple stains by washing the product in a cleaning solution. The solution can be prepared from shampoo, dishwashing liquid, liquid or plain soap.
- Clean using any recommended method.
- Wash thoroughly again.
- Wipe with a soft cloth.
- Let the item “rest” for 2-3 days. During this time, a protective layer will form on it, and dirt will stick to the surface less.
Soak
The method is well suited for small and not very dirty products.
- A solution of salt and soda
Baking soda perfectly cleans silver, so why is it recommended to add salt? The fact is that some experts believe that if you only use baking soda, there will be less shine. Salt helps to obtain a shiny surface for cleaned products.
Bring two glasses of water to a boil and dissolve 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of salt. Place silver in the solution for 20 minutes.
- Ammonia, soda, tooth powder
Prepare a solution from a glass of water, a tablespoon of soda and 5-10 drops of ammonia. Stir well and place the decorations there for several hours. To enhance the effect, you can clean objects with a mixture of tooth powder, water and ammonia before soaking. But this must be done extremely carefully to avoid scratches.
- Foil and baking soda for cleaning silver
Method 1
Mix the paste from two ingredients. Take a little water to slightly dissolve the soda. Cover the bottom of the container with foil and place silver items on it. We try to ensure maximum contact with the foil. Pour in the slurry and leave for 10–15 minutes.
There are several ways to clean silver with foil.
Method 2
Pour 0.5 liters into a saucepan. water, pour a couple of tablespoons of soda. Bring to a boil, lower the product and a small piece of foil into the solution. After 10-15 minutes, take out the sparkling silver. Don't forget to wash and dry your jewelry.
Dissolve baking soda and salt in cold water. Roll the foil into balls and throw them in there. We place the silver in the container, wait 15 minutes and get almost new jewelry: clean and with pristine shine.
After the procedure, rinse the products thoroughly under the tap. This way you will prevent the formation of a sulfate film. Do not use any of these methods on blackened items. It may disappear forever, and the artistry of the subject will be lost.
Soda boiling
If you need to clean silver cutlery at home, use boiling soda.
- Proportion for solution: 3 tablespoons per 1 liter of water.
- Place foil on the bottom of the pan (it will prevent the metal from oxidizing), place the items to be cleaned, fill with the solution and boil.
- Average boiling time kitchen utensils- about half an hour. It all depends on the size of the item and the degree of contamination.
- After boiling, you need to rinse the equipment thoroughly, rub it until shiny with a soft cloth and hide it in a dry place.
Boiling soda for objects wrapped in foil has proven itself to be excellent. This way you can put dishes, cups, and cigarette cases in order. The whitening effect will be more noticeable, and you will not have to worry that the foil will move and the devices will oxidize.
Mechanical cleaning
There is a ban on cleaning products with stones and other elements using aggressive agents. Silver will return to its original appearance, but the stones may be damaged irrevocably. It is also not recommended to bleach jewelry with fine filigree, enamel, or engraving yourself. Moreover, the artistic essence of filigree and engraving lies in the contrast of blackened silver with light areas.
For products with stones, especially natural ones, there are special cleaning rules
It is better to entrust the restoration of the original beauty of jewelry with stones to professionals. However, there are special ready-made solutions, sprays and even cleaning wipes for such exceptional cases. They remove natural stains well and remove dark spots. It is only important to follow the instructions.
But not all stones are susceptible to cleaning. You definitely shouldn’t take risks with amber or expensive first-line precious stones: sapphires, rubies, diamonds. Amber will fade, diamonds deserve more gentle care. But artificial zircons of any color will not be damaged by cleaning procedures in soda-ammonia solution. A few drops of ammonia and half a teaspoon of baking soda per glass of water are acceptable for a gentle whitening regimen.
Mother-of-pearl, pearls, opal, amber inserts are afraid of any detergents. Therefore, it is recommended to carefully wipe the products with a cloth soaked in soda-ammonia solution, and use cotton swabs in areas near stones.
Cleaning gold-plated items
Unfortunately, gilding on silver items is not durable anyway. She comes off over time without any outside help. But such decorations need to be put in order. It is recommended to wipe them with weak soap solutions with the addition of ammonia.
You can use regular beer. If you put gold-plated rings or earrings in beer for 30 minutes, the darkening will be significantly reduced.
Recently, silver items with thin gold plates soldered onto the base have appeared on sale. This kind of gilding, if you can call it that, lasts almost forever and is not afraid of abrasion. For these decorations, soaking in a soda-ammonia solution is suitable. There is no need to boil them.
Silver items will stay clean and shiny longer if stored properly. Basic Rules:
- Use separate boxes, cases, and soft bags for storage.
- Maintain moderate humidity in the room. You should not leave rings, earrings, chains or bracelets on bathroom shelves.
- Beware of contact with medicinal ointments, sprays, plastics, detergents, cleaning products, products, rubber.
- Silver has no place, either in the gym or in a hospital bed. In both cases it is superfluous and is subject to the aggressive effects of skin secretions.
- Remove jewelry before showering, swimming in the pool, visiting the sauna, or applying cosmetics.
Video: three ways to clean silver
The love of silver is a long-standing weakness of humanity. In ancient times, this metal was valued more than gold and special properties were attributed to it. magical properties. People noticed that silver could disinfect water, so they concluded that it could deal with evil spirits just as easily and naturally. The darkening of the noble metal was associated solely with the illness of the owner, and not with natural causes: the damage turned out to be stronger than the protective aura of the silver amulet and the person was overtaken by illness. Soda steps on the throat of an ancient myth. She returns the original beauty to silver jewelry, despite the tricks of all the magicians and wizards of the Earth and its immediate surroundings.
Silver becomes an excellent alternative to gold when it comes to jewelry, photo frames and tourist souvenirs such as spoons.
Silver is a shiny, elegant, inexpensive material that is valued just as much as gold. But silver, like gold, requires regular cleaning to maintain its attractiveness and now we will tell you how to clean silver with foil.
Cleaning your silver with aluminum foil is a tried and tested way to protect your investment. Our guide will show you how to clean silver with foil.
Why does silver tarnish
All silver coins will tarnish, whether they are sterling silver or silver plated. Tarnishing occurs because silver reacts chemically with sulfur in the air to form silver sulfide.
The combination of aluminum, soda, salt and hot water changes the properties of the chemical reaction, which allows the silver sulfide to be removed from its surface. Cleaning silver with foil can be a fun process that will help brighten up the weekend with your kids. Not only will you be able to teach a science lesson yourself, you will also get pure silver as a result.
Silver Cleaning Tools
To clean silver with aluminum foil, you will need the following materials:
- Silver that needs cleaning
- A pan or plate deep enough to fill with hot water and cover the silver item.
- 2 cups baking soda
- About a quarter cup of salt
- Soft bristle toothbrush
- Soft, lint-free cloth
Cleaning process
Line the pan or plate with aluminum foil, making sure it completely covers the bottom of the container. Also, make sure the sides of the pan/plate are also lined with aluminum foil if the silverware touches them.
Fill a saucepan with enough hot (but not boiling) water to cover the dirty silver item. Add baking soda and salt, stir evenly throughout the container. If you want, you can rotate the pan on its axis to mix the baking soda and salt, but this solution is not really necessary.
The chemical reaction will occur regardless of the quality of the ingredients dissolved in water. Leave the silver in the water for 5-10 minutes. Once the soaking is complete, remove the silver item from the pan/plate and gently scrub it with a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove any sulfate residue and dirt that was not washed off before. Rinse with cold water and wipe dry with a lint-free cloth.
Adjusting consistency
Please note that the amount of baking soda and salt you add to the water container will depend on the size and quantity (volume) of the silver item that needs to be cleaned.
For example, if you are going to clean one tiny one, silver spoon, which you bought on a weekend wine tour in Napa, you can use 1/4 cup baking soda and a tablespoon of salt.
Start with a little baking soda and salt and use the baking soda and foil to clean your silver. You can always add more if soaking doesn't work.
