Silver chains are popular; they can be worn with anything and come in a variety of designs. But the drawback with silver is that it does tarnish and nothing can stop that whether it is pure or mixed silver. When it is exposed to the air and atmosphere, a chemical reaction occurs and oxidizes. That reaction is called silver sulfate, and that is what make those black marks on the silver. The best thing for silver is to wear it every day, but that isn't always possible when you have more than a few pieces, so here are four ways people choose to clean their silver chains.
A soft polishing cloth is usually the first thing that people try. These are specially made for silver and some brands have silver polishing agents and tarnish inhibitors in them. This removes the tarnish and the dull areas from the silver with gentle buffing.
Sometimes a cloth isn't enough though so a commercial product can come in handy. Silver cleaning polish is a liquid that cleans silver, all you need to do is dip the silver in and let it soak in the solution for a certain amount of time. This is a powerful solvent that removes tarnish, especially in the cracks and crevices.
A lot of people prefer to try a home remedy before purchasing a commercial cleaner. One that has been around for a long time is the toothpaste technique. You rub white toothpaste, not the get type, onto the chain. Then you use a soft bristled toothbrush to gently clean the silver and then rinse in lukewarm water when done. A soft cloth helps to bring the shine back after you clean. Jewelers don't like this method because the brushing can cause scratches on 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.
Nothing you do can stop the tarnish from eventually appearing, unless you wear it constantly, but that can be hard. Keeping your hands clean when handling it does help prolong tarnish from appearing. Next time you notice a favorite necklace is badly tarnished, don't throw it away, try one of these four methods above to clean your silver chain to make them look new again.
A soft polishing cloth is usually the first thing that people try. These are specially made for silver and some brands have silver polishing agents and tarnish inhibitors in them. This removes the tarnish and the dull areas from the silver with gentle buffing.
Sometimes a cloth isn't enough though so a commercial product can come in handy. Silver cleaning polish is a liquid that cleans silver, all you need to do is dip the silver in and let it soak in the solution for a certain amount of time. This is a powerful solvent that removes tarnish, especially in the cracks and crevices.
A lot of people prefer to try a home remedy before purchasing a commercial cleaner. One that has been around for a long time is the toothpaste technique. You rub white toothpaste, not the get type, onto the chain. Then you use a soft bristled toothbrush to gently clean the silver and then rinse in lukewarm water when done. A soft cloth helps to bring the shine back after you clean. Jewelers don't like this method because the brushing can cause scratches on 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.
Nothing you do can stop the tarnish from eventually appearing, unless you wear it constantly, but that can be hard. Keeping your hands clean when handling it does help prolong tarnish from appearing. Next time you notice a favorite necklace is badly tarnished, don't throw it away, try one of these four methods above to clean your silver chain to make them look new again.
About the Author:
Mr. Pauer is expert in silver jewelry, working nearly two decades 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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