six tricks to make it look like new

Noble material with hardly any rival, silver is present in countless objects in our lives. From jewelry to decorative elements, through tableware. Although we are dealing with a resistant metal, it requires care to remain (almost) intact over the years, since loses its initial shine and oxidizes due to a chemical reaction with sulfur or hydrogen sulfide found in the environment, as explained in Decoesfera.

Luckily, we are not dealing with exhaustive or expensive care, quite the opposite. There are specific products on the market to clean silver, while there are also very effective home remedies (and cheaper, of course).

Also, as with almost everything in life, it is best to prevent wear with simple tricks. We tell you everything you need so that the money is like the first day.

Homemade tricks for cleaning silver at home

As we have mentioned, there are simple remedies to clean silver with products that we all have at home. In Decoesfera they offer us several ideas that, in addition to being surprising, are highly effective.

baking soda and white vinegar

The most popular grandmother’s trick is to mix a tablespoon of baking soda (about 10 g) and 1/4 cup of white vinegar (about 60 ml). In this case, we have to pour the vinegar into a container and, with care, add the baking soda until it dissolves completely. Now, it’s time to rub the objects with the liquid formed and dry them with a clean cloth.

Experts recommend be careful with this mixture, “you have to be careful because of the reaction it produces and its vapors”. Again, we can cover our hands with gloves to avoid leaving traces of fingerprints. This trick is especially recommended for clean 925 sterling silver objects.

Aluminum foil, baking soda, and hot water

This option also uses baking soda, but in a different way. First, line the bottom of a container with aluminum foil. So, we pour a cup of hot water and mix with two tablespoons of baking soda. At this moment, we introduce the jewels and let them soak for two to five minutes. Then stir the mixture with a wooden spoon.

When the minutes have passed, we remove the jewels and We rinse them with cold water. Finally, we dry them with absorbent kitchen paper, a clean cloth or let them dry in the open air.

Toothpaste

Surely you have heard that toothpaste cleans silver and you are right. Decoesfera experts explain that “the object must be washed with soap and water, then the toothpaste is spread on it and rubbed intensely with a cloth, then it is washed again with soap and water and dried”. Simpler, impossible.

Ketchup

Without a doubt, this is the craziest trick of all. Simply, you have to dissolve ketchup in water and submerge the objects for a quarter of an hourThen, you have to polish the silver with liquid Vaseline. The Decoesfera expert makes it clear “I don’t recommend it, because I haven’t tried it, nor will I try it”. The truth is that, at first glance, it does not seem like a very encouraging trick, but we present it in case you want to try it at home.

Cleaning embossed or embossed silver: a different remedy

We speak of embossed or embossed silver in reference to the classic trays, cutlery or photo frames that have ornamental reliefs. To prevent it from losing its characteristic shading when cleaned, it is best to apply a solution of hot water with neutral pH soap. With a soft bristle brush or a clean, damp microfiber cloth, carefully remove embedded dirt.

How to polish silver at home

This is such an easy trick that only requires water and salt. In this case, we must create a solution of water with salt to restore the brightness of small objects, like jewelry and chains. Approximately we will need a tablespoon of salt (10 g) and a cup of water (250 ml).

The steps are the following: pour the salt into a cup of boiling water and leave the objects you want to clean to soak overnight. The next day, remove the liquid and polish the silver with a chamois or dry cloth, avoiding leaving traces.

Silver Care Tips

There is something that does not usually fail, “prevention is better than care”. Obviously, the passage of time takes its toll on materials, but we can prevent irreparable damage if we take care of silver on a daily basis. Quiet, It’s easier than it looks and hardly takes time.

First, store silver objects correctly in airtight or stain-resistant bags (if the jeweler puts them in bags, it must be for a reason). Second, don’t stack jewelry on top of each other because they deteriorate with friction. Third, avoid the use of chemical and/or abrasive products (for example, do not apply perfume directly on a necklace). Fourth, clean the jewelry with some frequency so that it does not accumulate too much dirt and blacken it.

Silver cleaning products

If you want to spend little and try home remedies, success is practically guaranteed, but there are also specific products on the market. At Decoesfera they recommend the Tarni-Shield cleaner, which costs only 2.90 euros on Amazon. In El Corte Inglés it is priced at 3.55 euros.

Tarni-Shield – Silver cleaner, 250 ml. 2.90 euros on Amazon.

Time Road Impregnated Jewelry Cleaning Cloth. 6.90 euros in El Corte Inglés.

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In Trendencias | How Vestiare Collective works, tricks to get the most out of it and what those who have tried it think

Photographs | Unsplash, Amazon, @tousjewelry