How to clean silver bracelet
Silver bracelets are one of the most popular types of jewelry for women. Even men nowadays start to acknowledge this accessory and wear it more often. But if you want your bracelet to look as new through the years, you will have to take care of it properly! You have to clean and look after your bracelet regularly to keep it in its best state. Silver’s advantage is that it can be washed with household items by yourself and we’re here to see how it works.
Silver is a polyvalent metal that can be used to create an exquisite bracelet with a soft luster. Unfortunately, silver is quite fragile too, in comparison to many other common metals. Tarnish, tint or scratches can rapidly grow on your favorite silver bracelet.
What is Tarnish?
Tarnish is a thin corrosion coating that quickly forms over your silver jewelry, forming a dark covering which cannot be seen. Tarnish is essentially the silver pulling which typically occurs with the hydrogen sulfide or sulfur in the atmosphere as a chemical reaction. In most cases, some people believe the tarnish is due to oxidation; however, silver is not resistant at average temperatures to water or oxygen. Nevertheless, metal like copper reacts with oxygen in the alloy.
Simple ways to clean the silver bracelet
Sodium and Aluminum Foil
Add one tablespoon of salt to the hot water with a spoon until it dissolves completely. Take an aluminum foil sheet and cut a couple of lines, and place it in the tub. With the tarnish on the silver surface, salt and aluminum can mix to create a shiny, bright surface rather than the tarnish.
When the solution is dry, the reaction happens faster. You can use baking soda instead if you don’t have table salt on hand. It will work the same. Rinse the salt under cool running water and dry it with a soft cloth or towel. Repeat the process until it looks clean and tarnishes are not fully removed.
Ketchup
Ketchup will also help if your silver is tarnished. Put a small amount on a paper towel and rub carefully over the tarnish areas with this traditional condiment. Let the ketchup sit 15 minutes when your silver isn’t shinier, and then gently rub and rinse. Use a toothbrush to clean between cracks for products with textured features, such as candlesticks or fantastic silverware.
Laundry Detergent Powder
Line the medium-size bowl with aluminum foil and fill it with hot water to make your bracelet or silverware sparkling. Mix the powdered washing agent into a single tablespoon then soak for a minute your bracelet. Clean and air-dry water rinse.
Toothpaste
Squeeze little toothpaste on the silver bracelet and then rub it with a soft cloth. Then after some time wash it. Now you can see the shine of the silver bracelet. Repeat this 2-3times for better results.
Ammonia
In solution 1/2 cup of ammonia and 1/2 cup of warm water, soak the silver for 10 minutes. Use an old toothbrush to clean the pieces and rinse them with water.
These are a few home remedies for cleaning your silver bracelet. Does not sound too complicated, does it? You can use an old toothbrush for each of these cleaning methods to easily access even the smallest details of your bracelet. If your bracelet is simply designed and does not have many lines and holes, you can also use a soft cloth. Try any of these methods to polish your favorite silver jewelry before leaving this job to a professional. Good luck!
