Why does silver turn black? How to avoid it? How to clean silver in case of blackening?

Silver jewelry, as much as luxury jewelry, requires care and preservation.
925 sterling silver jewelry blackens over time as a result of a chemical reaction that occurs between the copper in the alloy and the oxygen in the air or with pollutants emitted into the air from fuel combustion in cars.

Therefore, it is recommended to keep silver jewelry clean by regularly wiping the jewelry with a fine cloth and not wait until the jewelry is black. When the silver jewelry is not in use it is best to keep it in a closed container, either in its original packaging or in a jewelry box.

Here are some tips for keeping and handling silver jewelry:

 

• It is advisable to keep the jewelry in its original packaging or in a jewelry box in order to prevent rupture, breakage or blackening.
• It is recommended to clean the jewelry from time to time with a fine cotton cloth.
• Before sleeping, strenuous physical activity, swimming in the pool or at sea is advisable to remove the jewel.
• As is well known, saltwater, chlorine in swimming pools and sweat are not friendly to silver jewelry and make it darken. Therefore, if the jewelry is exposed to these materials it is recommended to wash it with running water and dry with a fine cloth.

When a black silver jewel can be buffed in a simple and independent way at home in a few simple steps:

1. Wrapped in a silver foil bowl (you can also use a glass of mag) preferably glass, less good to use plastic or iron.
2. Place the silver jewelry in a bowl so that they touch the foil.
3. Sprinkle over the jewelry with baking soda and pour boiling water from the kettle until the jewel is completely covered with water.

• Slowly you can see the silver foil turning black in some areas and it will smell unpleasant, it smells of sulfur released, the aluminum (the foil) takes the sulfur out of the jewelry and it reduces the stains.

      4. After a few minutes, remove the jewelry and wipe it with a soft cloth.

         That's it, you have a piece of silver that looks like shiny new.