Silver jewelry turns black

[pepi2005]

Hello,

 

not 100% sure whether this is the correct forum to ask that, but several years ago, I've bought a (supposedly) silver or silver alloying neck chain and bangle in Laos, which both turned black after a couple of weeks.

To my astonishment, when a silver smith on Myanmar's Inle Lake saw me with them, he created some kind of Tamarind mixture, cooked it on his open fire, bathed and brushed both pieces in it, and they stayed silver without any sign of corrosion for several years afterwards!

 

I am aware that I can buy chemical metal cleaners in every BigC, but I would be greatly interested if one of you guys in here knows how this mixture works and if there is a way to do the same at home. I would highly prefer to clean my jewelry (which meanwhile turned black again :-) with a natural, home-made DIY mixture than with something I will have to throw to chemical waste one day.

 

thanks, p.

Edited May 22, 2017 by pepi2005

[lemonjelly]

Toothpaste works 

[simoh1490]

Buy a lemon, cut it in half, clean the silver with one half and eat the other half! Citric acid in fruit cleans silver.

 

Alternatively, put the silver in a bowl, add lemon juice and leave overnight, voila!

[Crossy]

From Mr Google (no idea why it's under "diseases-conditions")

 

http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/how-to-shine-your-silver-jewellery-naturally-pa0215/

 

[bazza73]

Put the silverware in a dish made of aluminium foil, and sprinkle plenty of baking soda ( sodium bicarbonate ) on the jewellery. Add water. The baking soda will foam vigorously. Any blackening will be removed.

 

Silver blackens because of exposure to hydrogen sulphide in the atmosphere, forming silver sulphide. Does someone in your household fart a lot?

[bazza73]

Sorry, forgot to mention water to add is boiling water out of a kettle.

[pepi2005]

Awesome tips gents, thanks very much.

 

I like the ones on the page in the link given, as they also indicate which method may damage the silver (covering?) and which doesn't, and it also describes the Tamarind method. Nice!

The one with baking soda would probably be the easiest one to do by myself.

 

My own explanation for the increased blackening during certain times are sweat and/or chloride in pools. But I honestly  admit that I also fart at times. I'll try to control that more than I did after what you've told me.

Edited May 23, 2017 by pepi2005

[Katia]

Ketchup.  Apply, let sit, rinse off.  I've used it on jewelry tarnish, corrosion, old seasoning on a wok that elbow grease and steel wool wouldn't remove...  Sounds strange, but it works.