The darkening of silver is similar to the appearance of rust on iron. Corrosion occurs as a consequence of oxidation, because the oxygen contained in the air reacts with the top layer of iron. But silver doesn't rust. It fades due to the plaque formed on it. This dull layer appears when sulfur particles in the atmosphere come into contact with silver.

The Earth's atmosphere contains sulfuric gas, which is increasingly converted into sulfur dioxide as a result of environmental pollution.

Other causes of darkening of silver

Some soaps contain sulfur ingredients. If you do not remove the chain while washing dishes or hands, then the silver has every chance to darken.

Magnesium sulfate is sometimes found in groundwater.

In some areas of the earth, Epsom salts enter into a chemical reaction and turn into hydrogen sulfide. Then the gas can rise from the ground.

In some cases, silver reacts with the skin of the person who wears it. The chemical composition of the individual's skin does not allow them to wear silver on their body because the reaction is very fast. As a result, the skin turns dark and the silver darkens.

Perfumes, lotions and hair sprays also react with silver. Metal tarnishes from contact with wool, latex gloves, sebum, chlorinated water. Certain types of food also cause a chemical reaction. The metal will change color if you frequently eat onions, mayonnaise, salad dressings, eggs, and salty foods.

How to prevent darkening of silver

Sooner or later the silver will darken. That is his nature. In order for silver to retain its white color longer, it should be protected from moisture, not worn every day, not cleaned too much.

In modern production, rhodium plating is used, thanks to which silver retains its luster and color longer. At the same time, they are covered with a protective layer of rhodium or a special type of silver. Until this layer is erased, the product will look good and will not blacken.

Silver items should be stored in bags made of. After wearing silver, it should be rinsed with warm water and wiped with a clean cloth. This will slow down the browning process. You can store silver with chalk, which absorbs toxins.

You need to clean the darkened silver with a special solution or a cloth for cleaning silver. Hoping that silver can turn white, it is cleaned with various improvised means. Do not use to clean silver. Its components are too harsh for silver, and such cleaning will do more harm than good.

Why does the silver chain around my neck turn black? There are a huge number of options for why silver darkens on a person’s neck. Superstitious people consider this a manifestation of corruption, the evil eye and many other witchcraft phenomena. Those who understand medicine associate this with the consequences of internal human diseases. Chemists have their own version - they believe that the answer lies in the chemical interactions of silver elements with the skin. Everyone decides for himself which version he likes best. To understand in more detail, we will consider the most popular ones. An option for the superstitious Before the advent of the sciences of chemistry and medicine, people explained everything that happened around them in terms they knew. No other explanation for the unexpected darkening of silver on the human body, except for damage, could not be given. Various sorceresses and healers warned the people that if the silver jewelry on them darkened sharply or began to leave traces, then they should urgently contact them and remove the damage from themselves. They believed that silver jewelry protects a person from negative influences and, if anything, they take the first blow. After witchcraft rituals to remove damage, the decoration itself, without outside help, should restore its color. Chemical explanation for the darkening of a silver chain Silver chain is a mixture that contains a small amount of copper. And there is sulfur in human sweat. It is she who causes the unpleasant smell of sweat. According to the laws of chemical reactions, copper oxidizes in contact with sulfur. And in fact, silver is a noble metal, it has anti-corrosion properties, which means it does not oxidize. But a black crystalline coating appears on it in the form of silver sulfide. The thicker the plaque builds up, the darker the chain looks. This theory is confirmed by the fact that the chain darkens precisely in those areas that constantly come into contact with the human body, especially if the surface of the product is smooth and adheres to the skin as much as possible. If you wear rough and hard clothes, then its mechanical effect on silver can also cause it to blacken. And also hydrogen sulfide, which is in the air in sufficient quantities, enhances the ongoing oxidative processes. It has been proven that high humidity also greatly contributes to this. Pay attention to the silver sample, the higher it is, the better. A product with a sample of 925 will not darken even under the most adverse conditions, unlike 875 silver. It is noteworthy that it is simply impossible to make anything from pure 999 silver, since it is the impurities that make brittle silver a durable metal. Options for specialists in the field of medicine Physicians also have several options for answering the question of why the silver chain around the neck darkens, but they all indicate that a person has certain diseases. Some believe that this is due to a violation of the liver and kidneys. Others - that the poor functioning of the endocrine system. Hormonal changes in the body due to malfunctions of the thyroid gland are manifested in a change in the composition of sweat. That is why almost all pregnant and lactating women observe blackening of silver body jewelry. Sometimes a sharp darkening of silver is observed after the start of taking certain types of medications, because they are also able to change the composition of sweat, increasing the sulfur content. Silver products are famous for their antiseptic properties. Therefore, their sudden blackening may indicate a new disease that has settled in the body. The most likely causes are the appearance of stress, agitation, excessive physical and intellectual stress, and profuse sweating. Jewelers are advised to remove all jewelry before exercising in the gym, swimming in the pool, visiting the bath or sauna.

Jewelry made of silver looks very beautiful, noble and elegant, they are in perfect harmony with both an evening dress and everyday jeans. But not when the silver turned black. Why are such changes happening to him and how to deal with it? Is it possible to restore the original exquisite look of jewelry? You will find answers to these questions in this article.

Reasons for the darkening of silver

Fans of this precious metal know that after a while it becomes covered with an ugly dark coating. Many people believe that the metal takes on all the negative energy of its wearer, associated with emotional breakdowns or health problems. Therefore, the appearance of the decoration is not changing for the better. This theory remains unproven, and we will not refute it.

However, from the point of view of science, this opinion is more justified. So, what are the reasons why silver turned black?

Important! One of the constituent components of silver is copper, which, as you know, tends to oxidize under the influence of hydrogen sulfide. As a result of this reaction, a sulfide coating is formed, which makes the jewelry dark.

Various factors contribute to this.

Wet air

Air with a high level of humidity contains hydrogen sulfide in a considerable amount. Therefore, the owner of the jewelry, who does not remove silver items before bathing, notices that the silver has turned black much faster than the one who avoids such situations.

Increased sweating

As you know, sweat contains sulfur. Therefore, if it is excessively released, sweat is dangerous for silver jewelry. Particularly affected are those products that are on the neck or chest, since a large number of sebaceous glands are located in these areas.

Medications

Often people noticed that after the use of any medicine, silver items very quickly become covered with a dark coating. The whole reason lies in the presence of sulfur compounds in many medicines. Over time, they begin to be released from the body along with sweat, which causes damage to the precious metal.

Hormonal changes

Silver also suffers greatly from this factor. After taking hormonal drugs, in adolescence or during pregnancy, the body can release substances with sulfur compounds, as a result of which the noble metal suffers.

Cosmetics

Sulfur is often a component of cosmetic creams or lotions. Therefore, cosmetic preparations are often the reason that silver has darkened.

Important! Higher sterling silver is less susceptible to unsightly dark tarnish.

If the silver turned black, what should I do?

Faced with such a problem, we immediately begin to look for a way out, and strive to return our favorite jewelry to its original appearance. This can be done in two powerful ways. Which one to choose - decide for yourself.

Method 1 - contacting a jeweler

This is the easiest option, but at the same time, not the cheapest. Turning to the master, you will clean your product without the risk of spoiling it. They might even do it for you.

This method is great if you want to remove plaque from silver-plated jewelry or those decorated with natural gemstones (for example, amber, coral or pearls).

Important! Many semi-precious and precious stones react sharply to aggressive treatment. They lose their luster and become covered with visible scratches. Products with such decor should not be risked by trying to clean them yourself. Entrust this business to professionals.

Method 2 - self-processing

There are plenty of methods on how to clean darkened silver. For their implementation, by and large, you only need your desire and a little free time.

You can purchase special wipes or products that are designed specifically for cleaning silver, or you can use folk recipes and try to restore silver to its original appearance using improvised means.

The silver has turned black. Folk remedies for dealing with the problem

Almost all folk recipes involve the use of drugs that, one way or another, are used in everyday life. Therefore, to clean the metal, if the silver has darkened, you do not need to run to the store, but you should turn to your first aid kit or look into the kitchen cabinets.

Important! Cleaning should always begin by soaking the silver for a while in soapy warm water. After that, after rinsing under a stream of clean water and drying the product, you can begin to remove the dark plaque.

Ammonia

This liquid neutralizes acids, so it can help remove black spots on silver jewelry.

Procedure:

1. Mix one part ammonia with ten parts water.
2. Dip the silver item into the prepared solution and leave it to soak for 10-15 minutes.
3. Dry the decoration with a piece of woolen cloth.

Salt, baking soda and dish soap

The composition of these products will help remove strong contaminants from the precious metal.

Important! It is better to prepare the composition and process silver in an aluminum bowl.

Procedure:

Vinegar

9% vinegar, which is no doubt in the kitchen cabinet of any housewife, more than once comes to her aid even outside the kitchen. In cases where the silver has turned black, this liquid may also come in handy.

Procedure:

1. Heat the vinegar to a warm state and dip all silver items that have a dark coating into the liquid.
2. Wait 15-20 minutes.
3. Dry your jewelry with a woolen cloth.

Salt

Ordinary kitchen salt is also used to clean silver from unsightly black formation.

Procedure:

1. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 200 ml of water in a metal container.
2. Place the silver in the solution for a couple of hours.

Important! To make cleaning faster, you can put the container with decorations on fire and boil the liquid for 20 minutes.

Potato

If the silver has turned black, old people know what to do. They share their experience and advise using raw potatoes for this purpose.

Procedure:

1. Boil the potatoes and drain the water from them into a separate bowl.

Important! It is better to use a glass container in this case, avoiding metal utensils.

1. Place a piece of foil on the bottom of the bowl with the broth.
2. After the liquid has cooled, put the earrings, rings and chains that have turned black on the foil for 10 minutes.

store soda

Cleaning black areas on silver can be easily handled by well-known drinks such as Coca-Cola or Sprite.

Procedure:

1. Place jewelry in a glass of drink for several hours.
2. After processing, dry the products with a clean cloth.

Important! Stubborn dirt can be removed by boiling the drink with decorations and then rubbing them with foil.

Lemon acid

A solution of citric acid will help restore your silver jewelry to its former beauty and brilliance.

Procedure:

1. Place silver in a concentrated solution of citric acid for 1 hour.
2. Dry the precious metal items with a cloth.

Dentifrice

With the help of tooth powder or paste, black plaque has been removed for a long time:

1. Using a soft brush or cloth, rub the silver with toothpowder.
2. Rinse items under running water.

Useful tips for wearing, cleaning and storing silver jewelry

If the silver has turned black, you already know what to do. As you can see, processing does not require any special knowledge and prior training. But in order not to encounter such a problem at all or as rarely as possible, you can use useful tips for caring for silver and prevent the appearance of black plaque:

• It is not recommended to swim in ponds and in the shower in silver jewelry. Remove them before each contact with water.
• Going to the gym and other activities that require physical activity should be done without silverware.
• After contact with water on the jewelry, moisture must be removed immediately.
• Be sure to remove jewelry when cleaning your home.
• Matte silver should only be cleaned with soapy water. Acids, salt and soda can cause irreparable damage to the product.
• Gold-plated silver should only be cleaned with specialized professional cleaners.
• After cleaning, the jewelry must be dried and rubbed to a shine with a cloth.
• It is recommended to wear precious metal products a few days after cleaning. It is believed that silver during this time forms a natural protective layer.

Many people wear various items made of silver, an attractive and inexpensive precious metal. Often, silver accessories turn black on the body. There are reasonable explanations for this phenomenon and several popular beliefs about it. Blackening of the metal can be avoided with the help of preventive measures.

Folk signs about blackened silver on the body

According to folk signs, the darkening of silver jewelry on the body of their wearer is a bad sign.

There are the following superstitions about the blackening of silver:

• According to Eastern beliefs, a darkened silver item indicates that its owner was affected magically. It can be the evil eye, damage, love spell, black envy. The noble metal attracts negativity to itself, protecting its owner.
• Blackened earrings speak of the evil eye.
• The darkened ring of an unmarried girl is regarded as evidence of a crown of celibacy. If such an ornament has turned black in a woman, then a black streak will begin in her personal life.
• A darkened pectoral cross indicates that its owner was cursed or damaged.
• From the point of view of mystical creatures, the blackening of silver is explained by a meeting with a werewolf or a vampire.
• The darkening of wearable jewelry in the house indicates the presence of evil spirits in it.

The real causes of the phenomenon

Many people believe in signs, but there is a scientific explanation for the blackening of silver on the body. Changing the color of a metal is a chemical reaction. Most silver jewelry contains copper, which can oxidize. Such a reaction manifests itself with increased sweating or in conditions of air oversaturated with moisture.

There is another version of the darkening of silver on the body. This noble metal is very sensitive to biochemical processes in the body, therefore it can turn black against the background of illness, severe stress, emotional overload.

If the metabolism is disturbed, the body can release more sulfur. It has a bad effect on silver, causing it to blacken.

Silver jewelry often darkens during pregnancy, pathologies of the endocrine system, hormonal disruptions. This confirms the medical version of the causes of the blackened metal on the body.

Another logical explanation for the darkening of silver is the poor quality of the products. Usually this is a low-quality material hidden under silver plating.

What to do if the silver turned black?

Darkened metal can be restored to its former attractiveness. It is most reliable and safe to trust the master. An alternative option is cleaning at home:

• Special composition for cleaning silver. It must be used according to the instructions, since the components of the product and their concentration are different.
• Make a saline solution by adding 1 tbsp. l. salt. Dip silver jewelry into it for several hours, then rub it with a cloth (wool). According to popular beliefs, after such a cleaning, silver should be left for several days for complete purification.
• There is another method for cleaning silver with salt. It is necessary to cover the container with foil, pour salt on it and lay out silver jewelry, pour boiling water. As soon as the decorations are cleaned, they must be removed immediately, otherwise the whole procedure will be useless.
• Effectively cleans baking soda. For a liter of water you need 4 tbsp. l. soda. This mixture must be put on fire, stirring until completely dissolved. Silver items with a piece of foil should be lowered into the boiling liquid for 15 seconds.
• Boiling in a saline solution can replace cleaning silver items with salt. For 0.2 liters of water, take 1 tsp. salt. Soak jewelry in boiling water for 15 minutes. Then rub with a cloth (wool).
• Suitable for cleaning silver vinegar essence (9%). Silver items should be lowered into the heated liquid for 15 minutes, then rubbed with a cloth (suede or wool).
• Boil unpeeled potatoes. Line the bottom of a glass container with foil, pour in the liquid. After cooling, lower the blackened things into it. After 10 minutes, you can take them out and rinse with clean water.
• Cleaning with ammonia. It is necessary to moisten a piece of wool in it and wipe the item made of silver.
• Hydrogen peroxide (3%) works well with the darkening of silver. You can wipe a silver item with it or place the accessory in a container with peroxide for 5-10 minutes.
• Silver items can be cleaned with citric acid. To do this, pour 50 grams of the product into 0.5 liters of water, hold for half an hour in a water bath. Silver is carefully lowered into the composition after the complete dissolution of citric acid. After cleaning, rub the products with a cloth.
• Darkening is removed with an ordinary eraser, but this is only appropriate for smooth jewelry. After cleaning, rinse the accessories with water and rub with a cloth.
• It cleans silver items well with ordinary laundry detergent. Add it to water, bring to a boil, lower the product into the resulting liquid and boil for 10 minutes. For this, you can use only metal utensils.
• Silver accessories can be cleaned with dishwashing liquid. It can be applied with a sponge or soft cloth and left for a few minutes. Then rinse the silver and rub with a cloth.
• Toothpaste helps a lot. Best of all, a bleaching agent will cope with the darkened metal. It must be applied to a silver product and left for a few minutes. Then the paste must be washed off and rubbed with a cloth.

According to popular belief, silver jewelry should be cleaned on the 18th lunar day. On the 4th lunar day, silver should rest. Products from it must be lowered into water and placed in the freezer so that it freezes. After 16 hours, silver can be taken out to thaw in natural conditions.

With the darkening of silver on the body, folk wisdom speaks of the need to visit the church. There you should light a candle for health, talk with the priest, and pray. It is also necessary to read prayers at night.

Popular wisdom also says that darkened silver items should be temporarily put aside. They attracted negative energy, so it takes time to clear.

Abrasive materials, hard brushes and other items that can scratch soft metal are not suitable for cleaning silver.

Silver blackening prevention

In order for silver jewelry to remain in its original form and not darken, the following measures must be observed:

• remove silver before physical exertion: they increase sweating, causing the metal to darken;
• remove silver jewelry in a sauna, bath and other places with high humidity;
• do not wear silver immediately after cleaning, a break is needed to form a natural protective layer;
• buy products with a sample of 925, in this case, the admixture of copper is minimal.

There are various opinions explaining the darkening of silver on the body. Some of them have a scientific basis, and some are associated with popular beliefs. In any case, silver can be cleaned in various ways. Metal blackening can be avoided by following preventive measures.

Silver jewelry is well-deservedly popular. Almost every woman, and often a man, wears a cross and a chain or a silver ring. But, unfortunately, this metal can change color over time and become darker.

Why does silver turn black? There are many hypotheses to explain this phenomenon. Some of them are associated with superstitions and folk signs. However, there is a scientific explanation that proves that the blackening of silver jewelry is nothing more than a simple chemical reaction.

Signs and superstitions

Damage or evil eye

According to popular belief, a blackened cross on the body is a bad sign. Most likely, a strong damage or evil eye lies on a person. When the curse loses its power, the decoration will return to its original color. Also, by the color of the plaque on a silver item, one can judge the strength of damage: the darker it is, the stronger the curse.

To understand jinxed or not, it is enough to listen to yourself, to your feelings. According to legend, the surrounding world of a person who has been spoiled becomes “gray”, joyless, everything irritates, tormented by longing. He constantly feels someone's presence nearby, especially at night.

The type of negative magical effect can be determined by the decoration that has changed color:

1. Ring. The girl is wearing a crown of celibacy.
2. Earrings or chain. Blackening speaks of the evil eye.
3. Cross on the body. Strong curse.
4. Silverware. If she changed color, then there is an evil spirit in the house.

Protection from negativity, the effects of dark forces

According to another sign, silver jewelry takes on all the negativity, protects its mistress or owner from dark forces, evil spirits. If the chain and the cross around the neck have darkened, then their owner has avoided serious trouble or trouble.

Health Problems

Another popular belief says that silver turns black because the owner of the jewelry is sick. There is some truth in this explanation. In fact, silver jewelry on a person changes color, as it oxidizes when interacting with sweat, which mixes on the surface of the body with the secretion of the sebaceous glands.

Since the metal in most cases touches the skin (decoration hangs around the neck, on the ears, worn on the wrist or finger), a chemical reaction occurs, due to which the silver changes color. If the amount of sweat released is normal, a person may not notice the oxidation of jewelry on the body, since it occurs slowly and plaque appears gradually.

But if sweating suddenly intensified, silver items on the body - most often a chain and a cross - begin to darken rapidly. And it is possible that the causes of increased sweating are health problems. For example, such a reaction is observed during hormonal disruptions, pregnancy and endocrine diseases.

It is also believed that silver changes color if a person has kidney or liver pain. However, this superstition is not supported by scientific facts.

scientific explanation

Why does silver really darken? This is due to its interaction with sulfur-containing compounds. Under the influence of oxygen, the metal reacts with hydrogen sulfide and a chemical reaction occurs, which is called the oxidation of silver.

As a result, a dark layer of silver sulfide appears on the surface of silver products, which changes their color.

4Ag + O2 + 2H2S = 2Ag2S + 2H2O

Why did the silver chain and silver cross darken, although such a reaction had not been observed before? Perhaps the fact is that the owner of these decorations moved to an area where there is more hydrogen sulfide in the air.

But most often, as mentioned above, the cause is contact with sweat on the surface of the human body. The composition of human sweat includes sulfates - salts of sulfuric acid, therefore, when sweat and silver interact, a chemical reaction occurs, as a result of which the surface of the metal jewelry oxidizes and turns black.

What can enhance the oxidation of silver?

Stressful situations, sports

The work of the sweat and sebaceous glands depends on many factors, however, a person begins to sweat intensely due to stress or during active physical exertion.

If you go to the gym or work out at home, and you have a silver cross and a silver chain around your neck, then you should not be surprised that they have changed color. With increased sweating, the concentration of sulfates increases, which means that silver darkens more quickly.

Therefore, if you want to wear silver jewelry on your body, and at the same time have to do hard physical work or exercise regularly, be prepared to clean them regularly. How? We will tell further.

High humidity

What else influences this process? Air humidity! If you wore a chain and a cross on your chest in rainy weather or did not take them off in the sauna, then the reasons why the silver changed its color is precisely in this.

At high air humidity, the evaporation of sweat slows down (since there is already a large concentration of water in the air, sweat does not evaporate so intensively on the human body). As a result, as in the previous case, the concentration of sulfur salts on the surface of the skin increases and jewelry on the body begins to oxidize.

Interestingly, over time, the same sweat can cause bleaching of silver products, since in addition to sulfates, it also contains nitrates - salts of nitric acid.

Reacting with them, silver sulfide (dark coating on products) is able to break down. Thus, silver on the ears or on the body of a person can again change color, only this time in the opposite direction - from dark to light.

Low sample of silver, the presence of a large amount of impurities in it

These are not all the reasons why silver jewelry can turn black when worn on the body. The sample of silver plays an important role: the higher it is, the less products made from this metal are subject to color change, and vice versa.

Jewelry made of pure silver without impurities is practically not made, since it is very soft and can lose its shape. In order to make the cross, earrings and other products more durable, other metals are added to silver, including copper.

When copper in a silver product interacts with sulfur salts (in contact with sweat on the skin or in air rich in hydrogen sulfide), copper sulfide is formed on its surface. It, like silver sulfide, also looks like a black coating.

How to clean blackened silver from plaque?

We figured out why silver turns black on the body. But what to do when it has already happened?

If you believe in signs and think that the reason is damage or the evil eye, superstitious people advise you to go to church, confess, take communion, and pray more. If you feel unwell, we strongly recommend to be examined by a doctor and start treatment. A darkened silver ring, earrings or a cross and a chain just need to be cleaned.

How to clean silver items without stones and coatings from blackness?

The simplest and safest thing is to contact a jewelry workshop for this. Also today on sale there are products specifically designed for cleaning silver products at home. They can be bought in jewelry stores and in stores that sell household chemicals.

Or use one of the folk methods, for example, clean a silver ring or chain with a solution of ammonia (0.5 liters of water - 1 tablespoon of alcohol), soda or tooth powder.

Please note that not all silver jewelry can be cleaned with the compositions listed above! For example, rhodium-plated silver products (and most of them are on sale today) from the above methods (ready-made composition, soda, powder and ammonia) are very likely to lose their appearance and become unsuitable for wearing.

Cleaning jewelry with rhodium and stones

To clean rhodium-plated silver jewelry, it is recommended to rinse them under a stream of warm (not hot!) water, and then wipe dry and polish with a special cloth (you can buy it in a jewelry store).

Silver items with stones can be cleaned in the same way. If heavily soiled, you can pre-soak them for half an hour in warm water, adding a little laundry soap to it.

After cleaning, try to properly care for silver items so that they do not darken again!