Why Silver Turns Black and How to Prevent It
Traditionally, silver jewellery has been a part of our lives since the very beginning. A newborn baby is often gifted a silver wristlet, & a newlywed bride is granted an anklet. Silver is often used as a symbol for motherly instincts, femininity, balance & peace. Many astrologers have suggested using silver glasses for drinking water will help in balancing your moon energies as well as anger issues.
As we discussed how culturally embedded silver jewellery is for us, over the period of time, we have learnt to clean & polish silver with ‘do it yourself’ techniques.
Given that silver tarnishes over time, many have developed creative, practical do-it-yourself (DIY) processes for bringing back the original shine to silver jewellery. From homemade baking soda compounds to soft polishing cloths, these valuable processes have become part of a daily routine that allows for the care of silver jewellery while taking care of the beauty and meaning of the silver we adore. Therefore, in this blog, we will be discussing the reasons are due to which ‘silver turns black or tarnished.’
WHY SILVER TARNISHES
Silver is an exotic metal that is also very reactive in nature. It is often noticed that silver turns black over time if it is not taken care of. This happens when silver reacts to the sulphur elements present in the atmosphere and forms a thick layer of hydrogen sulphide (H₂S). It gives a blackish, grey, or dull effect to your silver accessories. Nowadays, it is called oxidation or tarnishing. Sometimes a polluted environment becomes the reason for the tarnishing of silver jewellery, because in such an environment, sulphur dioxide elements are widely found that are responsible for accelerating the tarnishing process, and cleaning becomes harder.
WAYS IN WHICH IT TARNISHES
Moisture & humidity are also one of major reasons for tarnishing silver jewellery. The fastest way in which silver jewellery gets tarnished is when it's kept near moisture. Hence, before swimming, bathing, or any water-prone activity, remove them and wear the radiating shiny silver jewellery once you are done.
Usage of skin care products - Like lotions, perfumes, or sunscreens, can also affect the colour of silver accessories because such products consist of chemicals that are rich in sulphur elements. These dissimilar elements react with silver and create a thick layer of hydrogen sulfide that causes the jewellery to blacken or dull.
Keep your jewellery away from rubber - Keep your silver accessories away from rubber products as they contain high amounts of sulphur & spoil their silver shine. This kind of tarnish can be tough, sometimes even leaving tiny marks or dents on your silver. The tough part is that rubber is used with so many materials, like bands, pouches, etc., that it becomes difficult to keep it separated.
Don't apply Hair dyes -
Dyeing hair while wearing a silver chain may also be the reason for chains, pendants and earrings getting covered by a rustic layer, as hair dye contains harsh chemicals which will react with silver to dull, rustic tarnish chains, pendants, earrings, etc. To keep your fashion accessories bright and shiny, removing any silver jewellery that is on your body would make sense before you dye or chemically treat your hair.
WHAT TO DO TO CLEAN THEM
Baking soda is a widely used cleaning agent for various purposes. Therefore, making & applying a paste by mixing baking soda and water will instantly polish your silver jewels. However, one shall apply this concentrated paste in one direction and not in circles because that could lead to the formation of scratches.
A mixture of lemon juice and one teaspoon of olive oil also dissolves the oxidised layer over silver accessories; apply it gently on the jewels—lemon removes the tarnished layer, and olive oil adds a shine.
Cornflour acts as a lustre booster for many silver accessories that are affected by light oxidation; rubbing the solution with a microfibre will give your accessory an instant shine. However, this method shall be avoided over severely rusted jewellery, as forced rubbing of such a solution might damage the design and leave minute scratches.
Commercial high-quality silver polish is best suited for cleaning silver accessories. It consists of the right proportion of chemicals that are required to dissolve the discoloured layer on silver.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, silver turning black is a natural and unavoidable process and happens due to the interaction of silver with sulfur-containing compounds present in the air and moisture (in some instances, silver may turn black due to the interaction with products we use, such as perfumes, hair dyes, or lotions). Luckily, there are some very simple care routines – like putting our silver away in an air-tight pouch, avoiding contact with toxic chemicals and using preventative DIY cleaning methods. Follow these tips to keep your silver jewellery looking radiant and long-lasting.