Even though it's a 925 silver accessory, it has turned yellow and looks gold...
It's become dull and the shine has faded... Have you ever experienced something like this? If so, here's a care method you can do at home!
◎Even if silver 925 becomes blackened or yellowed, it can be restored to its original state with proper care!
↑Silver accessories that have turned completely black or gold, like the before photo, can be made to shine like the after photo if you take good care of them.
We will introduce some recommended care methods, so please try them out!
*The before photo was taken for this blog post after leaving the item in an environment that was prone to darkening for a long period of time.
Silver 925 is said to be prone to discoloration, but unless it is left for a long period of time or stored with substances that cause discoloration, it will not discolor to this extent.
If you are considering purchasing silver accessories, please rest assured and enjoy!
In the following, the term "silver accessories" refers to mirror-finished silver accessories made from silver bullion (silver 925 or 950).
Please note that this does not include items with surface treatments such as 925 silver plating, rhodium coating, or matte finish.
Please note that if you use the care methods introduced here on jewelry that has been plated, rhodium-coated, or matte-finished, the surface finish may be removed. (There are some exceptions.)
◎First, the cause! What causes silver to darken, yellow, or become dull?
The reason why silver accessories turn black or gold is due to a sulfide reaction .
It is often confused with rust caused by oxidation, but the discoloration of 925 silver is caused by a sulfide reaction.
◎What is sulfide?
Sulfidation occurs when silver discolors in response to sulfur components, primarily sulfur components in the air, sweat, and hot spring components.
Below is a summary of the causes of sulfuration in everyday life.
■Sulfur components in the air
Whether you wear silver jewelry frequently or leave it alone, it will oxidize when exposed to air.
After use, wipe with a silver cloth and store away from air as much as possible to reduce discoloration.
We recommend storing it in a bag with a zipper.
■ Hot springs and bath additives containing sulfur
Soaking in hot springs or bath salts containing sulfur can cause your silver accessories to turn black quickly, so be sure to remove them when bathing.
■ Perm solution and hair coloring agents
These contain ammonia and sulfur compounds, so it is safe to remove earrings and necklaces when visiting a beauty salon.
■ Cosmetics, shampoo, kitchen detergent
Surfactants may also contain sulfur, which can cause discoloration.
■ Rubber products and paper
The sulfur contained in rubber and paper turns into sulfide gas, causing the silver to tarnish.
Be careful not to accidentally store silver accessories together.
◎The first thing to do is to prevent the silver from tarnishing!
First of all, it is important to minimize discoloration, so try to avoid the causes mentioned in the previous section as much as possible.
We also recommend that you clean it regularly before it turns completely black.
Here are some easy ways to care for your hair at home.
◎How to care for your silver using a commercially available silver polishing cloth
First of all, the easiest way to clean your silver is to purchase a commercially available silver polishing cloth and gently wipe it.
Commercially available silver polishing cloths contain abrasives and can be used to polish the surface by simply wiping it lightly.
What you need
- Commercially available silver polishing cloth
Care instructions
- Gently wipe with a silver polishing cloth until it shines.
Here are the before and after pictures.
Silver polishing cloths are easy to purchase anywhere, including home improvement stores, Tokyu Hands, and Amazon.
After use, wipe it frequently with a cloth to maintain its shine.
Ease of use is also an important factor when it comes to maintaining your daily care, so we recommend using a cloth for that reason as well.
◎How to clean with toothpaste
If you want to clean your house right now using things you already have, we recommend this.
What you need
- Toothpaste (not granular)
- Soft cloth (for polishing)
- Cloth or tissue (for dry wiping)
Care instructions
- Apply an appropriate amount of toothpaste to a soft cloth
- Gently wipe your silver jewelry
- When the dirt is visible, rinse with water
- If discoloration remains, repeat steps 1 to 3.
- Gently wipe dry with a cloth or tissue
Here are the before and after pictures.
It's not quite a polishing cloth specifically for silver, but it's a great way to care for your silver and leave it shining beautifully without any dullness.
This method is for those who absolutely want to clean their car using items they have at home, but it is not a method we highly recommend.
◎How to clean using baking soda
It takes a little bit of effort, but I'd like to introduce a method that can be used to care for this product using items you have at home.
What you need
- baking soda
- Non-metallic heat-resistant containers
- aluminum foil
- Soft cloth (for polishing)
- Cloth or tissue (for dry wiping)
Care instructions
- Place aluminum foil in a heat-resistant container
- Place your silver jewelry on the aluminum foil and pour boiling water over it.
- Add baking soda. The ratio should be about 3 parts water to 1 part baking soda.
- Once the dirt has been removed, remove it and wipe it off with a cloth or tissue.
Now here's the before and after.
It's hard to see, but the blackening on the inside of the ring has cleared up considerably.
This time, perhaps because I left it on for a short time, it didn't become very shiny, but I introduced a maintenance method that you can do at home.
Using baking soda can also remove dirt from areas that are difficult to wipe with a cloth, such as items with fine patterns or gaps.
As a precaution, avoid using metal pots or bowls.
Please be careful as dirt from the bowl or pot may transfer to your silver accessories.
Also, the oxidized finish will come off, so if you want to keep the oxidized finish, we recommend using a silver polishing cloth.
◎How to clean with liquid silver cleaner
Liquid silver cleaner can be purchased online from sites like Amazon and is reusable, so this method is recommended for those who have a lot of silver jewelry.
It can also clean dirt from fine patterns and crevices that are difficult to wipe with a cloth.
Liquid cleaners can also be used to clean matte (frosted) silver jewelry.
Liquid cleaners remove tarnish from silver using a different principle than silver cloths, which use abrasives to scrape the surface, so they can be used to clean silver without damaging the matte finish.
What you need
- Silver Cleaner
- Cloth or tissue (for dry wiping)
Care instructions
- Place your jewelry in a silver cleaner
- Hold the tray and move it up and down (for about 10 to 20 seconds)
*If you wear it for too long, your silver accessories will turn white. - Once the dirt has been removed, remove it and rinse it with water.
- Wipe dry with a cloth or tissue
Now here's the before and after.
A simple soak in liquid silver cleaner brought back a lot of shine.
It can thoroughly clean chains and small gaps, and the ease of use - just soaking it in liquid - is what makes it so appealing.
One thing to note is that if you use liquid silver cleaner, be careful not to soak it for too long.
Be careful not to soak your silver jewelry for too long as it will turn white.
Also, the oxidized finish will come off, so it is safer to clean designs with an oxidized finish using a silver cloth.
(The before and after images shown here use a tarnished item, but soaking it in liquid cleaner for around 20 seconds doesn't seem to remove much of the tarnish, so I don't recommend it.)
Liquid silver cleaner cleaning video
↓This is a video showing how to care for your teeth from a darkened state in the before picture to a shiny state in the after picture.
◎ Care method summary
So far, we have introduced four ways to do this.
- Use a commercially available silver polishing cloth
- Use toothpaste
- Using baking soda
- Use a liquid silver cleaner
If you know what you have on hand and how to use special cleaners, you'll be less likely to have to worry about your silver accessories getting dark or discolored!
◎When you can't restore shine even after caring for it yourself
Finally, if the four cleaning methods we've introduced so far don't solve the problem, it's best to leave it to the professionals.
Sometimes the blackening does not come off even when using a silver polishing cloth or cleaner, or the blackening may come off but the shine may be dull.
In such cases, the stains may have become deep due to years of use, there may be many small scratches on the surface, or there may be problems that cannot be completely removed with just a cloth or cleaner.
If you have any problems, we recommend consulting the store where you purchased the item or a jewelry repair service store and having them polish it again using a polishing machine.
Polishing it with a polishing machine can bring it back to a shine like new.
Of course, Nine Nine offers a polishing service , so please feel free to contact us if you feel that the shine has dulled.
We will polish it to a shine using a polishing machine and send it back to you with the same shine as when you first purchased it.
Prices start from 5,500 yen (shipping charges not included).
This service is only available for products purchased at Nine Nine.
Find out more about our refinishing services here.
Well then, everyone! Have a great jewelry life!
