Useful tips on how to clean nickel silver from blackness at home

Cupronickel is an alloy of nickel and copper with the addition of other components. It is mostly used to create tableware, parts for marine boats, medical instruments and jewelry.

Polished products made from this alloy resemble silver in appearance. Over time, during use, dark spots may appear on the surface of cupronickel items.

Special medications and home remedies will help get rid of them. We will tell you more about how to clean cupronickel silver from blackness at home.

Causes of dark spots

Copper-nickel alloy, which forms the basis of cupronickel products, has many advantages:

• strength;
• rust resistance;
• attractive appearance;
• relatively low cost;
• long service life;
• hygiene;
• low thermal conductivity.

In addition to the advantages, products made from this material also have some disadvantages:

• rapid loss of shine;
• appearance of blackness;
• the need for regular care.

Folk ways to eliminate darkening

It is quite possible to clean cupronickel silver from dark stains on your own, using the preparations that you have on hand. If you carefully follow the recommendations, processing will not be very difficult.

Soda

Mechanical cleaning of cupronickel items can be carried out using finely ground salt and baking soda.

Procedure:

1. Pour a liter of warm water into a bowl.
2. Dissolve 50 grams of soda.
3. Stir.
4. Dip darkened items into the solution.
5. Using napkins or rags, wipe things down.

This method is suitable as a regular care measure, but may not be effective in advanced cases.

With significant darkening of the cupronickel surface You can use baking soda or salt powder in another way:

1. Wet the napkin.
2. Squeeze.
3. Apply 1 tsp onto a napkin. powder.
4. Wipe the products, replacing the powder as necessary and rinsing the napkin.

Using undiluted abrasives can lead to scratches on the surface of nickel silver.

Toothpaste

You can deal with stains on nickel silver using toothpaste. It is squeezed directly from the tube onto an old toothbrush or onto a napkin, and intensive cleaning is carried out. Complete the care by rinsing with water and wiping dry with a rag.

Dentifrice

Similar to toothpaste tooth powder can also be used:

• pour a couple of tablespoons of powder into the container;
• stirring, add water until a paste forms;
• using a brush, clean the surface;
• wash off;
• wipe dry.

Foil, salt and soda

To clean cupronickel, soda, salt and foil can be used. This method is suitable for restoring the appearance of products with a texture that is difficult to clean.

Procedure:

1. Line the bottom of a small fireproof container with foil.
2. Pour in a liter of water.
3. Add one tablespoon each of baking soda and salt.
4. Stir.
5. Place cupronickel items in a container.
6. Boil until the blackening disappears.

One of the options for using foil for cleaning is in the video:

Garlic peel

Pour water into a fireproof container and add garlic peels. no limits. Cutlery and other items made of cupronickel are also placed here. The container is placed on the stove and boiled until the blackness disappears.

Liquid after boiling eggs

Without any effort, you can clean the products by using the water left over from boiling eggs. Pre-crushed eggshells and salt are also added to it (1 tablespoon per liter of water). Cupronickel items are dipped into the liquid and brought to a boil. After this, leave them for about 10 minutes.

Coca Cola

To remove unsightly stains on the surface of products Coca-Cola can be used. The drink is poured into a container, and things that need cleaning are also placed there. Leave the container in this form for 2 hours. After this, the products are cleaned with a napkin, washed and wiped dry.

Vinegar

Regular table vinegar and a wool cloth will help you clean cupronickel.

Application:

• pour 1 glass of water into the container;
• add 1 tsp. vinegar;
• stir;
• moisten a cloth in the solution and wipe things from all sides;
• rinse and dry the products.

Alcohol

If nickel silver darkens slightly, you can use alcohol. A napkin or sponge is soaked in it and the surface is wiped. Instead of alcohol, you can use vodka.

Lemon acid

To remove stains on the surface of products, an aqueous solution of citric acid can be used.

Procedure:

1. Pour 1 liter into a container. water.
2. Dissolve 2 tbsp. citric acid.
3. Place a piece of copper wire without braid into the container.
4. Place the products in a container.
5. Leave for 2 hours.
6. Wipe with a napkin.

Special means

Cupronickel products can be cleaned using special preparations. They come in the form of liquids, pastes and creams, and there are also impregnated wipes.

Bagi Metal Cleaner

Metal Cleaner is a product for cleaning metal products. It is suitable for removing dark spots and stains from:

• stainless steel,
• bronze,
• brass,
• cupronickel and other alloys.

As a result of processing, metal objects acquire shine. The product cleans and polishes without leaving scratches. The average price is about 500 rubles per bottle.

Cinderella metal cleaning

The product is available in the form of a concentrate and has a creamy consistency. The product belongs to the universal category, suitable for cleaning products made from:

• cupronickel,
• chromium,
• copper,
• stainless steel, etc.

Surface cleaning is achieved due to the minerals in the paste. After treatment with Cinderella, no streaks or scratches remain. The consumption of the product is economical.

The price of a 0.25 liter bottle is up to 100 rubles.

Unicum Metal

Unicum is intended for cleaning metal products. The drug is suitable for the care of:

• cupronickel,
• brass,
• silver,
• gold,
• copper,
• bronze.

The product allows you to eliminate the problem as quickly as possible without damaging the surface.Unicum should not be used for processing Teflon coatings and surfaces on which there is painting, as well as for processing aluminum alloys. The average price of goods is 175 rubles.

Features of cleaning cupronickel cutlery

Cupronickel silver cutlery looks festive and very attractive. When used and even simply when stored, cupronickel often darkens. In order for cutlery to look attractive, it is necessary to properly care for it.

The following recommendations will help:

1. After each use, you should wipe things with baking soda, rinse with water and dry.
2. It is recommended to store nickel silver dishes without access to air, for example, by wrapping them in foil immediately after washing.
3. When blackened, the devices need to be cleaned using special products or folk recipes.

Care for cupronickel cutlery should be regular.

Bringing back the shine

Rubbing will help restore shine to cupronickel products. In addition to the fact that things made from an alloy of copper and nickel need to be cleaned of blackening, it is important to polish them at the final stage.

6 rules for preserving color

In order for things made of cupronickel to retain their appearance longer, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. Products should be stored in a place with low humidity.
2. Do not use cleaning products that contain chlorine.
3. Cupronickel cannot be washed in the dishwasher.
4. During long-term storage, it is recommended to wrap products in foil or film to limit the access of oxygen and reduce the likelihood of oxidation processes.

   You can also keep the products in wooden, tightly closed boxes by adding a piece of chalk. An alternative is zip-lock bags.

5. After washing, cupronickel dishes should be wiped dry.
6. It is not advisable to get nickel silver jewelry wet. They should be removed before contact with water (washing hands, showering, etc.).

Recommendations

Using recipes for cleaning cupronickel, The following points should be taken into account:

1. Do not use aggressive household chemicals for cleaning, as they can damage the material.
2. Using highly abrasive tools for cleaning (for example, a metal brush, sandpaper) can lead to damage to the products.
3. Any cleaning product should not remain on nickel silver indefinitely. After the exposure time has expired (according to the instructions), the product should be removed from the product, and the surface should be washed and dried.
4. Despite the strength and guaranteed long service life, products made from cupronickel need regular cleaning, as they are prone to darkening.

Conclusion

Clean nickel silver from blackness at home you can do it on your own quickly enough. Simple homemade recipes and special household chemicals will come to the rescue. And in order for products to retain their appearance longer, they must be stored correctly.