Abstract: This is a normal phenomenon that the contact of silver with air and other natural media may lead to the blackening of silver rings. If it suddenly turns black, you may be exposed to too much sulfide in a short time, such as taking a hot spring with a silver ring. If the silver ring turns black, it can be wiped with cotton dipped in white vinegar, alcohol or sodium carbonate, silver cloth, and sodium thiosulfate solution. Now let's know what to do if the silver ring turns black.
1. Is It Normal for the Silver Ring to Turn Black?
It is expected that the silver ring will turn black after being worn for a long time because sulfur and oxides in the air and other natural media have specific corrosive effects on silver. After wearing it for a period of time, some small spots (silver sulfide film) will appear, which will diffuse into sheets and become black after a long time.
In addition, the human body sweats. Some people sweat a lot, and their body acidity is high. The more acidic the sweat, the more black the silver ring they wear. Many friends saw the passage in the ancient costume drama where the silver needle was used to test the poison. They thought that the blackening of the silver ring was because the body had toxins. In fact, this was not the case. In ancient times, the silver needle was used to test the poison because the purification technology of ancient arsenic was not enough, so it would contain sulfur. The chemical reaction with the silver needle was not arsenic, It is sparseness. Therefore, the statement that "blackening of silver jewelry indicates unhealthy health" is unscientific. The blackening of silver jewelry we usually see is just a normal chemical reaction between silver and oxygen, which has no direct relationship with health.
2. What Happened when the Silver Ring Suddenly Turned Black?
It is normal for a silver ring to turn black after wearing it for a long time, but it is abnormal if it suddenly turns black. What is the reason for the silver ring suddenly turning black?
Generally speaking, the blackening of the silver ring is mainly related to sulfide. If you wear the silver ring to soak in hot springs or immerse the silver ring in water containing sulfur or strong acids and alkalis, it may cause the silver ring to blacken suddenly.
3. How to Clean a Silver Ring When It Turns Black?
If you find that the silver ring is blackened, you can take the following methods to restore its luster:
Method 1: Wipe with cotton dipped in white vinegar, and the black silver sulfide will dissolve in acetic acid, which can make the silver ring shine again.
Method 2: Wipe with alcohol or sodium carbonate, the effect is also very good.
Method 3: First clean the surface of the silver ring with neutral detergent, then clean it with sodium thiosulfate solution (prepared by adding 20g sodium thiosulfate to 100g water) and then clean it with clean water.
Method 4: Use 1 portion of tartaric acid, 1 portion of alum, and 10 portions of salt, mix and heat until boiling, soak the silver ring, take it out 10 minutes later, wash it with water and then wipe it dry
Method 5: Wipe it with a silver cloth. If the silver ring has slight oxidation, it can be directly wiped with a silver cloth for maintenance.
If the above methods cannot solve the problem, other destructive methods can be considered, such as silver washing, polishing with a polishing machine in a silver jewelry store, and scrubbing with toothpaste and toothbrush.
