Effective ways to clean a silver cross at home. How to quickly and effectively clean a silver cross

The cross can be cleaned toothpaste and then rinse in hot water with the addition of feri. And silver darkens from moist air - this is table silver. And body jewelry - from sweat. The more you sweat, the faster silver jewelry darkens.

Silver darkens upon prolonged contact with decomposing protein, that is, with human skin (especially with unhealthy skin), because human skin consists of proteins. Also, silver darkens when in contact with sulfur fumes.
And to the question "How to clean silver cross?" I answer:
You can try citric acid or go to the uvelier and ask for polishing.

I'm not sure about tooth powder, although if it's good for teeth and doesn't damage enamel, silver won't hurt either. Personally, I clean my silver and coins with soap (! Not household soap, because it contains a lot of alkali) and a toothbrush, after which I rinse warm water.

You can clean silver (crosses, chains, rings) just with baking soda, but it gets dark just from problems in the body, since everything comes out through sweat, go to the doctor, if it’s medicine, and judging by the beliefs, then any grandmother will tell you that on you or damage or slander, go to the heap and go to church

It is said that it is effective to hold the silver in the water where the potatoes were boiled. I personally haven't tried it. I cleaned the cross with toothpaste ("Pearl" cleans silver instantly!) And tooth powder. You can also use chalk, but pre-crushed and soaked. Abrasive substances, such as soda, can still cause a micro-scratch on a thing. Use soft remedies as you have already been told above. Or special solutions for cleaning silver.

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I always clean silverware and jewelry with toothpaste.
It doesn't matter which one. What is, that I read. A silver cross can also be cleaned with potato broth, just put it in the broth for a couple of hours.
I tried, it worked.
And silver turns black from acids. In products, in skin secretions.

More advice!
silver jewelry often darkens and to remove plaque, wash the cross with warm soapy water and clean with a cloth dipped in a mixture of ammonia and tooth powder or chalk. or, together with pieces of foil, lower into the water where the potatoes were boiled.

The silver cross can be cleaned with an ordinary soft cloth dipped in a solution of table vinegar (dilute a little with water!).

However, if the cross has additional inclusions - for example, enamel - you can wipe cotton pad, putting on it a little mixture of tooth powder with a few drops of ammonia.

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You can clean it in several ways:
1. A cloth soaked in ammonia, and then with tooth powder.
2. Toothpaste
3. Water with soda also helps.
You can also use salt instead of soda.
For 1/2 cup of water - 1.5 teaspoons of soda (2 teaspoons of salt)
4. Dip into the ammonia solution and have a good chat.

Silver darkens and just like that - oxidizes.
However, the rapid oxidation of silver may indicate an increase in the secretion (production) of sebum (or sweat), which contains substances that accelerate oxidation (catalysts). This can (only - can) indicate diseases (polycystic) or pregnancy.

A silver cross can be cleaned in two ways. 1. Apply toothpaste on it, rub it thoroughly, either with your fingers or with a toothbrush. Then rinse the cross with warm water. Wipe with a velvety towel and veils it shines.
2. Pour water into an aluminum bowl, bring to a boil, add one third of a teaspoon of ammonia and zero five teaspoons washing powder. Put the product in the solution and boil for twenty, thirty minutes, under the lid.

Very effective remedy for cleaning silver special liquids and napkins, which can be bought in jewelry stores(Johnson "Silver Quick" cleaning liquid, silver cleaning liquid, Leuchtturm (Germany). Dip contaminated products into the solution, after a few minutes (time depends on surface contamination) remove clean, shiny products. A special composition will cover your jewelry with a thin protective layer that will protect them from oxidation. After cleaning, it is necessary to remove the products from the solution and rinse clean water wipe with a soft cloth.

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A silver cross can be cleaned with soap, powder, toothpaste and other products mentioned above, and these products really clean and renew silver items, but there are only two BUT.

1. The surface of products is damaged by abrasive and covered with scratches

2. In a week or two, the silver will turn black again and it is necessary to clean it again.

For silver, 3 products are produced:
"Silver Cleaner" - 65 ml,
"Gold polish" - 65 ml
and "Silver Polishing Cloth".

Each product costs about 100 rubles and they are sold in jewelry stores.
For more information about jewelry cosmetics Thurman look at the page clck ru

A darkened silver cross or a ring that has lost its luster is a familiar problem for many wearers. jewelry or other silverware. However, not everyone knows how to properly and effectively return them original view with my own hands at home.

After all, the reason for the deplorable appearance silver jewelry can be very different:

• high humidity;
• increased sweating;
• the use of cosmetics;
• taking medication.

And, of course, you should not discount the most common dirt, which, when prolonged wear invariably clogs all the recesses on the product. However, the most common cause darkening of the metal is the effect of substances containing sulfur compounds. The degree of color change also depends on the copper impurities present in the silver alloy - during oxidation, it is they that change the color of the jewelry.

Based on these facts, many of the most different methods precious metal cleaning.

To return the products to their original form, various improvised means are used. And each affects precious metal in its own way, depending on the nature of the pollution and the impurities it contains.

The most common ways are as follows:

hydrogen peroxide

This tool is used to clean not only silver products, but also gold jewelry. However, the nature of such an effect is a chemical reaction, which can have the opposite effect of the desired effect if the object contains foreign impurities. As a result, instead of beautiful shine you can get indelible black spots. Therefore, in case of uncertainty chemical composition products from this method is better to refuse.

ammonia

To give your favorite jewelry its original look, it is recommended to use a solution of ammonia in a ratio of 1: 10 with plain water. Keep the products, depending on the amount of contamination, for 30 minutes. (may be more or less). Then wipe with a soft sponge and dry with a cloth. If the spots are minor, you can wipe them with a rag soaked in ammonia, then rinse with water and dry.

Soda

To obtain a cleaning agent, it is necessary to dissolve soda (2 tablespoons) in 2 glasses of water, and then bring the solution to a boil. IN finished product place silver jewelry for about 15 minutes. If the contamination is of a low degree, it is enough to wipe the product with a rag soaked in the solution. Or try cleaning it with a slurry of soda. However, this method, with intensive use, can cause scratches on the silver surface.

Soda and foil

The method is similar to the previous one, only to enhance the effect, a piece of aluminum foil should be placed on the bottom of the container with the solution and items that need cleaning should be placed on it. Literally in 10-20 seconds. after boiling the solution, the product takes its original form.

Vinegar

Ordinary 9% vinegar is able to remove the most old spots- worth keeping in it silver item 15 min., then rinse with water followed by drying.

Toothpaste or powder

Suitable for cleaning toothpaste best without any additives. If powder is used, it is enough to add a little water to it. It is better to clean products with numerous recesses with an old toothbrush; after finishing, rinse the silver jewelry well from the paste residue and dry thoroughly.

ammonia

Ammonia you can also use as part of a mixture: equal amounts of hydrogen peroxide, liquid baby soap, ammonia and water. Place the contaminated object in the solution and hold until completely cleansed.

citric acid

A solution of citric acid (proportion: 100 g per 2 tablespoons of water) must be placed on water bath, and after boiling, put in it the product that needs cleaning along with a small piece copper wire. Withstand 15-30 min. depending on the speed of cleaning, then rinse and dry.

Important! When using any method, try to carry out the procedure carefully. If the silver object has become shiny before the specified period, immediately stop the procedure. After all, almost all methods are based on chemical reactions, which means that at least a little bit the product will become lighter.

How to clean a silver chain at home?

Easy and simple to return silver chain the original appearance can be done using various solutions, since the most effective rubbing (with vinegar or ammonia) may not give desired result. After all, some parts of the product are difficult to access and cannot be cleaned.

An effective way is to use the following solution: in 200 ml of pure water, add a tablespoon of ammonia and baby liquid soap. It is best to clean in a jar with a lid - ammonia is quite toxic. After mixing, place the chain in the solution and close the lid. Literally 5 minutes later. the chain will be like new.

Self-cleaning of a silver cross

A silver cross, like a chain, most often requires cleansing, since it is in contact with the surface of the skin - a constant source of various secretions (sweat, fat).

Before chemical exposure the item should be thoroughly washed with ordinary soap and soda solution - it may have darkened from ordinary dirt. Then you can apply each of the above methods.

Important! First of all, you should make sure that your jewelry is not made of blackened silver, where darkening in certain places is a necessary design element. It is not recommended to apply aggressive chemical or intense mechanical action to such a product.

Purification of a silver ring from blackness

At home, it is easy to shine on a ring without gemstones. You should first remove the usual contaminants: dust, dirt, grease. This can be done with a warm soapy solution with the addition of a tablespoon of ammonia to 1 liter of water.

If after this the blackness remains, you can perform the following manipulations:

• soak the ring in warm soapy water for two hours;
• wash it with clean water and wipe it with a dry cloth;
• prepare a slurry of chalk and ammonia, it is allowed to replace chalk with tooth powder;
• rub the mixture into the ring with a soft cloth until cleansing;
• rinse with water and polish with a dry cloth.

Important! One of the most available ways is cleaning with potato juice. You can make a mixture of water and grated potatoes, or place finely chopped potatoes in water. When starch goes into solution, it has a cleansing effect on silver objects placed in the liquid.

Cleaning of silver items with stones (rings, chains, bracelets)

If there are stones in the jewelry, cleaning with aggressive products can cause irreparable damage to them.

Therefore, during the process, you should:

1. Use only soft and gentle materials that prevent scratches and damage. It can be soft rags, old toothbrushes that have natural bristles and various solutions.
2. Do not use dry powders such as soda or chalk, and even use liquid mixtures with caution.
3. During the cleaning process, carefully monitor the condition of the jewelry and, when the desired effect is achieved, immediately remove the item from the solution.
4. After cleaning, be sure to rinse the product with water and dry thoroughly.

Important! However, if the stone is precious or semi-precious, it is best to use the services of a jewelry salon. Here the product is guaranteed to be cleaned without harmful effects on it.

Silver coins: cleansing from black to shine

Old coins require special treatment. Sometimes even their value is the special traces of age in the form of darkened spots. That's why First stage- the most gentle cleaning with warm soapy water.

A few simple guidelines should be followed:

1. Do not use aggressive chemicals, especially in the beginning. First of all, you should try soda and soap solutions.
2. When using dry substances (soda or chalk), do not use a toothbrush, but a rag, the most gentle tool.
3. When the first stage is over, determine the approximate cost of the product and then draw a conclusion about further actions.
4. During the cleaning process, do not allow coins to come into contact.
5. High or low t is also a kind of aggressive impact, so it is better to exclude such methods.

Important! If you cannot determine the value silver coin, contact a specialist. After all, for many old coins, it is their spots that are of particular value.

Gilded silver: plaque cleaning and renewal

Products with gilding require careful attention - after all, this layer is easy to erase with improper handling. But it is he who gives the jewelry a special value and a peculiar beauty.

To clean gilded silver you need:

1. As a care item, use only dry soft suede.
2. Pre-soak in warm soapy water mandatory step process.
3. Then you can use any liquid solution from the above methods. good result can be achieved by wiping with alcohol or vodka.
4. At the end of the process, thoroughly wash the product with water and wipe dry with suede.

Important! Gilded silver requires careful and frequent care, because in the absence of attention it becomes dull, darkens and blackness appears. And it can be very problematic to return it to its original form.

Video tutorial on cleaning silverware

Cleaning silver items at home is at first glance a simple and not laborious process. However, for it to be carried out correctly, necessary margin knowledge and, at a minimum, comply with the rules careful attitude to products.

Before and after (photo)

Professional cleaning (photo)

Don't forget about gold jewelry:

Not only gold, but also silver jewelry can boast, perhaps, every person. In most cases, these are body chains and crosses, because it is silver that people choose for the rite of baptism. And if initially this metal pleases the owner with brilliance and excellent appearance, then over time it begins to become covered with a black coating and become dull. Naturally, it is possible to restore its former beauty, however, in order to clean a silver cross, certain knowledge and patience are required.

There is an opinion among the population that the blackening of silver jewelry is associated with the negative energy that the metal absorbs. That is, the more often the owner of the product catches the eye of envious people, the more blackness becomes on the surface of silver. In fact, there are several other reasons that blackening entails, and all of them have nothing to do with mysticism.

1. An increased parameter of air humidity, which enters into chemical processes with metal and makes it noticeably dimmer.
2. Storing silver next to home first aid kit or medical preparations containing sulfur.
3. Peculiarities skin the owner of the product, as well as excessive use of perfume or skin care products.

Features of cleaning a silver cross

An important aspect of the home cleaning process for a silver cross and chain is to use only soft cloths. It is strictly forbidden to use hard sponges with a rough surface, as well as substances containing abrasive components. Compliance this rule to avoid minor scratches and for a long time keep the brightness of the silver.

If there is no absolute certainty that the jewelry can be cleaned on your own, it is better to take it to a jewelry workshop. There you can entrust the work to professionals and not worry about the final result.

Means for cleaning a silver cross

The first step in cleaning a silver cross from blackening should be exposure to a solution soapy water. The interaction of soap and silver will reduce the time to remove dirt. If dark marks remain on the silver cross after soapy water, then you can remove them in one of the following ways:

1. Baking soda. To prepare the solution, the following proportions should be observed: 50 grams of soda per liter of water. To obtain the best concentration, the composition must be thoroughly mixed. Further, a silver cross, together with a chain, is completely lowered into the resulting liquid for one hour, and then wiped with a soft cloth.
2. Another recipe with baking soda. We pre-moisten the silver cross with water, and then cover it with a large layer of soda and, observing the utmost accuracy, three with a soft cloth. After removing the dirt, the product must be held under tap water and allowed to dry. If there is no soda in the house, you can use salt.
3. Ammonia. To prepare the solution, mix a liter of soapy water and one tablespoon of ammonia. It is necessary to clear the cross identically to the first option described above. Also, ammonia can be used in conjunction with crushed chalk, the proportions will be the same. The resulting composition must be applied to the decoration, put it aside for a couple of minutes and remove the residue with running water.
4. Hydrogen peroxide. Cleaning a silver cross with peroxide is the most risky. The reason lies in the fact that no owner has accurate information about the composition of the jewelry. When peroxide interacts with silver, which has even small proportions of impurities, the product will quickly oxidize, and it will no longer be possible to restore its original appearance.
5. Lemon acid. This tool will perfectly cope with the removal of blackness on a silver cross and return it to its former shine. To achieve positive result, you need to prepare a mixture of one hundred grams of lemon and half a liter of water. The finished solution must be put in a water bath. During the heating process, put a cross into the solution and boil it for a quarter of an hour. After that, rinse the product under running water and dry with a soft cloth.
6. Vinegar. This composition effectively removes plaque and tarnish from silver jewelry. The owner of the product will only need to treat the surface of the cross with a soft cloth previously moistened with vinegar, and remove the residue with a dry cloth.
7. Toothpaste. This cleaning option should only be used as a last resort, as it may cause scratches on the product. Just rub this composition, with a cloth, on dirt, and then rinse under running water.

For the care of silver in all jewelry stores, a special cleaning agent is sold. It can be used both for preventive cleaning and for removing serious contaminants.

Having mastered the skills correct selection methods for cleaning a silver cross, you can extend the life of socks for several decades.

How to care for silver

To reduce the frequency of cleaning silver item, you should keep a flannel napkin in the house, with which it is necessary to carry out preventive cleaning at least once a month. In addition, you can remove traces of dirt from silver with a dry suede cloth, but at least once a week.

Found in every home. Silver tends to darken and become coated. You can give it to jewelry salon, but you can quickly and inexpensively clean silver at home with improvised means.

Most often, the problem occurs with body silver crosses and chains, since the crosses have various engravings and protrusions, which makes it difficult to wipe and clean it properly.

Silver begins to darken due to contact with cosmetics and perfumes.

Any silver will darken over time. Only a special alloy does not darken, which looks like silver, but is much cheaper. Real silver can darken from improper care.

Before cleaning a silver cross, you should understand what caused the darkening and change in its appearance so that you do not have to resort to cleaning silver too often.

• superstition. Some believe that the silver cross darkens if a person is sick or due to the evil eye, exposure negative energy. It is difficult to find confirmation of this, but in any case it is necessary, and regularly, and not as it gets dirty.
• high humidity. Often silver jewelry darkens if it is stored in high humidity conditions. So it is not recommended to store silver in the bathroom, as well as wash in it, go to the bathhouse, pool, etc.
• Due to contact with cosmetics and perfumes. Silver jewelry darkens faster when in contact with various body lotions, eau de parfum, creams and other cosmetics.
• Skin type feature. Owners oily skin, which sweats often and profusely, becomes covered with sebum, more often encounter problems with the darkening of silver.
• Improper storage of silver. Silver may darken when stored with different medicines, in boxes with rubber elements and other metal jewelry that can react with silver.

Can be purchased special remedy for cleaning silver in a jewelry store. It will safely and quickly clean jewelry, but it is not cheap.

Silver needs to be cleaned every 1-3 months, even if it seems to be clean and has not darkened.

In order to save money, you can safely and effectively if you follow the rules of cleaning.

The best ways to clean silver at home

You can clean silver at home

Cleaning silver is pretty easy. There are many ways to use home remedies. In every house you can find at least one of them:

1. Vinegar. Cleaning silver with vinegar is almost a tradition. A solution of 6% vinegar not only perfectly cleans jewelry, but also restores their shine. It is worth remembering that you do not need to dip the cross or chain in a solution of vinegar or keep it for a long time. It is enough to moisten a piece of cloth in the solution and wipe the jewelry, and then wipe them dry.
2. Baking soda. Soda can be found in every home. To prepare the solution, you need to carefully dissolve 1 teaspoon of soda in 50 ml of clean water. Silver jewelry is placed in this solution and left for an hour. After that, the jewelry is removed and wiped with a soft cloth. Sometimes it is recommended to clean silver with a gruel of soda and water, but this method is quite aggressive and can scratch the metal. Instead of soda, you can use plain table salt. However, it is better to boil such a solution along with decorations for greater effectiveness.
3. Ammonia. Ammonia very effectively removes dirt even in those places of silver products where a cloth or brush cannot be reached. In clean water, you need to add a tablespoon of ammonia and a little soap suds. Stir all this and put silver there for a while. After such cleaning, silver things look like new.
4. . Good way cleaning silver, if nothing else is at hand. You need to take the paste and the old brush and rub the cross well. However, the chain will be difficult to clean in this way. A toothbrush can scratch jewelry, so you need to clean it carefully, without strong pressure, it is better to choose a brush with soft and thin bristles. This method is good because it does not require waiting and can effectively remove dirt even on a cross with a convex surface.

Silver cleaning: mistakes and rules

It is better to entrust the cleaning of silver with precious stones to specialists.

Cleaning silver requires some care. If you do not follow the rules of cleaning, you can spoil appearance jewelry forever:

• You can not clean silver along with gold. These are different metals with different reactions to substances. Gold does not darken, it can become slightly cloudy and lose its luster. Even if the cleaning products are the same, it is advisable to put silver and gold jewelry in different cups so as not to ruin them.
• You can't clean silver. Cleaning with hydrogen peroxide is considered the most risky. On pure silver hydrogen peroxide will not harmful effects, however, it is never known exactly what impurities are in jewelry. Some of them can react with peroxide, and the appearance of the jewelry will deteriorate irrevocably.
• Care should be taken to avoid cleaning with abrasive substances. Abrasive cleaning refers to substances with large particles that can scratch the surface. Such means include soda, salt, brushing with a toothbrush. These products should be used only in extreme cases, and it is advisable not to resort to such cleaning frequently.
• Use only soft cloths for cleaning. You can wipe silver jewelry only with soft tissues and, preferably, dry. If you leave polished jewelry wet, they will quickly darken again.
• Do not clean if there are stones and impurities. If silver jewelry contains impurities of other metals and gems, it is better not to take risks and take them to a jewelry store. professional cleaning will cost a lot, but still cheaper than buying new jewelry.

After cleaning, silver jewelry can be worn as usual, but protected from moisture and. If properly stored, silver should not darken for at least a few months.

How to clean silver at home, the thematic video will tell:

In contact with

Many people are accustomed to complementing their own image with some kind of jewelry: rings, chains, earrings, crosses - all this is very common, like silver, from which a considerable number of the listed products are made. This metal is quite beautiful, and its reasonable cost makes silver quite affordable. That is why a believer often prefers a pectoral cross made of silver.

Despite positive sides, the owners of this item are often faced with an unpleasant problem- gradual darkening of the surface, due to which the appearance deteriorates greatly. When this happens, people either turn to paid help to specialized workshops, paying unfairly large sums for this, or they cope with pollution on their own at home.

Causes of pollution

Both the causes of darkening and the ways to eliminate them, which may be suitable for certain cases, differ. The most common culprits for damage to jewelry are as follows:

• Low quality of the alloy, which does not correspond to the sample desired upon purchase.
• Oxidation of copper - one of the components of solid silver. This happens to her, for example, at high humidity or from an excess of hydrogen sulfide.
• Frequent exposure to chlorine, such as showering, bathing, or going to the pool.
• Cosmetics, perfumes, shower gel, shampoo - all this, getting on the cross, provokes the gradual appearance of oxidation.
• Storage outside the rules. The habit of putting all kinds of jewelry in one box is extremely harmful and wrong, since corresponding reactions occur between different metals, which spoils each piece of jewelry.
• Slight damage caused by frequent friction, which causes silver to lose its protective layer, subsequently oxidizing and darkening.
• Lack of prevention in the form of constant cleansing from external dirt, which also includes sebum and sweat of the owner.

Cleaning methods

There is an opinion that a silver cross is able to darken when its owner was jinxed. Many people tend to believe this, so they believe that the product magically will return to its former appearance, if you remove the evil eye and run to some grandmother-sorceress. It does not take long to explain how wrong such a judgment is. It doesn’t matter to metal how his environment treats the owner, and to feel bad energy he can not. This superstition has nothing to do with the truth and the cross, if it has turned black, should be cleaned not spiritually, but physically.

Silver products are cleaned very carefully, as there is a risk of surface damage, which sometimes leads to irreparable damage to the appearance.

In no case should you overdo it in the process, and this is one of the main rules. The second says that it is necessary to use only certain means that can really help, and not backfire. In order not to make a fatal mistake, it is necessary to study the entire list of suitable means.

Vinegar

Surprisingly, the most ordinary table vinegar. In addition to it, you only need cotton wool or any other soft fabric, which must be moistened with vinegar and rub the surface of the product, then wipe it with a wet cloth.

Soda

Another product that is almost always found in the kitchen is baking soda. It (in the amount of two teaspoons) is added to 100 ml of water, and then the cross is lowered into the container for a while, after which the decoration is dried with any cloth.

In the case of a truly terrible state of silver, you can try the extreme method with the participation of the same soda: here the proportions of water and soda should be 1: 1, forming a relatively thick mass, which is applied to the product. Such a procedure, of course, will instantly get rid of any dirt, however, it can easily scratch the surface, so this option should be last in line.

Ammonia

This tool is very effective and able to cope with even the most inaccessible places. For him, you need only one tablespoon of alcohol and a liter of soapy water. The cross is placed in this liquid, remaining there for several hours, after which it is wiped with a damp cloth.

You can use another similar method: take 1: 1 alcohol and hydrogen peroxide and do the same, only leaving the product to soak for only 30 minutes. Is it true, it is less safe for low grade metal, the quality of which may only worsen.

Toothpaste

If a serious renovation has begun in the house or its owners have recently moved, it is quite possible that they will not have all the funds listed in the kitchen and first aid kit. Then ordinary toothpaste will come to the rescue. You just need to put it on toothbrush and gently rub the surface of the cross, doing this with the utmost care so as not to cause harm.

Having done everything right, it will be easy to get rid of blackness.

Lemon acid

This method will take a little longer than the rest and cannot be classified as particularly harmless, because the acid and water needed here high temperature- things are very serious and you will have to exercise all possible vigilance. Acid with water (proportion 1: 5) in a metal bowl should be brought to a boil and the decoration should be placed in the liquid, and then boiled for another 15 minutes. Next, it remains to remove the silver, rinse it with warm water (most importantly, not cold, so as not to arrange a strong temperature drop) and dry.

It is no longer a secret that cleaning silver requires care, neglecting which it is easy to damage it and no longer cope with the consequences. To not have to throw favorite decoration, It is useful to know about a few additional features:

• If we are talking about cleaning a silver item, this is a separate matter. It is highly discouraged to take the risk of combining cleaning, for example, silver with gold. They are completely different in composition, and each of them must be approached individually. Even if the method of removing contaminants is the same, it is better to act separately, preventing the reaction.
• Although hydrogen peroxide is not capable of reacting with silver, it does not bypass other alloy impurities, therefore its use is a dangerous business.
• Abrasives are considered unacceptable for silver jewelry, so their use to remove tarnish is best left to hopeless cases.
• Do not underestimate the wiping step, as it is he who does not allow the blackening to return again. Dry thoroughly without leaving a drop of moisture.

If cleaning the cross at home causes concern, then you can contact a professional.