Solving the question of how to clean cupronickel spoons at home is relevant for many consumers. Some people opt for cutlery made of stainless steel and characterized by practicality and functionality.

And some continue to remain faithful to such an expensive metal as silver, not wanting to give up buying and using sets of kitchen utensils made from this material.

Information on how to clean cupronickel at home is relevant for the third category of users - for those who need cupronickel, which looks like fine silver, for coziness and comfort in the kitchen and at the table.

However, cupronickel spoons also have a drawback that makes them similar to noble metal: they just as quickly turn black and oxidize.

Knowing how to properly clean nickel silver from blackness at home, you can set the table with them without fear and use them with taste and pleasure. Our article is devoted to this issue, as well as the reasons for the blackening of cupronickel products.

A significant part of this metal is copper, which is characterized by the ease of oxidation of the metal.

The nickel present in the alloy is not able to prevent the start of this inevitable process. It is also almost unaffected by fractions of a percent of iron and manganese, which are part of cupronickel.

The problem of how to clean cupronickel at home arises when stains appear on the surface of cupronickel. This usually occurs in a humid environment, and at first these spots have a brownish tint.

When cleaning the metal is delayed for a long time, the oxide begins to acquire a specific shade - bluish-black, reminiscent of the color of a raven's wing.

Removing the oxide film is not particularly difficult only if the surface is smooth. If there are relief patterns on the product, cleaning becomes much more difficult.

About cleaning methods

Cupronickel silver cutlery can be cleaned in one of many ways. You can, without further ado, purchase at a regular hardware store a composition intended for cleaning silver and cupronickel items.

It may be sold as a paste or gel. Good results are obtained by a napkin impregnated with a special chemical composition, which can also be found on sale.

However, no matter which option is chosen, you need to thoroughly read the instructions, protect your hands with special gloves, and only then start cleaning. The advisability of using gloves is due to the fact that they perfectly protect hands from dark oxide.

If we clean with regular dish detergent, extra care must be taken: there is a risk that abrasive particles may leave scratches.

Traditional recipes will always come to the rescue

Many housewives successfully cope with the problem without spending money on purchasing any special products. To maintain the rules of cleanliness and grooming of this part of the household utensils enough:

• salt;
• soda;
• soda;
• sodium thiosulfate.

You can cope with this household task using fine salt as follows. A little wet salt is placed on a swab and the spoons are wiped with it. If this is not a very old layer, then the problem can be dealt with fairly quickly. Soda has a similar effect.

To clean nickel silver, sodium thiosulfate, which is available for purchase at a pharmacy without a prescription, will be sufficient. After cleaning with a solution of this product, the spoons should be rinsed in clean water and wiped dry.

Soda, which is poured over cupronickel silverware, will also be good. After lying in this liquid for some time, they must be washed with water - and after that they can begin to delight with their shine and cleanliness.

Which drink is preferable? “Fanta” and “Cola”, colorless “Sprite” or something else more familiar to the consumer himself.

Cupronickel spoons can also be cleaned well when boiled in water in which eggs were previously boiled.

Accuracy is the key to success

When studying folk recipes or choosing one of the modern chemical cleaning products, it is important to remember one simple rule.

It is necessary first of all to become thoroughly familiar with the process theoretically. And having started to implement it, you need to strictly follow each step of the entire algorithm of actions.

Mother of two children. I have been running a house for more than 7 years - this is my main job. I like to experiment, I constantly try different means, methods, techniques that can make our life easier, more modern, more fulfilling. I love my family.

The most common things in the house made from cupronickel are cutlery and kitchen utensils. The production of such products was carried out back in Soviet times, and they were made according to models that were used to form silver objects. Therefore, if you clean cupronickel silver from dark deposits, it is very difficult to distinguish such products from silver ones. To maintain the appearance of cupronickel items at a decent level, they should be cleaned regularly. You can clean cupronickel at home not only with the help of specialized products, but also with compositions prepared from available ingredients.

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There are many ways to clean cupronickel at home, but only some of them are highly effective in removing dark plaque.

The most effective of them are:

• soda;
• foil;
• table vinegar;
• dentifrice;
• ammonia;
• milk;
• garlic peel;
• eggs;
• potato broth.

Before you begin cleaning, the item must be washed in warm soapy water. Immediately after this, you can proceed to using any chosen product.

Table vinegar

Darkening on cupronickel can be removed with table vinegar. To do this, dilute 1 teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water. The resulting solution must be used to wipe off all the dark spots, and then the item is rinsed with running water and wiped dry.



If some stains are not washed off, a more concentrated solution can be used. But it should be used precisely with a cotton swab.



Baking soda

Cupronickel silver products should be cleaned with soda only if the metal is slightly soiled or darkened. In order to give the dishes an attractive shine, each item must be rinsed in a soda solution after washing. To prepare it, you need to dissolve 50 grams of soda in 1 liter of water. If some areas cannot be washed, they should be rubbed with dry soda using a sponge. Then the items are rinsed under cold water and wiped dry.



Using soda can help the housewife maintain the attractive shine of cupronickel for a long time. To do this, after each washing of dishes, they should be rinsed in a soda solution.

There is another method of getting rid of blackness on cupronickel using soda and foil. It allows you to cope even with severe pollution, since it is based on boiling.

Cleaning should be carried out according to the instructions:

1. 1. To clean, you will need to take an aluminum pan and cover its bottom with foil.
2. 2. The devices are immersed in a container and filled with water.
3. 3. Pour 50 grams of soda into the liquid, mix everything lightly and bring to a boil.

The interaction of aluminum and baking soda with foil activates a chemical reaction, during which the foil layer begins to darken and the cupronickel lightens. If you are unable to get rid of the blackness the first time, the procedure should be repeated. You cannot use this recipe to clean gold-plated or silver-plated cupronickel.





Dentifrice

Tooth powder will help effectively deal with darkening. To treat the product, apply the product to a cotton pad and then rub it on the dishes. Processing should be continued until an attractive shine appears.

During such polishing, you must be careful, as tooth powder can leave scratches on the product. Therefore, before using such a product, you need to make sure that it is safe for cupronickel by checking the aggressiveness of the particles in an inconspicuous place.

Alcohol

If nickel silver items have become tarnished, they should be wiped with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol. Vodka can also be used for these purposes. It must be applied in the same way.

If the cupronickel is covered with dark spots, the item should be soaked in ammonia for 10 minutes. Then the product is removed, rinsed and wiped dry.

Milk

Spoiled milk should not be disposed of immediately. If there are darkened nickel silver objects in the house, it will help to quickly restore their original shine. Cleaning should be carried out according to the instructions:

1. 1. The curdled milk is poured into a saucepan.
2. 2. A darkened object is immersed in it for 20 minutes.
3. 3. After this time, the product is removed from the milk and left to dry.
4. 4. Then the item is polished with a flannel cloth, rinsed and wiped dry.

If the contaminants are only partially removed, the procedure must be repeated.



Chalk

In order to polish cupronickel silver cutlery, you need to prepare a soap-chalk mass. To do this, dissolve 50 grams of chalk in 50 grams of soap. 1 liter of water is added to the mixture, everything is mixed until smooth. A soft cloth is soaked with the resulting product, and then all cutlery is thoroughly wiped with it. After polishing, all items should be rinsed and wiped dry.

There is another recipe for a product that can be used to polish nickel silver spoons and forks at home. To prepare it, you will need to mix 0.5 cups of water, 1 dessert spoon of chalk and 2 dessert spoons of ammonia. Polishing should be done in a similar manner.



Lemon acid

This product is suitable for cleaning large cupronickel plates. To prepare the solution, 1 packet of citric acid is diluted in 1 liter of water. A piece of copper wire is placed in the resulting liquid, and then the dishes are immersed in the solution and left for 2 hours.

The plates are removed, rinsed, and treated with regular dishwashing detergent. After finishing cleaning, the plates should be wiped dry.

Decoctions for removing severe stains

All the previously described means allow you to remove minor blackening on nickel silver. And if the housewife has not used or cleaned cupronickel dishes for a long time, she should prepare special decoctions:

1. 1. Eggshell product. Prepare a decoction from 1 liter of water and the shells of 2 raw eggs. After the liquid boils, all darkened objects are placed in it. After 2-3 minutes they are removed, rinsed with cold water and wiped dry.
2. 2. Potato decoction. 1 liter of water is poured into the pan, 2 raw potatoes, cut into small cubes, are thrown in. The mass is brought to a boil. Contaminated items are immersed in the broth for 20 minutes, and then removed from it, rinsed and wiped.
3. 3. A decoction of garlic peels. 1 liter of water is poured into the container, dry garlic peels removed from 3 heads are added to it. All blackened objects are immersed in a boiling broth and kept in it until a shine appears.

Such methods will make it easy to clean not only forks and spoons, but also a glass holder that has not been used or cleaned by the owner for a long time. In this case, the procedure time may be increased.




Under no circumstances should cupronickel dishes be cleaned with household chemicals that contain chlorine. This is due to the fact that cupronickel contains an alloy of copper and nickel, which is oxidized under the influence of chlorine.

To avoid re-darkening of cleaned cupronickel tableware using any of the methods presented, it should be properly cared for. To do this, it should be stored in a dry place and immediately wiped after washing. If a slight blackness appears, cutlery should be cleaned immediately by rinsing it in a soda solution.

Clean cupronickel, or rather kitchen utensils made from it, blackness can be removed both with the help of household chemicals and folk remedies. You will choose the best option for yourself by studying the material we have prepared in more detail.

First you need to figure out what kind of material this is. Cupronickel is a light alloy of metals that was used to make cutlery back in Soviet times as a cheaper alternative to silver. The alloy traditionally includes copper and nickel; some products contain admixtures of manganese and iron. Of course, not only spoons and forks are made from such material, but also mugs, glass holders and other household items.

The difficulty of caring for cupronickel tableware lies precisely in its alloy. Sometimes it is difficult to care for dishes even made of one metal, not to mention choosing the optimal cleaning agent for several metals at once. In this article we will look at the most effective and popular ways to clean nickel silver dishes at home.

Household chemicals

Today on store shelves you can find a huge variety of different household chemicals designed exclusively for cleaning certain surfaces, metals and objects. To restore cutlery and other items made of cupronickel, it is recommended to use just such special household chemicals. In this case, you are guaranteed to clean the dishes without damaging their surface.

Cleaning agent for cupronickel comes in the following types:

• helium;
• water based;
• cream;
• napkins.

Before purchasing household chemicals, be sure to check that they are intended for cleaning nickel silver products.

Cleaning cupronickel with folk remedies

The easiest way is to clean nickel silver from blackness at home using folk and improvised means. It is effective, economical and will definitely not harm the alloy surface. In the table we have presented the most popular methods for cleaning dishes made of this metal.

Try to avoid severe contamination and darkening of cupronickel, otherwise it will be easier to get rid of objects made from this alloy than to clean them with household chemicals or folk remedies at home.

To prevent the appearance of persistent stains, as well as damage to cutlery made of cupronickel, take note of the following useful tips for the care and maintenance of kitchen utensils made of this metal:

• high humidity is the most common cause of the formation of blackness and dark spots on cupronickel, which is why cutlery must be maintained correctly and wiped dry after each cleaning or washing process;
• toothpaste or powder will also help to cope with minor stains on the cupronickel surface, but you should only resort to such a remedy as a last resort;
• if you want to keep cupronickel forks and spoons in their original form, after each cleaning, wrap the items in several layers of cling film, which will provide complete protection from moisture;
• to clean cupronickel, you can use the same special jewelry compositions as for cleaning silver;
• Cupronickel silver cutlery can be washed either by hand or in the dishwasher.

These tips should be enough to prevent severe contamination, darkening or blackening of cupronickel.

Cupronickel is a mixture of several metals, the main of which is copper. It is due to the oxidation of copper that an unsightly gray-black color appears on the surface of spoons or forks. In addition to copper, cupronickel contains manganese, iron and nickel. These metals do not cause oxidation, but do not prevent it either.

The smaller the area of ​​contamination, the easier it is to remove. To remove plaque use:

• household chemicals (cleaning gels, pastes, powders and liquids);
• improvised means (soap, salt, soda);
• traditional methods (consist of mixing simple products).

Each method works effectively and does not harm the coating. You can use any method you like if you wish and are financially able.

Cleaning with household chemicals

If you have a cleaning paste or gel for cleaning stoves at home, you can use them to wash cupronickel cutlery. Spoons and forks are pre-soaked in hot water with soap for 10-15 minutes. Then apply a little cleaning agent to a foam sponge or soft cloth and wipe the objects with it. Leave the product on the surface for at least 10 minutes, then wash off with plenty of water.

A product designed for cleaning jewelry will help remove plaque. It is not cheap (about 200-300 rubles), but it removes blackness well and restores lost shine. It can only be used in accordance with the instructions indicated by the manufacturer on the back of the bottle.

When cleaning dishes with household chemicals, be sure to wear gloves and ventilate the room.

Other means

If you have ammonia at home, you can prepare a cleaning mixture. Dilute 3 tbsp in 3 liters of water. ammonia and soak the devices in it for 30-40 minutes. Then rub the metal with a soft brush, rinse and wipe the spoons and forks dry. Ammonia is a reducing agent and will help restore products to their former beauty.

Baking soda or salt are excellent products that are useful for washing appliances. This method is especially effective if oxidation has just begun and has not had time to properly penetrate the metal, then it is easy to remove. Rub the products with any of the products for 10-15 minutes, then rinse. Citric acid has a similar effect; it has a gentle effect on plaque and removes it from the surface.

A soap solution will help deal with light stains and dried-on grease, but soap is practically useless against oxidation (only small stains). Dissolve 2-3 tbsp in 3 liters of water. liquid soap and soak the spoons and forks for a few minutes. First, the devices are washed with foam and then with clean water.

A weak solution of vinegar can restore the sparkle of the surface. Prepare a solution: take 2 tbsp per liter of water. 9% vinegar. Soak a tampon in the mixture and rub it over the product several times. Contaminants appear on the tampon. When the entire tampon turns black, take a fresh one and repeat the manipulation until the devices sparkle like new.

Traditional methods

People know one unusual cleaning method, for which you will need foil. Place it on the bottom of the pan, pour 2-3 tbsp on top. baking soda (salt will also work) and pour water almost to the top of the pan. Immerse cupronickel silver cutlery in water and heat the pan until it boils. Boiling should continue for at least 10 minutes. The oxides remain in the water, and the metal has become noticeably cleaner.

If you don’t have any foil at home, it’s okay. Chicken eggs are boiled hard, but the water is not poured out from under them. Shells from boiled eggs are placed in it, and then the utensils are lowered. Let the pan heat up for 10 minutes. For better results, you can add 1 tbsp. salt.

A mixture made from chalk and ammonia has a miraculous effect. Take:

• 2 tbsp. ammonia;
• ½ glass of water;
• 1 tbsp. crumbled chalk.

Use the resulting solution to wipe the devices with a napkin, lightly rubbing into the metal. The gray coating will disappear immediately, even from hard-to-reach places, and the blackness will become less noticeable, but will completely disappear after 3-4 times of cleaning.

Attention!

A sodium thiosulfate solution will help get rid of black spots on cutlery. It is sold in pharmacies, is safe to use and does not require dilution.

Some housewives advise using a decoction of garlic peels. Add the peels of 3-4 garlic cloves to the water, pour the contents into a saucepan and immerse the cutlery. Boil for 10-15 minutes, then wash with water and dry.

Regular soda is also used for cleansing. Fill spoons and forks with soda and leave for half an hour. Then rinse and polish the products with a microfiber cloth.

In most cases, the methods work, but if failure occurs, do not despair - you need to try another method. It is especially difficult to remove oxides that are already several years old. To avoid such difficulties, you need to use the following tips.

More recently, some fifty years ago, cupronickel cutlery was considered almost an obligatory attribute on the holiday table. Forks and spoons faithfully served the hosts and guests, and then went back to cabinets and sideboards until the next celebration.

And either from long storage, or from dampness (or from both), the cupronickel cutlery began to darken and become covered with unsightly stains.

Many of these spoons and forks have safely survived to this day, although they have acquired a slightly unpresentable appearance.

Of course, nickel silver products that have darkened beyond recognition can be:

• throw away
• hide in a closet until better times,
• take it to the specialists so they can clean the nickel silver,
• try cleaning it yourself.

The last solution to get out of this situation may turn out to be the most correct for those who are not afraid to experiment and are ready to give cutlery a second life.

If you belong to this category of people, then to work with cupronickel you will need those simple substances and products that are found in almost every home: soda, salt, ammonia, chalk, tooth powder and others, which will be discussed below.

But before you start cleaning cupronickel, you need to assess its degree of contamination.

If the nickel silver has just darkened, but there are no dried grease stains on it, then you can immediately begin to lighten it.

But if the spoons and forks are so old and covered with a layer of dirt and grease, then they must first be washed well. This is especially true for spoons and forks with a carved handle or grooved surface, with a small pattern or engraving. After all, if you simply remove the blackness, then all the dirt ingrained in the grooves will become even more noticeable.

How to wash nickel silver from dirt and grease

Take a saucepan and pour some dish soap into it.

Add boiling water and foam.

Immerse all forks, spoons and knives in the soapy solution and leave for a day. Stir items periodically. If they are very dirty, the water needs to be heated several times.

The next day, arm yourself with a soft toothbrush and use it to wipe off all the dirt using the same water.

Then wash the cupronickel in clean water and dry. They are now ready for the next stage of cleaning.

Foil, soda and salt

This effective method helps remove black plaque from cupronickel even from a hundred years ago.

• To do this, prepare a pan and cover its bottom with baking foil.
• Place all the forks and spoons, previously cleaned of dirt and grease, into the pan.
• Add about three tablespoons each of baking soda and salt.
• Pour in enough hot water to completely cover the cutlery. Some housewives use potato broth instead of water.
• Place the pan on the fire and boil for 15-20 minutes. Don't worry about cupronickel. Its composition - an alloy of copper, nickel and zinc - can withstand high temperatures without consequences.
• Turn off the fire, and leave the cupronickel in the water until it cools completely.
• Remove cutlery and wash in clean water.
• Dry thoroughly with a dry soft towel.

By the way, products made from cupronickel should not be left wet or even slightly damp. Of course, they will not be covered with rust, but every droplet, when dried, will leave behind a dark mark. It is moisture that causes nickel silver to darken.

Soda and other abrasives

Cupronickel polishes well. Of course, if you decide to use sandpaper or some other aggressive agent as an abrasive, then after such cleaning the spoon will most likely have to be thrown away.

But such abrasive substances as soda, chalk, tooth powder, toothpaste will help you clean cupronickel tableware.

• Pour baking soda into a small container and add enough water to make a paste. Apply the paste onto a soft cloth or sponge and rub the product without applying strong pressure. If the nickel silver has a grooved surface, take a toothbrush with soft bristles and use it to gently clean the product. Then rinse everything well in clean water and wipe dry.
• You can also remove light black plaque from cupronickel products with tooth powder. Instead of tooth powder, you can use chalk, but it must be thoroughly crushed before use so that large pieces do not scratch the metal.
• Dark plaque from cupronickel can also be removed with toothpaste. Squeeze it into some container and dilute it with water. Dip spoons into the solution and leave for half an hour. Then wash and dry them well.
• If you can tolerate the smell of ammonia, then add it to the water, making a weak solution, in which you wash forks and spoons (or other products) made of cupronickel. Then rinse in clean water and wipe dry.
• Dark deposits on cupronickel can be removed by cleaning the product with wine vinegar or turpentine.
• Minor darkening can be removed by cleaning cupronickel with vodka or alcohol.

Cleaning cupronickel using eggshells

If you decide to clean cupronickel in the coming days, then do not throw away the egg shells while preparing scrambled eggs or kneading dough.

• To clean cupronickel, take the shells of two raw eggs, chop them, put them in a saucepan, add a spoonful of salt and pour in one liter of water.
• Bring to a boil.
• Dip cupronickel cutlery into this water and boil for two to three minutes.
• Rinse the cupronickel in clean water and wipe dry. The same can be done by replacing the eggshells with garlic peels.

Cleaning cupronickel with citric acid

Prepare a saucepan. Dissolve 100 g of citric acid in one liter of water. Dip cutlery and a piece of copper wire into the solution. Boil it all for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse in clean water and dry.

As you can see, it is very easy to remove black from nickel silver. But it is better not to allow it to appear. And to do this you need to follow a few simple rules:

• After each use, wash cutlery in a soda solution.
• Do not under any circumstances use detergents containing chlorine to wash cupronickel products.
• Store nickel silver products in foil. It will protect them from blackening.
• Store cupronickel in a dry place.
• If you doubt the effectiveness of a particular folk remedy, buy a special liquid or powder for cleaning cupronickel products.