How to clean cupronickel? - from blackness at home. How to clean cupronickel cutlery at home

Since ancient times, silverware has been the pride of housewives and a real family heirloom. But not everyone could afford such a luxury, and therefore a cheaper analogue appeared - cupronickel, which looks no less elegant. And today such devices are actively used. But there is one significant drawback. Melchior tends to darken under the influence of dampness, detergents and other external influences. How to clean cupronickel? How to restore the beauty and brilliance of your favorite cutlery?

Melchior is a copper-zinc alloy. Someone uses devices from this material daily, and someone saves them for special occasions. In any case, one cannot but mention a number of advantages of such dishes:

strength;
resistance to corrosion;
presentable appearance;
simple care;
similarity with silver;
resistance to temperature fluctuations;
hygiene.

How to clean cupronickel: a selection of recipes

Cleaning cupronickel at home is complicated by the fact that the material is vulnerable to most detergents. That's why the best option will use folk remedies time-tested.

Soda

Wash appliances.
Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda on a slightly damp sponge.
Thoroughly rub the darkened areas.
Rinse the utensils in cold water and wipe dry.

Soda is used not only to combat darkening, but also to prevent their appearance. To do this, you need to rinse the dishes in a soda solution after each wash.

Alcohol

Moisten a cotton napkin with medical alcohol or vodka.
Intensively rub the tarnished product.
Wipe dry.

Eggshell

The shell of two raw eggs fill with a liter of water.
Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer for another three to five minutes.
Dip the darkened appliances in the solution for a quarter of an hour.
Rinse items and dry them.

After hard-boiled eggs, do not drain the water in which they were boiled down the sink. Just lower the darkened cupronickel devices into it.

garlic husk

Place the garlic husk in a saucepan and cover with an equal amount of water.
As soon as the liquid boils, lower cupronickel devices into it.
Continue boiling until the products brighten. This usually takes three to ten minutes.

The proportions of water and husks can be adjusted independently, based on the degree of contamination. The more darkened the product, the more peel you will need.

Serum

Warm up the whey and dip cupronickel products into it.
Soak them in the liquid for 15-20 minutes.
Wipe the appliances with a cloth.
Wash and dry.

ammonium chloride

Dilute a couple of tablespoons of ammonia in a glass of water.
Place the instruments in the solution.
Rinse forks and spoons under running water and wipe dry.

If the spots on cupronickel are already old, you need to fill the items with pure ammonia for five minutes. After that, they must be thoroughly rinsed with cold water.

Vinegar

Dilute a tablespoon of vinegar in a glass of water.
Soak a cloth in the composition and rub the soiled areas well.
Wash and dry items.

To quickly clean heavily blackened appliances or coins, you must pre-treat the products with glycerin. After ten minutes, rub the surface with heated vinegar.

Carbonated drinks

Put the darkened cutlery on the bottom of the container.
Pour in sweet soda to completely cover the items.
After two hours, rinse the appliances with water and rub with a napkin.

Lemon acid

Dissolve a couple of tablespoons in a liter of water citric acid.
Put a piece of copper wire into the liquid.
Dip the instruments in the liquid for two hours.
Wipe items dry.

Shine products

Given that cupronickel has become a kind of replacement for silver, its key feature should be shiny. There are several ways to clean cupronickel spoons at home so that they sparkle like a noble metal.

Pasta

Fill a saucepan with water and heat to a boil.
Pour the pasta into the container and start mixing them with darkened cupronickel appliances.
When you feel the pasta is cooked, lower the forks and spoons into the pot completely and let sit for 20 minutes.
Remove the utensils from the pan, wash them and lay them out to dry on a towel.
Polish products.

Chalk

Before polishing cupronickel products, dissolve two tablespoons of grated chalk and soap chips in a liter of water.
With a cloth soaked in the resulting composition, carefully polish the items.
Rinse them in cold water and pat dry.

Foil

Cover the bottom and sides of the pot with aluminum foil.
Place the utensils to be cleaned in the container.
Prepare a weak soda solution and pour it over objects.
Bring liquid to a boil.
Remove the pot from the heat after five minutes.
Rinse cupronickel items and wipe them with a dry cloth.

During boiling, chemical reaction, as a result of which contamination from cupronickel passes to the foil. If the first time it was not possible to completely get rid of blackness, repeat the procedure.

Toothpaste

Pre-treat products with detergent.
Without drying the products, start rubbing them with toothpaste. To do this, you can use a brush or the hard side of a kitchen sponge.
Wash and dry appliances.

To clean dirt from cupronickel jewelry, tooth powder is also suitable. Just rub the wet product in the most polluted places with the product.

How to process products with gilding

Care for cutlery is much more complicated if they are gilded or decorated with blackening elements. In order not to damage the decor, you need to carefully choose how to clean cupronickel cutlery.

Potato

Boil the potatoes in their skins and remove the vegetables from the pan with a slotted spoon.
Put the gold-plated items into the decoction.
Rinse and dry after 20 minutes.

Raw potatoes also do a good job of removing dirt on cupronickel products. Just grate the vegetables on a fine grater and process the cutlery with the resulting puree.

Egg white

Protein chicken egg fluff lightly with a fork.
Moisten a cloth and start rubbing the products.
When you get rid of the darkening, wash the appliances well and wipe with a dry cloth.

To clean cupronickel dishes from yellowness or to give shine to jewelry, you need not only to choose the right tool, but also take into account some rules. There are six key tips for perfectly clean appliances.

Don't leave it out. To protect cupronickel from darkening, hide it in a special case every time after use.
Protect products. When not in use, wrap each utensil in paper or foil.
Pay attention to prevention. With regular use cupronickel devices You can prevent their darkening if you wash exclusively with cold water. They also need to be regularly wiped with a bleach solution (soda, alcohol).
Prepare appliances for cleaning. To effectively whiten cupronickel, first clean the products from food debris and other contaminants. Remove old dirt and grease.
Keep away from chlorine. This substance adversely affects the coating, leading to its destruction.
Use professional tools. To make cupronickel shine, use special pastes that jewelers use to clean silver.

Is it possible to wash cupronickel in dishwasher? Yes, but only on the condition that there are no other metal objects in it. Otherwise, the instruments will darken.

It is interesting that cupronickel dishes ceased to be produced more than a hundred years ago. And all due to the fact that scientists have come to the conclusion about the dangers of copper-zinc alloy. The appliances we use today are made of nickel silver, which includes inclusions of nickel and silver. But the hostesses, by inertia, use the old name. In addition, the same rules apply for the new alloy as for the old one. Therefore, knowing how to clean cupronickel cutlery, you can easily put nickel silver products in order.

Cupronickel products replace silver ones in budget option. AT Soviet time cupronickel cutlery was produced according to the same models as silver ones, differing only in markings. And, I must say, they look quite dignified and elegant. But only if they are well polished.

However, silver also darkens and it also needs to be cleaned periodically. But we will talk about silver separately, and now we will find out how to clean cupronickel at home, using the cheapest, simplest and most accessible means.

Why cupronickel darkens

This metal alloy tends to form dark oxides when in contact with certain substances. So that dishes or other cupronickel products do not darken, they must be wiped dry immediately after washing. soft cloth. Each drop of water that dries naturally on a cupronickel surface will leave a dark spot behind. Cause darkening and unwashed food residues, lingering in the smallest depressions on the surface.

From this naturally follows the answer to the question "how to clean cupronickel": you need to remove the film of oxides from the surface.

Modern means for cleaning cupronickel

The chemical industry produces a lot of products to help care for household items made from different metals. There are special compounds designed to clean the darkened cupronickel at home. It can be a gel, liquid or just soft wipes soaked in special composition. Some of the ready-made products not only clean the surface, but also cover it protective layer, protecting cupronickel from further oxidation.

You can successfully and very effectively clean cupronickel utensils with dishwashing powders. It is only necessary to choose those products that do not contain chlorine and have not too pronounced abrasive properties.

But if there is no such tool at hand, there is no time or desire to go to the store, you can easily get by with simple home methods.

Homemade cleaning products from cupronickel

In the old days, in order to clean cupronickel dishes, the hostess took simple tooth powder, a rag from the shelf, and rubbed spoons or other dishes with tooth powder gruel. Now tooth powder is much harder to find than any ready-made cleaning agent. metal products. A substance that has become literally an antique can be replaced with crushed chalk (if you have it and are not too lazy to turn it into a fine powder).

Another replacement option is toothpaste. Moreover, you can use not only white, but also gel paste. You need to clean the dishes in the same way as with tooth powder: put a little paste on a cloth and wipe the cupronickel dishes until the dark spots disappear.

But chalk has a tendency to clog into small depressions in the relief and form there not the most beautiful whitish clusters. You will have to stock up on brushes and patience to clean everything to perfection.

You can use ordinary baking soda to clean cupronickel dishes and cutlery: either wipe the items that need cleaning with soda gruel, or boil them in a soda solution for several minutes.

Do not throw away eggshells if you decide to clean cutlery. The shell is only suitable for raw eggs, you will need to rinse and chop it. Then throw it into boiling water with a spoonful of table salt, then place cutlery there as well. After 10-15 minutes of boiling, darkened spoons and forks will regain their former radiance and purity.

The most famous is the following answer to the question "how to clean cupronickel with home remedies":

take a piece of normal food foil, approximately 25 × 40 cm, and line the bottom of the pot or bowl with it;
pour 4 tablespoons of baking soda into it;
lay out cupronickel dishes;
pour boiling water into a bowl so that it covers all the utensils to be cleaned.

A chemical reaction begins in the solution, as a result of which the foil darkens, and cupronickel, on the contrary, brightens and returns the surface cleanliness. If the darkening is very strong, you can boil cutlery for several minutes in a soda solution with pieces of foil. But this tool should not be used for dishes that are gilded or silvered: both gold and silver will come off.

You can perfectly clean cupronickel with a soft cloth soaked in a solution of sodium thiosulfate. This substance is sold in any pharmacy and costs a penny. Buy one package on occasion - and you will have enough for a couple of years to clean all cupronickel utensils.

After any cleaning method, you need to rinse the dishes well in not too hot water and wipe dry. Do not store cutlery if it is even slightly damp, otherwise everything will darken again.

It is better not to store cupronickel dishes where it can get household chemicals especially those containing chlorine.

Well cleans surfaces of cupronickel and water with the addition of ammonia. If you have an ultrasonic washing machine lying around in your closet, it's time to get it out and use it. Place it in a container with items to be cleaned and plug it into the network for 15-20 minutes. Everything, even the most persistent pollution will dissolve.

Melchior has been known in the world since the eighth century AD. The Chinese cast coins from it. The path to canteens as dishes and cutlery lasted until the 17th century, when cupronickel hit the tables of the middle class. The rich were disdainful of cupronickel products, considering them cheap.

Today cupronickel occupies a niche between silverware and stainless steel cutlery. An alloy of copper, nickel and bronze is easy to work with. Forks, spoons, knives made of cupronickel look like silver, with patterns and curls. Cupronickel dishes are called "new silver".

Cupronickel devices are a pleasure to use - comfortable, reliable, beautiful. Minus one: the alloy quickly darkens. Copper, which is contained in cupronickel, oxidizes upon contact with water, air.

You can clean cutlery made of a noble alloy at home with the help of improvised means. The secrets of cleaning "new silver" dishes in this article.

The fork will shine, the spoon will shine

Cupronickel cutlery is soaked in hot water, to which detergent for dishes. Leave the dishes overnight in soapy water. After soaking, clean the appliances with a brush, sponge to remove grease and dirt. It's time to start cleaning.

Soda and food foil

After cleaning with foil and soda, cupronickel products will become like new:

put foil on the bottom of the pan, put cutlery on it. Pour hot water so that she covers the dishes;
add two to three dessert spoons of baking soda and table salt;
boil cupronickel appliances for half an hour;
when the water has cooled, rinse the products in running water;
Be sure to dry clean appliances with a towel or soft cloth.

Water leaves dark spots on cupronickel, and the devices will turn black again from humidity.

Toothpaste, chalk, baking soda

Finely chopped chalk or tooth powder is moistened with water, the slurry is applied to cupronickel appliances, polished with a brush or sponge. After cleaning, the products are rinsed, wiped dry.

Similarly, cupronickel is cleaned with baking soda. A gruel of soda and water is smeared on spoons, forks, knives, polished with a soft cloth.

It is even easier to clean cupronickel products with toothpaste: squeeze a pea of the paste onto the device, brush it with a toothbrush without pressure. This method is used to clean cupronickel jewelry.

If there are a lot of dishes

Manual cleaning will take a long time. Take garlic husks or crushed eggshells. Pour water into the pan, lower the cupronickel appliances and add the shell (husk, who has what). Let the water boil, leave the dishes in the water until completely cooled. Rinse cupronickel under running water. Don't forget to wipe.

If there is no husk, no shell, take citric acid. To clean cutlery, you need 100 grams (pack) of acid. Boil cupronickel in a solution of citric acid for half an hour. When the water has cooled, rinse the products.

In order for cupronickel products to serve for a long time and delight with an impeccable look, wash them in a soda solution every time after dinner.
Do not use detergents with bleaches that contain chlorine.
Wrap cupronickel appliances in foil for long-term storage. The foil will protect from contact with air, moisture. Foil can be replaced with cling film.
Do not use a dishwasher.
The stores sell a special tool for the care of jewelry, it is used to clean cupronickel.
If there is no time to clean cupronickel devices, take them to a jewelry workshop. There, the products will be returned to their original appearance for a moderate fee.

Capricious alloy requires constant attention. For this, the table, served with cupronickel crockery and cutlery, looks royal. The delight of the guests and the pleasure of the dinner are guaranteed by shining appliances made of "new silver".

Cupronickel spoons look great. They give the laid table an aristocratic look and bohemian luxury. But over time, they oxidize. A gray coating appears first, then it turns black. How to clean cupronickel spoons at home? It's actually pretty easy. Moreover, cleaning products can be found in the kitchen of even the most seedy hostess.

A little interesting about cleaning the alloy

There are many ways to return cupronickel spoons to their former color. Conventionally, they can be classified into two groups: chemical and mechanical. The first is based on the reduction of the alloy from the oxide by chemical reactions. The second is the usual mechanical erasure of oxide from the metal surface with cleaning agents.

Both methods are good, but have some disadvantages. By chemical method it is impossible to clean cupronickel spoons with gilding or blackening. The result can be unexpected, from tarnishing to the complete disappearance of decorativeness.

Mechanical involves the use of abrasive substances. To the touch, these particles are not felt, they cannot be seen with the naked eye. But they leave cupronickel on the surface small scratches, which are immediately invisible, and after a while turn into a dull coating. And he already remains forever. You can get rid of this plaque only by hours of polishing. The lesson is meditative, but long and tedious.

I want it fast, clean and free. Following the recommendations, everything is doable.

Chemistry is not only a school lesson

Don't be intimidated by the need to carry out a chemical reaction on own kitchen. It is absolutely safe, does not require special tools or substances.

Sodium thiosulfate
Sold in every seedy pharmacy, costs negligible. Apply to a soft cloth, gently wipe the spoon. The result appears literally before our eyes. Melchior brightens, blackness leaves.

Advice. Gloves are highly recommended. The tool does not corrode the skin of the hands, but the black oxide is poorly washed off the fingers.

Aluminium foil

There are in every kitchen. They cover the bottom of a ladle or saucepan with it, pour the usual baking soda. Attention! Not calcined, not caustic! It is food, in a white-orange pack, the design has not changed for many years, it is difficult to confuse.

Pour water, about 1 liter per 2 tbsp. l. soda. Cupronickel spoons are laid, put on the smallest fire. They heat for 3 minutes. They look carefully, as soon as the plaque has disappeared, they immediately remove the items from the saucepan.

Advice. If there is no kitchen foil, then you can take the foil from the chocolate bar.

Carbonated drink
The method seems exotic, however, it works. Cupronickel spoons are placed in a suitable glass or ceramic dish, poured with soda. After 15 minutes, the cutlery is pulled out, clean, without plaque.

Advice. If in doubt, take colorless drinks. Through them you can clearly see the entire cleaning process.

Special wipes
Jewelry stores sell silver cleaners. They can also be used for cupronickel. These are wipes, liquids, pastes. Read the instructions without fail, act as recommended, so as not to damage the spoons.

Advice. All of these products are based on sodium thiosulfate. Is it worth it to overpay? But, if you really want to "doroga and bohato", then a direct way to the jeweler for a purchase.

Potato decoction
Boil the most ordinary potatoes and put cutlery in this water for 30-45 minutes. Next, pull it out and you're done! The spoons sparkle.

Advice. Water for decoction is not salted. Spoons are placed directly into the hot liquid.

Most importantly: after any of the above operations, it is imperative to thoroughly rinse cupronickel spoons clean water. Then wipe dry. Any remaining drop of liquid is a new dark spot soon.

Strong hands and mechanics in action

Cupronickel spoons clean by chemical means it is forbidden. What to do? Rub! Slightly so as not to scratch the surface.

Toothpaste
They choose the least "poisonous", without any magical additives. Apply a thin layer on a soft cloth, lint-free cloth or cotton pad. And tinder. According to reviews - the most gentle and effective method. It is inconvenient because curly elements are poorly rubbed off.

Advice. To clean the recesses, you can use an old soft toothbrush.

Tooth powder or chalk
The principle of action is similar to toothpaste. For ease of application, the cloth can be slightly moistened.

Advice. The finer the powder or chalk is ground, the less likely it is to scratch. For reliability, you can drive through a coffee grinder.

Salt or baking soda
Make a thick slurry from the product and the usual clean water. With gentle movements, they clean off the oxide from cupronickel spoons.

Advice. You can add a little alcohol or a few drops of glycerin to the mixture to soften the action of the abrasive.

Ammonia
Moisten a cloth in ammonia, remove plaque with quick movements, rinse immediately large quantity water.

Advice. You can simply dip cupronickel spoons in ammonia. But you need to wash it off immediately.

dish detergent
If the alloy has darkened slightly, then you can do without tricks. Sometimes it is enough just to thoroughly wash the spoons with any non-aggressive liquid gel.

Advice. After washing, rinse the metal with warm vinegar. This adds shine to the product.

Naturally, after all procedures, rinsing with clean water and wiping dry should follow.

Sometimes microdrops of water remain in the recesses of a pattern or figured pattern, which are invisible. But they do their insidious work, adding work for the future. To avoid this, after wiping cupronickel spoons are left on a clean, dry towel for half an hour. During this time, the remaining moisture will evaporate, and it will be possible to remove the cutlery for storage.

In order for the oxide to subsequently appear as late as possible, it is necessary to properly store the cutlery. Absolutely dry cupronickel spoons are wrapped in foil or cling film, then put into a tight box with a well-closing lid. The less the alloy comes into contact with air, the less work you will have to do on cleaning afterwards.
It is strictly forbidden to clean cupronickel with products that contain bromine or chlorine. These substances strongly oxidize nickel and copper, which are in the alloy.
If there are stone inserts on the curly pattern, then ammonia should be excluded from cleaning products. It dissolves the jewelry glue that holds the stones together.
If you are too lazy to clean cupronickel spoons at home, then many jewelry workshops have long offered their services of this kind. Just carry, pay money, pick up clean appliances.
All the methods described above remove the oxide, but do not remove the greasy film from food. For achievement best result Preferably wash well first. metal objects with soap, and only then clean the plaque.
They say that a decoction of pearl barley or garlic husks in an aluminum pan perfectly cleans cupronickel. There are few reviews on this method, but why not try it in an inconspicuous area?
The reverse side of the sponge for washing dishes has a rough side. Many hostesses are happy to scratch cutlery for her. And then they lament: “I didn’t clean it with powder, but there are a lot of scratches ... Where did they come from?” And really, where? It was necessary to rub harder, still sandpaper taken to be sure.
Got even exotic advice. Allegedly, the dough was kneaded with a cupronickel object, and it was cleaned. Then baked from the same dough. It is highly recommended to do this all the time. Well, yes, and then gobble up pancakes with the remnants of black plaque on both cheeks. Milota! If you clean it like that, then throw the dough away, and not pull it into your mouth.
Instead of a cloth for mechanical cleaning options, you can use a piece of suede. Then cupronickel spoons will also be polished to a shine without effort.
Some special means for cleaning contain substances that form an invisible film on the surface of cupronickel. It perfectly protects the metal from the subsequent formation of a new plaque. Read the package, everything is written there.
Do not rinse cupronickel spoons with hot water, they will quickly darken again. Room temperature- perfect.

If you carefully read the instructions and strictly follow the recommendations, then your cupronickel spoons will honorably play the role of "family silver" for many years. And after all, no one will guess about a little trick. Dignified and elegant - this is about cupronickel.

Video: how to clean cupronickel spoons

Cupronickel cutlery was produced back in Soviet times, and according to the same models as silver ones. If you clean cupronickel forks and spoons from blackness, then you will not find any difference, except for the markings. These household items are an excellent and economical replacement for silver. And yes, they look just as good. But, of course, if they are polished to a shine, and not darkened from time to time.

In the case when a similar problem of cutlery exists, this article will help you understand all the intricacies of cleaning spoons and forks at home.

The metal begins to darken - what is the reason for this?

There are several reasons underlying the darkening of cupronickel cutlery:

storage in unsuitable conditions;
humidity;
violations in the correct care of such dishes.

By the way, of these three, humidity is the most main enemy cupronickel forks and spoons. If it is elevated, the devices will be in dark spots and stains. Attractiveness in such a situation is out of the question. Therefore, if you want the products in your kitchen to be beautiful and enjoyable, store them only in a dry place.

If, nevertheless, this misfortune happened and the dishes turned black, it is not difficult to figure out how to clean cupronickel spoons and forks at home. There are only little secrets and tips that every hostess should know about.

Cleaning cupronickel products: a note to the hostess

There are many ways to clean cupronickel cutlery, consider those that are most effective and proven in practice. The main thing is to wash the dishes in warm soapy water before cleaning.

The first and easiest way is cleaning with soda.

It is suitable for such forks and spoons that are not very dirty. After washing dishes, simply rinse them in a soda solution prepared in a proportion of 50 grams of active ingredient per liter of water. If the contamination has not been removed, dry soda can be applied to the sponge and cleaned trouble spot pointwise. After the procedure, rinse the cutlery in cold water and dry with a towel.

Cupronickel products will look better if you rinse them in a soda solution every time after washing.

Method number two - using alcohol.

Slightly dull objects will be sufficient to wipe with a cloth moistened with alcohol or vodka. You can perform alternative actions: soak in ammonia for a short time, and then rinse and wipe.

The third method is vinegar.

Vinegar is an excellent remedy for removing damp stains at home. It is bred like this: one teaspoon of vinegar is poured into a glass of water. Cutlery must be wiped with the prepared mixture, rinsed under running water and wiped.

Chalk polishing is method number 4.

The mixture that cupronickel forks and spoons are polished at home is prepared as follows:

dissolve 50 grams of soap;
add 50 grams of chalk;
add a liter of water;
stir the resulting mass.

Polish the objects with the resulting mass of soap and chalk, wipe them with a dry cloth.

Polishing paste can be prepared according to another recipe, which is as follows:

take half a glass of water;
add chalk and ammonia (30:60).

And again, the final stage is polishing the products with the prepared mixture.

The fifth method is cleaning with eggshells.

The first four methods were applicable if the blackness was negligible. In the case when the devices have become very dark, they need to be cleaned, choosing stronger methods and means.

One of these is cleaning with a decoction made from eggshells.

The decoction is prepared from water (1 liter) and, accordingly, egg shells. You need to take it from two raw eggs. Step by step, this procedure looks like this:

boil a decoction;
put darkened products into it;
rinse in clean and cold water;
wipe.

Potato cleaning.

You should start with the fact that this solution must be brought to a boil. And then keep cutlery in it for 20 minutes. And then, as usual, get, rinse and wipe.

Another decoction is from garlic peel.

Cupronickel is lowered into a boiling decoction of water and garlic peel and boiled until it shines. The time is not fixed, as it depends on the degree of pollution.

The last method is using foil.

This method is one of the most effective. It is based again on boiling, as in those discussed above, only simultaneously with soda and foil. Consider how to clean cupronickel spoons and forks at home using this method.

Take an aluminum container.
Put a piece of foil on the bottom.
Lower the cleaning equipment into the container.
Pour water.
Pour soda into it.
Boil.

What is the effectiveness of this cleaning method?

In the prepared solution, during boiling, a chemical reaction occurs, which leads to the fact that the foil darkens, and cupronickel, in turn, brightens and takes on its original form. If the devices are very dark, you can repeat this procedure.

For dishes with gilding or silvering, such a tool is not applicable, it will lead to the fact that the entire decoration will simply peel off.

There are many cleaning methods, all of them have been tested and give a positive result: cupronickel appliances shine like new. These tips and tricks will help you get rid of browning on your favorite dishes without difficulty.