Cupronickel cutlery

It's no secret that despite the fact that cupronickel retains its presentable appearance for a long time, it is simply necessary to clean it from time to time. What kind of care require nickel silver cutlery? Everything is not as complicated as it may seem. Probably, every housewife has her own ways, but today we will tell you about the most popular.

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What is cupronickel?

Cupronickel is, first of all, an alloy of several metals, such as nickel, copper, zinc and silver. No, the noble metal itself is not included in the alloy, but silver cutlery from nickel silver is covered. This makes objects more attractive, helps to ensure that neither food nor a person comes into contact with the components of which cupronickel itself is made, namely nickel and zinc. They can cause allergies, which is incredibly dangerous. But since there is no contact, there is no reaction to hazardous components.

Important! Cupronickel was invented in China, the court master, whose name was Li Lien Ying. He lived in the distant eighth century BC. The young man was very curious, eager to experiment and always try something new. His invention gave a huge impetus - today coins, decor items, jewelry, as well as famous cupronickel cutlery are made from cupronickel.

After the raw materials obtained were studied a little, they realized that cupronickel not only looks like silver, but also exceeded all expectations. The alloy is not susceptible to corrosion, surpasses silver in strength and is more resistant to high and, conversely, low temperatures.

Important! Foreigners called the received raw materials “Chinese silver”, which is in great demand, but the price, of course, is several times inferior to a noble metal.

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Care for items made of nickel silver

Like any silver, the light deposition of cupronickel over time acquires a darker shade, in other words, it darkens. This metal is very picky to moisture, and in its presence - every second is covered with a coating. Naturally, it would be nice if, after each use, cutlery made of nickel silver was cleaned. However, this is virtually impossible. Therefore, an excellent way out of this situation is the option of periodic cleaning of cutlery.

To do this, soak them for 15-20 minutes in warm soapy water, and then rinse in clean, again warm water and dry with a paper or ordinary towel.

Important! Models with gilding are somewhat more expensive, but they are less picky in care and do not require such frequent cleaning.

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Methods for cleaning cupronickel

As everyone knows, there are so many ways to clean cupronickel at home. First of all, you will need the following components:

• Salt;
• Sodium thiosulfate;
• Sparkling water;
• Foil and soda.

And now, in fact, the method of application:

1. The simplest, fastest and most affordable option is the cleaning option using a cotton pad and salt. Grate products and leave for a while, then rinse with clean fresh water. If you want a more expressive effect, use soda instead of salt, but the method of cleaning remains the same.
2. Sodium thiosulfate is also very effective. This solution can be purchased at the pharmacy - its price is quite small. Rub cupronickel with this solution, but don’t forget to wash and dry them over time.
3. To give purity and shine to items made of nickel silver, it is enough to fill them with soda for a few minutes, leave to hiss, and then rinse everything off.
4. But the most effective and indispensable is a very old method, namely using foil and soda. To begin with, put foil of any thickness in a container or pan, pour a little (¼ cup) of soda there and put on top the appliances that need to be cleaned. Fill the container with boiling water (approximately 100 degrees), and then drain the water and rinse with new, clean appliances.

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Tips after cleaning

The main thing is that you need to remember two important rules when caring for cupronickel. No matter what means or method you cleaned the cutlery, adhere to these rules:

• After cleaning, all cupronickel cutlery should be washed in warm, but in no case hot water.
• Be sure to wipe the cutlery dry with a towel, as moisture will oxidize and blacken again if moisture gets in it.

Important! Keep cutlery from cupronickel as far as possible from household chemicals, especially containing chlorine, as it is destructive to such an alloy.

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So, if you carefully read this article and followed all the instructions, then there should be absolutely no problems on the topic of how to care and clean cupronickel cutlery. We hope that our tips and tricks will help you return the shine and radiance to the old cupronickel products. I want to believe that we have taught you effective, efficient ways to clean cutlery and from now on you will not have any difficulties in terms of care.