Okay, so I was trying to clean up some old silverware my grandma gave me and I used a bit of white vinegar and baking soda. It fizzed up like crazy and left this weird blackish tarnish in spots instead of cleaning it. I thought the reaction would make it shine, but now it looks worse. What exactly happened with that chemical reaction? I’m worried I might have damaged it.
That fizz is the vinegar reacting with baking soda and releasing gas. The black patches are usually tarnish or exposure of the base metal if the piece is silver plated. A mild clean might not have ruined it, but it could have worn through a thin layer.
The science here is tricky. Vinegar is acidic and baking soda is basic so they neutralize and fizz. In tarnished silver the surface bears silver sulfide. If you have a plated piece the acid can reach the underlying metal and darken it, making spots stand out.
You might be worrying too much. The dark marks could be residue from the cleaning or a reaction layer after the plating wears. Vinegar tends to loosen tarnish but on older plated items it can reveal a darker underlayer.
Maybe the framing is off. The goal is not to chase a mirror shine with home chem tricks on old heirloom pieces. A gentle polish or cloth could be safer, especially if the piece might be plated.
If you want a safe move now, rinse well, dry it, and use a proper silver polish with a soft cloth. Avoid soaking or heavy scrubbing. And keep vinegar away from it for now.
For a small test, try a tiny amount of cleaner on a hidden spot, then wipe off. If the metal beneath looks wrong or shows through, that is a clue the plating is compromised.
This whole thing hints at a bigger idea about metal alloys in household wares. Silverware often hides copper or nickel under a thin plating. A kitchen cleanup can reveal how far that layer extends.