How to Strip Silver Plating

You can strip off faded or chipped silver plating.

If you have silver plated objects, you can remove the silver from the base metal. You do this typically when silver plate becomes so faded or chipped that it longer shines. Once you remove the silver, you re-plate the object to make it usable again. Since this process can be dangerous, you must take precautions.

Things You'll Need

• Sulfuric acid
• Nitric acid
• Sawdust
• Water
• Copper wire
• Vent hood
• Goggles
• Gloves
• Rubber apron

Instructions

1. Mix together a solution of 75 percent sulfuric acid and 25 percent nitric acid. Overall quantity depends on the size of the silver plated object. An example would be 3 ounces of sulfuric acid and 1 ounce of nitric acid.

2. Heat the acid to about 176 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Attach a copper wire to the object and hold it over the solution.

4. Dip the object into the solution and leave it until the silver dissolves. This shouldn't take more than 5 seconds.

5. Remove the object and rinse thoroughly a couple of times.

6. Dry it off by placing it in sawdust.

Tips & Warnings

• You should do this process outside or in an extremely well-ventilated area. Do not inhale any fumes. Stripping silver can kill if not done properly.

References

• Plating Of Metal Surfaces: Silvering, Silver-Plating, And Desilvering