Tuesday 5 January 2016

WHY DOES SILVER TARNISH?

There's a man who knows the answer to this question - Mr. Town Talk, The Polished Gentleman. Here Mr. Town talk shares his knowledge to help you care for special silver items:

WHAT IS TARNISH?

"I am often asked what causes silverware to tarnish or what the dreadful staining on silver cutlery is. It's simply a matter of science: tarnish occurs on silver due to the way the chemicals in the environment react with the metal Silver has the ability to combine with other elements in the air, such as sulphur. When this occurs, a new compound forms on the surface of the silver, which we know to be "tarnish".

"Tarnishing is a natural process for silver, but the industrial pollutants found in today’s atmosphere, and traces of sulphur from gas appliances such as cookers, fires and boilers, can speed up its formation. High humidity levels will also cause silver to tarnish much faster. Tarnish doesn't damage your silver but it does look dirty and spoils the appearance of treasured posessions, causing many of us to hide items away in cupboards instead of having them proudly on display."

Silver cup before

MAKE LIGHT WORK OF CLEANING TARNISH FROM SILVER

"Luckily there are special products available that will swiftly remove tarnish from any type of silver - whether that's cutlery, jewellery, candlesticks or salt cellars! Gone are the days of hours spent buffing away over a kitchen table, in fact those who have discovered my Town Talk silver cleaning and polishing products know that tarnish can be banished in a jiffy."

HOW DOES THE ANTI-TARNISH WORK?


"Cleaning with my products creates a simple chemical reaction that’s the reverse of the one used to apply silver plate to brass and copper. This technique is perfectly safe when you use my products as directed – and the tarnish disappears in front of your eyes – but this is only one part of the work done; my polishes not only remove tarnish, they also polish silver and add an anti-tarnish protector, which effectively reduces the amount of time needed to care for your items."

Town Talk's
Excellent Anti-Tarnish Silver Foam
WHY CHOOSE TOWN TALK PRODUCTS?

"Everyone who produces silver cleaning products uses abrasive-based formulations. Abrasives are sophisticated industrial products that come in many different sizes, shapes and degrees of hardness to irritate particles of dirt and tarnish to remove them from the silver. The skill of the manufacturer lies in selecting abrasives whose properties most closely meet the needs of the metal being cleaned. I personally don't feel you can use a blanket approach to all cleaners. For example, silver and gold don’t require the same hard abrasives needed for stainless steel or the slightly finer abrasive used on brass. My products are specially formulated for each type of metal and are sufficiently abrasive to cut through tarnish and grime and then polish silver to a glowing brilliance. In fact, they are so fine they work almost invisibly!"

ON ALL TYPES OF SILVER!

"Silversmiths and silverware companies of any note use advanced silver plating technologies that ensure a finish that’s both beautiful and highly durable. The chance of removing all the silver from one of these companies' goods is so unlikely that virtually all fine plated silverware sold today is unconditionally guaranteed. On the other hand, silver plate manufactured 30 or more years ago may be less durable, but is likely to be more heavily plated. My polishes are gentler and more effective than the cleaners generally being sold at that time - in fact one of the most important abrasives used in my silver care products is also one of the most common abrasives used in toothpaste - so will ensure any heirlooms will continue to shine for many years to come."

ONCE IT'S CLEAN, PROTECT IT!

"The anti-tarnish protectors are one of the most important ingredients in all my silver care products; the protectors contain a special molecule that can bond to silver. When it’s included in my silver cleaning product, a very small quantity of anti-tarnish protector bonds to the surface of the silver and forms an invisible shield that protects it from tarnish-forming substances. Of course, my anti-tarnish protector is non-toxic and colourless, which means your silver’s natural beauty is undiminished."

Antique box before
After: cleaned using Town Talk's
Astonishing Anti-Tarnish Silver Polish Spray

"Ultimately, the anti-tarnish ingredient breaks down, but not before it’s significantly lengthened the time during which your silverware remains shining and bright. What’s more, my specially formulated anti-tarnish ingredient is particularly durable. So you can be sure my products will go on being effective for much longer than other cleaning options on the market.

Astonishing Anti-Tarnish
Silver Polish Spray
"My Astonishing Anti-Tarnish Silver Polish Spray or Excellent Anti-Tarnish Silver Foam works well on most silverware, getting in to nooks and crannies as well as covering large surface areas easily as required. My Astonishing Anti-Tarnish Silver Sparkle Tissues are more suitable for cleaning cutlery or small silver articles and other items that combine silver with other materials. Whatever your silver item, I have an easy to use product that will bring it up a treat.

"Good luck with your silver project, ask me any cleaning questions you'd like at MrTownTalk@TownTalkPolish.com"


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Mr Town Talk’s Gleaming Polished World was established in Lancashire, Great Britain in 1895, to supply the finest Polishes, Cleaners and Accessories for Silver, Gold and Precious Metal Jewellery, Cutlery and Cutlery Storage. More recently, Mr Town Talk’s range of unparalleled products has been expanded to include Household Cleaners and Laundry Requisites.



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