FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

Can I use Holland Hallmark Silver Plater on any items which have been silver plated before, but which are now worn.
You can use Silver Plater to re-plate silver onto all copper based metals. So if your worn object was silver plated onto red copper, or yellow brass, or brownish bronze or greyish German metal (which all contain copper) then Silver Plater will plate perfectly every time. However if the base material of your products is plastic, glass, wood, aluminum, chrome, iron or any other non copper based material, then Silver Plater will clean the item but will not add a layer of silver.

 

As Holland Hallmark Silver Plater works on copper based metals, can I therefore use Silver Plater to clean my copper ?
No, if you use Silver Plater to polish copper items, you will silver plate them with a thin layer of pure silver. So if you just want to clean your copper, use Holland Hallmark Copper / Brass Cleaner. If however you want to turn your copper items into silver plated ones, then Silver Plater is perfect.

 

Will my silverware tarnish after the use of Holland Hallmark Silver Plater ?
Silver Plater applies a new layer of pure silver every time it is used, and as we all know, silver tarnishes! However, with the use of Silver Plater and Silver Enhancer you will reduce the rate of tarnishing considerably, as both these products contain, amongst other ingredients, tarnish inhibiting products which considerably slow down the rate of discolouration and tarnishing.

 

How long will my silver keep clean when I have used Holland Hallmark Silver Plater or Silver Enhancer ?
Much longer than with traditional polishes, as Silver Plater and Silver Enhancer contain tarnish inhibitors. However the rate of tarnish depends on a large number of varying factors, such as: Do you live along the coast ? Do you have an open fire ? Do you smoke ?  Is your silver placed in a draft ? Is your silver displayed in the open, or in a cabinet ?  Is your silver placed above a central heating radiator ? From the above you can conclude, that air circulation, such as from radiators, fans, open fire etc. will speed up the tarnishing process.  Also the impurities, present in the air, have an effect. But generally speaking the use of Holland Hallmark Silver Plater and Enhancer, compared with traditional silver cleaners and polishes, will drastically reduce the formation of tarnish and thus the need to polish.

 

I once bought a nice silver bread basket from a Jeweler. After the first few polishes it started to look much duller and it also looked slightly brownish even when it was clean, why is this and can Holland Hallmark Silver Plater help ?
When you bought that new silver bread basket from the shop, the item was covered with what is called in the trade a “flash plating”. This is a thin plating of pure silver which made it sparkle and shine. This sparkle and shine you have probably not seen again, since you first cleaned the item. The “flash plating” is applied even to sterling silver items, specifically to obtain this sparkle and shine. Because even sterling silver is not 100% silver, but an alloy with copper. The copper molecules on the surface normally make the item look slightly brownish and dull, so the “flash plating” hides this at the point of sale. After polishing with a traditional abrasive polish however, this “flash plating” is removed, never to be seen again. Holland Hallmark Silver Plater can help. When you polish with Silver Plater, pure silver will be deposited, also on the copper molecules and you will regain that original sparkle and luster. Then maintain the item with Silver Enhancer and you can retain that sparkling look forever !!

 

I have silver at home which is showing red / yellowish marks which do not disappear with even after I have polished. Can your product help?
Yes it can. Your problem is, that the layer of silver on the item has been worn away, through polishing and normal wear, and now the base metal of copper or brass is showing through. Simply apply Holland Hallmark Silver Plater according to the instructions on the leaflet which is enclosed with every bottle, and you will restore your worn item to its former glory.

Holland Hallmark Silver Plater simply polishes silver ON.

 

What happens if I use ordinary silver polish on items that have been restored with Holland Hallmark Silver Plater ?
Traditional silver polishes are abrasive and gradually wear away the silver on any silver plated object. To avoid this problem, polish in future with Holland Hallmark Silver Enhancer to maintain the new silver layer which you have applied with Silver Plater. In the long term this will give the best and most economical results.

 

Why does the surface go dark when I apply Holland Hallmark Silver Plater ?
The darkening effect occurs as a result of the molecular plating process which is taking place and it means that pure silver is being transferred onto the object. This is however not a problem, just continue rubbing for a few more seconds and you will see a beautiful silver layer appear.

 

Does an object need cleaning,  before applying new silver with Holland Hallmark Silver Plater ?
It is generally not necessary to clean the object before using Silver Plater, as Silver Plater contains a cleaning agent which will be activated immediately you apply the product. So Silver Plater itself will clean any latent tarnish and light dirt before it will deposit a layer of silver onto the clean base metal. However, if the item is particularly greasy or has heavy tarnish, it is recommended to remove this surface dirt before applying Silver Plater. This way you will make the most economical use of Holland Hallmark Silver Plater. Please just clean the item with Holland Hallmark Copper / Brass Cleaner and then wash in warm soapy water, rinse and dry, before applying Silver Plater. Do not use other chemicals as they may react unfavorably with the silver plating process of Holland Hallmark Silver Plater.

 

My silver plated item is scratched and worn. Will Holland Hallmark Silver Plater be able to restore this damage ?
Holland Hallmark Silver Plater will apply a thin layer of new, pristine silver to the item, every time you apply it and it will therefore re-silver the worn area on the item. However it is not a filler and will therefore not fill in scratch marks. So if the scratch marks have gone through the silver layer and the base metal is now visible (red or yellow) then it will silver plate the base metal, but you will still see a scratch mark, although it will be much less obvious.

 

My silver plated item has not been touched for years and is completely black. What can I do ?
First of all clean the item with Holland Hallmark Copper / Brass Cleaner, or, an appropriate household polish, then wash in warm soapy water, rinse and dry, then apply Holland Hallmark Silver Plater. You will find that two or three applications of Silver Plater will be sufficient, even for the most neglected items. For the future, maintenance with Holland Hallmark Silver Enhancer is recommended, to maintain that beautiful silver sparkle which we all cherish.

 

Can I use Holland Hallmark Silver Plater on cutlery and food dishes ?
Yes, Holland Hallmark is non toxic and can therefore be safely used on any table items such as cutlery, serving dishes, sauce boats, sugar and milk sets, even oven dishes. We do however recommend, as good hygiene practice demands, that newly plated items should be washed, rinsed and dried before use (as when using any household cleaner).

 

Can objects treated with Holland Hallmark Silver Plater be washed in the dishwasher ?  
Yes, the silver will not wipe off or wash off. However, good practice in care for silver and silver plated items forces us to inform you, that the use of a dishwasher for silver plated  and silver items may stain the silver as a result of both the detergent used in dishwashing machines and also as a result of other metal objects touching the silver items in the dishwasher. So although the silver layer you have just applied with Silver Plater will not disappear when using a dishwasher, we would recommend hand wash every time, as the best care for your precious silver and silver plated items.

 

Is Holland Hallmark Silver Plater safe to use at home?
Yes, Holland Hallmark products are very safe to use in the home. They are water based and do not contain ammonia, phosphates, cyanide, solvents or other flammable or toxic ingredients. Our products are odourless and non irritant, very user friendly and extremely satisfying to use.

You do however need to protect hands, work surface and clothing from staining. Silver Plater, because it contains pure silver, will stain hands etc if no precaution is taken. We therefore recommend wearing household gloves when using Silver Plater and protecting clothes and work surfaces with layers of plastic. Avoid splashing and therefore staining.

 

How do I tackle the restoration of silver on very ornate items ?
Silver Plater is preferably applied with a piece of balled up cotton wool or a clean soft sponge. If this does not give sufficient plating results, we recommend you use soft, natural bristle brushes (such as the ones supplied in our Silver Care Set) or even an old soft (non plastic) natural bristle toothbrush would help, to get right into the ornamentation. First clean the item, also using a brush, then apply Holland Hallmark Silver Plater according the the Method of use enclosed with every bottle. After application, wash with warm soapy water to clean the item of any Silver Plater residue, use a soft brush if necessary, then rinse with warm water and dry thoroughly.

 

Will the layer of silver I have just applied,  fade ? 
No, the silver you have applied is pure silver and pure silver does not fade. As with any other silver plated items however, it may get worn if you keep using abrasive household polishes in your regular maintenance routine for the item. As you are aware, that was also the reason why you needed to use Holland Hallmark Silver Plater in the first place. However, if you have used Holland Hallmark Silver Plater two or three times, you have applied a good layer of new silver and when maintaining it with Holland Hallmark Silver Enhancer your silver will remain in excellent condition forever !  It will in future, occasionally, require cleaning with Silver Enhancer, to remove the tarnish which will occur naturally.

 

After applying Holland Hallmark Silver Plater, how long will this silver layer last ?
In principle the layer of silver you have just applied, is there permanently, you will not be able to wash it off, scratch it off or even burn it off, it is not paint, it is a layer of real silver which has bonded itself to the base metal. However, as with any other silver plated items, it may get worn if you keep using abrasive household polishes as your regular maintenance routine for the item. As you are aware, that was also the reason why you needed to use Holland Hallmark Silver Plater in the first place. However, if you have used Holland Hallmark Silver Plater two or three times, you have applied a good layer of new silver and when maintaining it with Holland Hallmark Silver Enhancer your silver will remain in excellent condition forever !

 

How many items can be plated with 50ml Silver Plater ?
About half of a square meter, depending on the condition of the object before restoration. The cleaner the object is before you start, the less Silver Plater you need. Also the more worn the item is, the more you need.

 

I have a large worn silver plated dish, how do I best start restoration with Holland Hallmark Silver Plater ?  
Start by looking to see if the item can be re-plated with Holland Hallmark Silver Plater, i.e. is the base metal either red copper, yellow brass, brownish bronze, greyish alpaca etc. Then make sure the item is free of all loose dirt and grease. Wash it with warm soapy water and rinse with clean tepid water. Dry the item and then apply Silver Plater according to the method of use. Make sure to only treat small areas (about 10cm square) at the time.

 

When does my silverware need Holland Hallmark Silver Plater ?
If your silver plated item is showing copper or brass, then Holland Hallmark Silver Plater will put back the silver on these worn areas whilst you are simply polishing. Up to 95% restoration success guaranteed. This special polish also enhances the silver luster and retards tarnish. If your Sterling Silver looks rather dull and the worst for wear, then clean with Silver Plater and add the sparkle of new silver.

 

I have used Silver Plater and I have let it dry on the item, now what do I do ? 
No problem. The Silver Plater liquid has now formed into a powder. Therefore it is best to remove the dried up liquid with a dry cloth or dry brush (if the item is ornate) first. Remove as much as possible. Then wash the item with tepid, soapy water, use a soft brush if necessary, then rinse with tepid water and dry. You may have to repeat this action. Then just apply Silver Plater again, small areas (about 10cm square) at a time and you will have excellent results.

 

How often should I use Holland Hallmark Silver Plater, to get the best plating ?
When applying Silver Plater, the item usually goes black immediately. This blackening is a sign of molecular transfer of silver onto the item you are treating. After 3 applications the blackening gets less and less as transfer of silver takes place. When there is no darkening any more, no more silver can be applied and the item is saturated. You may now use Holland Hallmark Silver Enhancer for continued maintenance of the product. So as long as there is blacking, you are still applying more silver to the item. Continued use of Silver Plater however will never harm the item!  You may use it as often as you wish.

 

I have once had a silver plating company electrolitically re-plate an antique worn silver plated candle stick. However when it came back it looked brand new and just like a modern replica. What is the situation when plating with Holland Hallmark Silver Plater ? .
When re-plating electrolitically, the item to be plated is first stripped of it’s old layer of silver and with that, also the layers of patina are stripped away, which were built up over the many years. The item is buffed up to get the maximum shine and then re-plated. First it is usually plated with a layer of nickel, as this is also a silver coloured metal (but not as expensive as silver) it prepares the base metal, so that only a very thin plating of silver needs to be used to obtain the desired effect.  Some antique silver plated items however never had this layer of nickel underneath the silver. This amongst other things explains the very different appearance of the re-plated item. Also the years and years of patina can never be replaced, so when you get the item back, you are correct, it just looks like new, which is what most lovers of antique and old silverware do not want. They want to retain the character of the item but just get rid of the unsightly, worn parts.

With Holland Hallmark Silver Plater, you can retain the patina and therefore the character of the item, as the old layer of silver is not stripped away and the base metal is not buffed up before re-plating. A new layer of silver may be applied to the worn areas but as these areas have been affected by the many years of life the items has had, these areas will not be absolutely smooth. Therefore the layer of silver you apply, will adapt itself to the state of the item and although a new layer of silver is deposited, the item will still retain the look and the character of the treasured item you once fell in love with. So use Holland Hallmark Silver Plater with peace of mind on your antique worn items. You will love the result !!

 

Can Holland Hallmark Silver Plater harm my silver ?
No. Holland Hallmark products are, by nature, gentle cleaning, polishing and restoration products, that add pure silver with every application, thereby preserving the beauty of your silver indefinitely. Conventional silver polishes by contrast, remove silver every time you use them to clean your precious items. So use Holland Hallmark products with the absolute faith and trust that they will only ever enhance the appearance of your precious silverware and consequently you will enhance your joy in owning these treasures.

 

If you have any further questions about Silver Plater or any other Holland Hallmark products, then please do not hesitate to e-mail us at info@hollandhallmark.com