FAQ's
No matter what cleaning questions you have, Town Talk has a wealth of experience at your disposal.
Click on any of the topics for frequently asked questions.
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Silver Care
Tarnish is the discolouration of silver that occurs naturally over time as the metal reacts with elements in the air to form a new compound on the surface. This resulting layer of grey or black coating causes once bright, shining surfaces to become dull and unsightly.
Anti-tarnish protectors are one of the most important ingredients in Town Talk silver polish products. Our unique anti-tarnish ingredient bonds to silver and forms an invisible shield on its surface, protecting it from tarnish-forming substances. This protective layer means that your silver will last much longer before it tarnishes, so by using Town Talk products you will find you need to clean your silver less frequently.
Our silver dips (i.e. our Silver Sparkle and Silver Rinse) work in a different way to our silver polishes. They will quickly remove all traces of tarnish from silver without the need for polishing, but will not add any anti-tarnish protection. For this reason we recommend polishing your silver with our Silver Polishing Cloth after it has been cleaned with a dip. This will give it an extra shine and keep it brighter for much longer!
Clean your silver with Town Talk Silver Polish, Spray Silver Polish or Silver Foam; they all work wonders on heavily tarnished silver. For smaller items try our Silver Polish Tissues.
‘Abrasives’ are sophisticated industrial products that come in many different sizes, shapes and degrees of hardness.
All silver polishes on the market use some sort of abrasive-based formulation. The skill of the manufacturer lies in selecting abrasive properties that most closely meet the needs of the metal being cleaned. For example, silver and gold don’t require the same hard abrasives needed for stainless steel, or the slightly finer abrasive used on brass.
Town Talk has over 120 years of experience when it comes to selecting just the right level of very fine abrasives for its silver polishes. They work almost invisibly but are sufficiently abrasive to cut through tarnish and grime and then polish your silver to a glowing brilliance.
Silverware companies of repute use advanced silver-plating technology to ensure a finish that’s both beautiful and highly durable. The chance of removing all silver from one of these companies’ goods through over polishing is highly unlikely.
On the other hand, very lightly plated, cheaply manufactured silverware has the potential for being affected by the use of any brand of silver care product.
We always recommend you check the manufacturer’s guidance on the use of silver polish on silver plated products.
Silver cutlery should be cleaned as soon as possible after use as many foods that it comes into contact with (such as salt, vinegar, mustard, onions and eggs to name but a few) will cause staining or tarnishing that can be hard to remove. For every day cleaning wash with our gentle washing up liquid using clean water and a soft cloth, then dry immediately with a soft cloth to avoid the formation of water stains.
When your silver cutlery is showing signs of tarnish Town Talk Anti-tarnish Silver Foam, Anti-tarnish Silver Polish and Silver Cutlery Rinse can all be used to remove it. The Silver Foam can be used at the sink with water, and like the Silver Polish will also add anti-tarnish protection.
The Silver Cutlery Rinse will remove tarnish within a matter of seconds, and is particularly useful for cleaning the tines of forks, which can be rather awkward to get to. After rinsing and drying, finish with a quick rub with one of our Silver Polishing Cloths for added shine and anti-tarnish protection. Avoid, however, using the Silver Cutlery Rinse on the stainless-steel blades of silver knives.
After use, store your silver cutlery in an Anti-tarnish Cutlery Roll which will keep it free from tarnish for much longer.
Town Talk Silver Polishing Cloths are ideal for cleaning silver charm bracelets. When you’re not wearing yours, store it in a jewellery bag or jewellery box with a few of our Silver Storage Strips, which will keep tarnish at bay for longer.
Please note that silver polish and silver polishing cloths are not suitable for charms made of oxidized silver, i.e. silver which has been intentionally blackened during the manufacturing process, as their use will remove the blackened finish. We recommend you use a Microfibre Jewellery Polishing Cloth instead.
Both products work equally well on light to moderately tarnished silver so it’s really personal preference! The cloths are inexpensive and the mitts have a special lining that’s soft on your hands and convenient to use.
Both the cloths and the mitts contain a special mix of Town Talk’s original silver cleaning ingredients and anti-tarnish protector. The simple act of buffing your silver applies the cleaners and allows them to remove dust, fingerprints and tarnish. You will be left with a smooth, glowing surface protected against tarnish. Regular buffing helps build a unique, silver ‘patina’.
Our Silver Polish Cloths and Mitts can be used on their own or after you’ve cleaned your silver with our liquid polish, to develop a final shining glow.
As the cloth/mitts are used, they will turn quite black. This is a chemical reaction rather than a build-up of dirt and shows that the cloth is doing its job! You need only replace the cloth when it is quite black on both sides.
Both work exceptionally well on heavily tarnished items. Some customers find their ornately decorated silver and silver cutlery easier to clean with Town Talk Silver Foam because it can be worked into the decoration with its sponge applicator.
Very heavily tarnished silver may require more than one cleaning, or may even call for professional attention.
No. The logo is printed using a special ink so it is perfectly safe to use both sides of the cloth.
No, you should not immerse any gems or stones in Town Talk Silver Sparkle – it is designed for silver only. Our Jewellery FAQ section gives advice on which Town Talk Polish product to use for cleaning gems and precious stones.
Yes, we recommend rinsing your silver jewellery and then drying it with a soft cloth before buffing it up with a Silver Polishing Cloth for added anti-tarnish protection.
Simply add a few drops of water to soften it again.
The nozzle may have become blocked. Remove it and soak it for a few minutes in warm water to dissolve any dried liquid. Then try the pump several times to ensure it’s working, before replacing it on the bottle.
Solid silver and silver-plated musical instruments, such as flutes, trumpets and cornets, can tarnish through exposure to the air and moisture. Clean away fingerprints and slow down the development of tarnish with Town Talk Anti-Tarnish Silver Polishing Cloths. Our unique formula is impregnated into the cloth and will coat silver or silver-plated instruments in a fine, protective layer. Don’t wash the cloth, or it’ll lose its unique powers!
Keep fine silver instruments shining bright by stowing them with some Silver Storage Strips. These strips absorb atmospheric pollutants. For the best results, pop a few storage strips in your instrument’s closed case when you’re not using it. Replace the strips monthly to keep tarnish at bay.
If you want a soft cloth to simply remove fingerprints and moisture after playing silver or brass instruments, try the Town Talk Microfibre Cloth. It’s also ideal on keyboards, woodwind instruments, guitars and even string instruments too.
Jewellery Care
For bringing back a deep shine to your gold jewellery try a Town Talk Gold Polishing Cloth. This will polish out the small scuffs and leave your jewellery looking like new again in no time!
For gold jewellery with hard gemstones, you need our renowned Jewel Sparkle which is especially designed for cleaning all your gold earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets etc. It gently dissolves surface grime on the stones and the metal mounts, which will make the gemstones shine much more brightly! Try also our handy Jewel Sparkle Wand, Mini Jewellery Spray and Jewel Sparkle Tissue Sachets.
When using the Jewel Sparkle dip, avoid fully submerging gold watches, or jewellery that has emeralds, coral, amber, opals, or any stones that have water-soluble fixings (other hard gemstones are fine). Instead, use our Microfibre Polishing Cloth on the stones and a Gold Polishing Cloth to buff up the gold.
Vermeil and gold plated jewellery are very different options when it comes to purchasing jewellery. Vermeil is sterling silver covered with a layer of gold which must be at least 2.5 microns thick. Gold-plated jewellery, on the other hand, uses a cheaper base metal such as steel or brass, and has a thinner coating of gold. As neither are solid gold they should be treated carefully and we recommend cleaning both vermeil and gold plated jewellery with one of our microfibre Jewellery Polishing Cloths. This will safely remove all the surface dust, pollution, oils etc that might dull or even damage the surface, and so restore the shine.
Clean platinum rings and jewellery in Town Talk Jewel Sparkle then polish with a Gold Polishing Cloth.
The Town Talk Gold and Silver Polishing Cloths will carry on working as long as they are not washed. As you use them, they will start to turn black. This is a chemical reaction rather than a build-up of dirt and shows that the cloth is doing its job! Store them in a dry environment and you need only replace them when they are quite black on both sides.
A clean diamond will possess much more brilliance than when it’s dirty. So remove any grime lurking under or around the setting using our Town Talk Jewel Sparkle. For daily sparkle your diamond is best cleaned with our Diamond Polishing Cloth, which will grab any surface dust or grease.
Or, when you’re on the go, try a Town Talk Jewel Sparkle Wand. The brush is specially designed to get behind settings and remove trapped dirt which can dull the diamonds. A quick rinse in water and polish dry with the Microfibre Cloth that’s provided and hey presto – the sparkle and shine of your jewellery is restored!
There are so many different types of gemstones it can be difficult and confusing to know the best way to care for them. Their durability can vary greatly, so they cannot all be treated in the same way. Furthermore each piece of jewellery is unique and may have its own specific cleaning requirements, for instance there may be a mix of stones or it may be made with multiple types of metal pieces, so if you are in any doubt do ask the manufacturers or the place of purchase what care advice they can offer.
We have categorized below those gemstones which can be cleaned safely in our Jewel Sparkle (or with a Jewel Sparkle Wand, Jewel Sparkle Spray, or Jewel Sparkle Tissues), and those which are more delicate and should be cleaned simply with one of our Microfibre Jewellery Polishing Cloths.
Town Talk’s Jewel Sparkle is designed to clean gold, platinum, diamonds and many precious stones by gently dissolving the residues of everyday life – such as soaps and detergents, food particles, body oils and perspiration – that adhere to their surfaces.
Leave your jewellery in the liquid for one or two minutes. After that, a little work with the brush should remove any embedded dirt, particularly in the settings of rings and brooches. It is this build-up of dirt which, if left, can cause the stones to look dull. Rinse and dry your jewellery with a soft cloth after use.
The following gemstones can safely be cleaned in our Jewel Sparkle:
Agate, Amethyst, Apatite, Aquamarine, Blue Topaz, Citrine, Diamonds, Garnet, Jade, Moonstone, Onyx, Ruby, Sapphires, Zircon.
Town Talk’s Microfibre Jewellery Polishing Cloths are designed to gently remove the everyday smears, oils and grease that can build up and cause the stones to look dull. We recommend the following gemstones are not dipped but cleaned with one of these cloths:
Amber, Coral, Emerald, Opal, Turquoise.
If you have a gemstone or type of jewellery not mentioned here, please contact us using the form above and we will do our best to advise.
Pearls are among the most delicate of all gems. They are sensitive to acids, chemicals, body oils and perspiration so avoid pearls coming in to contact with perfume, cosmetics and hairspray.
If they are not cleaned correctly, the surface can become pitted and dull. Soap may not remove all the surface impurities and, indeed, may harm the pearls if the soap is too harsh. Worse still, the soap residue may remain on the pearls, leaving them looking dull and lifeless.
Town Talk’s Pearl Cleaners are ideally pH balanced for pearls and will clean the delicate surface of these natural gems effectively. Choose between our Mini Pearl Spray, and one of our Pearl Care Kits. All will safely clean the impurities away from your pearls and they come with a soft microfibre cloth to polish them dry afterwards.
Pearl necklaces should not be dipped or washed as this may cause the thread to expand which could crack the pearls.
For the very best results clean silver jewellery with Town Talk Silver Sparkle followed by one of my Anti-Tarnish Silver Polishing Cloths.
Please note that Silver Sparkle and Silver Polishing Cloths are not suitable for jewellery made of oxidized silver, i.e. silver which has been intentionally blackened during the manufacturing process, as their use will remove the blackened finish. We recommend you use a Microfibre Jewellery Polishing Cloth instead.
For silver jewellery containing other gemstones we recommend using a Silver Polishing Cloth on the silver, and a Microfibre Polishing Cloth on the gemstones.
Household Care
Town Talk’s Anti-tarnish Brass and Copper Polish has been specially formulated for use with solid brass and copper to clean stubborn marks and blemishes. It contains mild abrasives which get finer and finer during the polishing process to give a soft, glowing finish. Depending on how tarnished the metal is, it may require a little elbow grease. It is a non-hazardous polish and as such works differently to those products which rely on higher levels of more hazardous chemical ingredients to react with the metal and clean it in that way. It also includes an anti-tarnish protector to keep your brass or copper tarnish-free for a long time.
Begin by washing and drying your brass or copper items to remove any dirt or dust. Then, using a dry cloth, apply the Town Talk Brass and Copper Polish. Finally, rinse and dry. It’s important to remember that brass and copper darken as they tarnish, so they can look more golden over time. Newly cleaned brass and copper will invariably have a lighter colour after cleaning.
The term ‘stainless’ doesn’t unfortunately mean ‘stain free’! Anyone with stainless steel appliances or surfaces in their house knows that it really does benefit from being kept clean, because otherwise it can look very dull and dirty. We have two products designed to keep your stainless steel clean and bright.
For appliances such as fridges, freezers and ovens you need Town Talk Stainless Steel Cleaner. It is a mild cleaning solution designed to remove those very annoying smudges, smears and fingerprints, which can then be buffed up to produce a shiny finish.
For tougher stains that you may find on stainless steel pots and pans, worktops and sinks, look no further than Town Talk Stainless Steel Polish. This polish has been specially formulated to remove tough stains and hard watermarks. As stainless steel is such a hard metal, you can apply as much elbow grease as is necessary to get the best results. However, take care on satin finishes. Too much elbow grease may cause items to take on a more polished look. Always try a little on an inconspicuous area first to ensure it will give you the finish you require.
No, only use Town Talk Silver Cutlery Rinse on silver and silver-plated cutlery as it can damage stainless steel knife blades.
Stainless steel cutlery is durable and convenient as it can be cleaned in a dishwasher. It is liable to scratch though so it’s best not to overfill the cutlery basket.
Take care not to put stainless steel and silver cutlery in a dishwasher together, as this will cause your silver cutlery to turn black!
Read how to clean your silver cutlery here.
Town Talk has come up with an ingenious, simple and effective way to clean crystal chandeliers that doesn’t require dismantling a complicated network of crystals to wash individually.
Our Luminous Crystal Spray was specially invented for cleaning crystal chandeliers and light fittings, as well as a host of other crystal pieces, such as vases and ornaments. It can restore a brilliant sparkle to the appearance and all you have to do is spray each item until it is dripping wet, then leave it to dry.
When cleaning a crystal chandelier be sure to turn the light off first. Remember – switch it off if you want to stay switched on!
More and more of us are filling our homes with touch-screen technology and it doesn’t take long, unfortunately, for them to become full of fingerprints and smudges. Luckily we’ve developed a fine little cleaning cloth, made from a wonderfully soft microfibre material, to keep your precious smartphones and tablets clean and smear free. Our Spectacle and Screen Anti-smear Cloth is a handy size to keep on you at all times, in the home and even in the car where you can use it to remove fingerprints off mirrors, display screens and driving glasses. It’s washable too so will last for ages – although don’t put any fabric conditioner in with the wash as this will clog up the fibres and stop the cloth working as well.
Marble tiles, worktops and fireplaces can collect dust and scuffs. As a porous material, marble needs to be carefully cleaned and you should avoid liquid polishes.
Town Talk’s Marble Wax brings a silky smooth finish to a variety of real and artificial marble surfaces, such as quartz worktops. With its unique blend of natural and synthetic ingredients, and its subtle hints of lavender, our Marble Wax is designed to seal and protect the treated surfaces from staining. Apply it sparingly with a soft duster in circular motions and then buff it to a shine.
If you’re looking to clean and protect your new or your antique wooden furniture, you’ll want an easy to use cleaner that can be applied to all your prized possessions. We have several specialist waxes and creams used by professionals and homeowners alike to help make this a satisfying and pleasurable job.
Our traditional Luxury Furniture Wax and Lavender Furniture and Floor Wax are carefully blended and oozing with nourishing ingredients. They can restore the intrinsic beauty of all antique and modern wooden furniture and help provide protection against everyday use.
If you have particularly light or dark wooden furniture, choose a specialist cleaner that can help enhance the colour. Town Talk Furniture Creams come in Light or Dark; the light is particularly matched to beech, ash, maple and pine, while the dark is a good choice for mahogany, walnut, cherry or dark oak. If you’d rather have just one cleaner for all your wood types we have a neutral Cedar Furniture Cream in a convenient spray.
Our wood creams not only give your furniture a lovely lustre, they also offer protection against everyday living – and whether you choose a wax or a cream, they all smell divine!
Furniture Wax of any sort should not be used on any item that has been lacquered. The lacquer will stop the wax from entering the wood and so you will end up with a smeared finish. If this happens, or if you apply too much wax to your piece of furniture, the excess can be removed with a soft muslin cloth which will trap the excess wax and remove it from the surface.
Leather sofas and chairs are so practical but we sometimes forget that this porous natural product needs a little TLC. Town Talk’s Leather Cream Spray has the unique fragrance of lemon and lime, bringing a zingy freshness to all your leather furniture.
We’ve spent time perfecting a unique blend of ingredients including lanolin, beeswax and carnauba wax, so our leather cleaner not only helps prevent leather from drying out, it can also help revive its natural suppleness. It works wonders on leather car interiors, handbags, briefcases, purses and shoes too!
