Silver plate stripped by cleaning solution - how to repair

[FixingStuff]

Hi,

I'm trying to restore a bass clarinet just now, which has a bit of a mould smell problem.

(previous thread https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/housekeeping/5206059-removing-mouldy-smell-from-a-clarinet-bought-on-ebay?reply=139733338)

I left the keys in Dettol mould and mildew remover overnight last night, as that worked a treat on the previous clarinet that I restored. Unfortunately something weird happened this time, and the chemical stripped the silver plate off the keys in a lot of places. The stripped silver turned into black deposits in the water and it really was very black in the solution as a lot of silver had come off.

I wondered if anybody would know what the chemical reaction is that I set off, and how I could put the silver back by reversing the process?

I have attached a photo of a stripped key.

Thanks!

I did the washing in two different baths, set up the same. For some reason only one of the baths did the silver stripping thing and went black. The other water bath had no stripping and no black deposit in the water. Here is a photo of a key that was in the other water bath. The keys in this bath did not lose any silver at all.

Here is another photo of the stripped key

Can you use Goddard's Silver Dip or other silver plating solution?

@Chersfrozenface I just checked and that just removes tarnish, it doesn't replate damaged metal.

I think I would have to send it away to have it replated professionally.

I just googled and I think the bleach oxidised the silver. Apparently silver oxide is very black.

No idea why it only happened in one water bath.

I seem to recall using it some years ago on tarnished jewellery.

The recent and current reviews are good and Goddard's is an old-established brand.

@Chersfrozenface does it actually replate things or does it just remove tarnish? My keys have actual holes in them where the silver has been removed.

I just watched a video about it. It seems like a really really strong reducing agent. Going to read more.

I'm pretty sure I've only used it on tarnished jewellery which would mostly if not all be solid silver.

I think you may be right and you will need to get the keys replated.

I just watched a video with a lovely lady in her own house in the US showing how great Goddard's silver dip is, but she was dipping her bare hands in it, which didn't seem like a good idea. I read the MSDS sheet and she really definitely should be being more careful.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0585/9514/7850/files/GODDARD_S_SILVER_DIP_707486_707489.pdf?v=1708444399

Yikes