Chrome is generally undertaken for one of two purposes: to provide a brilliant untarishable finish or to produce a hard abrasion resistant surface. Chrome has a brilliant bluish white appearance. The deposit does not tarnish and requires occasional washing with soap and water or wiping with a soft cloth to remove any accumulation of dust and dirt from the surface. Bright chromium plate is used to describe a layer of nickel, followed by a final deposit of chrome. The nickel deposit gives protection to the bases metal and is itself preserved from surface oxidation by the chromium deposit.