Bright Ideas For Cleaning Brass

Bright ideas for cleaning brass. It might seem easier to bring home one of those expensive, caustic big gun cleaners from the grocery store. But effectively cleaning brass at home doesn't have to mean bringing in harsh chemicals. 

This lovely golden alloy of copper and zinc has built-in germicidal and antimicrobial benefits that scientists credit to its copper component. So, it naturally resists germs. (Now, if it only resisted tarnish, too...)

Don't fret if the natural properties of brass don't completely prevent tarnish. These tried-and-tested methods for cleaning brass are not only effective but also easy to follow. They'll restore the shine you love, without harsh chemicals.

Give Brass The Spa Revival Treatment

Let's start these bright ideas for cleaning brass by giving your brass piece a spa treatment - one that begins with an (acidic) bath soak and ends with a soft cloth polishing. It's one of the best ways to clean brass.

Start by putting as many brass pieces as possible into a pot, pan, or plastic container (or all three) for cleaning. Fill to the brim with Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or ketchup until the pieces are submerged.

If you don't have these ingredients in abundance, use vinegar or lemon juice. Both have the acidity to remove oxidation (tarnish) and hardened polish. For stubborn pieces, soak for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Next, clean the surface designs, legs, and rims well with soapy water and a soft fingernail brush or toothbrush under cold running water.

Remove from water and dry with a soft cloth to prevent scratching. Finish by rubbing a cloth moistened with olive oil to minimize new tarnish and buildup.

When it comes to commercially-available brass cleaners, one of the best I've found is Weiman Brass Polish. It effectively removes tarnish without scratching, and is ideal for fine, unlacquered brass items like candlesticks, rails, and fixtures.

Bright Ideas For Cleaning Brass with Vinegar and Salt

Many people mistakenly believe that the more polish slathered on brass and other metals, the better protected they will be.

One of the best ways to clean brass of heavy polish buildup—without removing the surface itself—is to fill a bucket about half full of warm water. 

Squirt in some hand dish-washing liquid and mix to form soapy suds. Dampen a soft sponge in your mixture of choice, then press it to the brass for several seconds before you begin rubbing. 

The pause allows the cleaner to loosen the buildup, making it easier to remove — sponge-rinse and clean brass.

Next, attack any remaining caked-on crud. Dampen your sponge (or a cotton swab) in hot vinegar (wear gloves to protect your hands), then dip it in a bowl of coarse salt. Rub it on your brass.

It could take a few times, so be patient and keep at it until the brass looks its best. Remove from water and dry with a polishing cloth. Apply several coats of car wax to achieve clean brass and reduce the need for future polishing.

Finally, if your brass still looks weathered after trying each of these bright ideas for cleaning brass, chances are your lacquer finish has been eroded over the years, in which case no amount of enlightened cleaning can cure it. 

If so, you'll need to remove all the lacquer finish and restore the finish with a specialty cleaner such as 3M Marine Metal Restorer and Polish, Never-Dull, or Brasso Multi-Purpose Metal Polish.

Or, it's time to find a replacement.