The Methods to Clean Brass:
Anything made of brass looks elegant. The metal adds a touch of culture to everything. But improper handling of brass materials can make the color dark, and the metal loses its natural tone. Sometimes not using the brass material regularly can turn its color darker.
Cleaning brass materials does not seem easy, and we avoid using it that makes them look even worse day by day. But if we follow proper methods, we can easily clean any material made of brass. In this blog, I will share methods that will help you clean brass material in no time.
The Methods:
We should consider some facts before cleaning any material made of brass. Since the metal is expensive and most of us have some memories associated with most of the brass materials we have at our home, we need to be cautious with cleaning brass.
- Cleaning brass materials can be a bit tricky. The patina that we find on the surface of the metal is something that we should not remove. It adds authenticity to the material because patina can form on the metals like brass and copper. We can also estimate the age of the material by examining the patina. We can also be aware of its present condition and its actual value. We can estimate all of these factors with the help of the patina. So, we have to clean our brass materials that will not remove the patina.
- Next, we need to double-check that the material we are going to clean is brass. Many marketers make their customers fool by selling them materials in the name of brass made of steel. They just have a layer of a painting that looks like brass. Check the material well before buying it in case you have not bought it. But if you have already bought it and are thinking of cleaning it, test the material before doing it.
- If you have a piece of a magnet at your home, use it to test. First, hold the magnet near the material. If it does not pull the magnet towards it, it is proved that the material is real brass. But, if it attracts the magnet, it is just steel or iron painted with a brass coating.
Cleaning:
Before you clean, make sure that your brass material is lacquered. It is a process to make a piece made of brass look shinier and brand-new. It is done after the polishing of the brass piece to protect the piece from tarnishing. Lacquered brass pieces look a bit yellowish and easy to clean. However, it looks more glossy as well. Most modern brass items are usually lacquered to protect against tarnishing, but antique brass materials are not lacquered. But you can not polish lacquered brass items.
If your brass item is lacquered, simply wipe it with a moist cloth and then wipe it again with a dry cloth. Then, the item will be clean.
If your brass item is not lacquered, you can start cleaning it by following these methods:
Dusting: Simply take a dry piece of cloth and start dusting the surface. Repeat the step until the item is not free of dust.
Wiping: Take a wet wipe, or you can use any moist cloth. Add some liquid dishwasher to a small bowl and pour lukewarm water into it. Mix the two ingredients well. Dip the wipe or cloth and start wiping the brass item.
Rinsing: Wiping the brass item with a liquid dishwasher solution will remove any dirt from the item’s surface. Now, if the item is small, take a container and pour water into it. Next, bring it to a boil. Finally, place the brass item into it. Let it remain there for two to three minutes. Do not worry. The temperature will not damage the surface of your brass item.
If the item is big, pour hot water on it, and you will get rid of any dirt stuck on the surface.
Making a Paste: Cut a lemon and squeeze out the juice in a container. Add one tablespoon of baking soda to it and mix the ingredients well. Wear a hand glove and apply the paste to the surface of that item. Let it remain for five to six minutes. Take a moist cloth and remove any residue. In the end, give the item a good rinse with plain normal-temperature water. Your brass item will be clean.
You can also consider using artificial solutions to clean brass items, but it is always good to go for the natural alternative.