How to clean heavily tarnished brass

How to clean heavily tarnished brass

Brass has been a fixture in homes for hundreds of years, bringing a sense of class and coziness. While it looks great, it tends to lose its shine and get dull over time. If you don’t take care of it, this dullness can set in, making it seem tough to clean very tarnished brass. But don’t worry! You can remove tarnish from it and make it look as good as new if you know what to do.

Understanding brass and its tarnish

Before we jump into the most effective method to make your badly tarnished brass sparkle, you should know why it loses its shine. Brass combines copper and zinc, and it reacts with air’s oxygen to create an oxide layer, which causes tarnish. This happens faster in damp places, and when brass meets pollutants, it can turn dull. To bring back its lustre, you need to pick the best way to remove this tough tarnish layer without hurting the metal underneath.

Step-by-step guide: bringing back the shine to very dull brass

Here’s what to do to remove tarnish:

  1. Get your cleaning stuff

You need a few things – a soft rag, mild soap for dishes, warm water, a gentle scrubber, and a good brass cleaner. If you want to go natural, you can also use stuff like lemon juice, baking soda, or vinegar.

  1. Get the brass ready

First, wash the item with warm soapy water to remove any dirt on top. After washing, rinse it well and dry it off with a soft cloth.

  1. Put the cleaning solution to work

For store-bought brass cleaners, stick to what the label says. Want a more down-to-earth fix? Mix lemon juice and baking soda into a paste. Grab a soft cloth and rub this paste onto the dull brass, moving in small circles. This method is particularly effective for restoring very dirty and heavily tarnished brass items.

  1. Give it a light scrub

Using a soft scrubber, clean the brass to remove the tarnish. Stay calm and don’t rush, as it might need more work to fix up. If the tarnish stays put, let the cleaning mix for a bit before you scrub again.

  1. Rinse and dry

After the tarnish is gone, wash the item with warm water to remove any leftover cleaning mix. Dry the item well with a soft cloth. This step matters a lot, as any water left can make the brass tarnish again.

  1. Polish to shine

After cleaning, the last step is a good polish. You can use a special polish or prepare your own mix of vinegar and water to rub the surface until it gleams. This doesn’t just make it look better, but also puts on a protective layer to keep it from getting dull later on.

How to fix tarnished brass: alternative methods

The traditional ways to clean work well, but sometimes you need extra help. Here are some other methods you might want to try:

  • vinegar and salt – mix vinegar and salt to make a paste. Put it on the brass and wait a few minutes before you scrub. This mix works great to get rid of tough tarnish;
  • ketchup – believe it or not, the acid in tomatoes breaks down tarnish, so it’s easy to remove. Just put the ketchup in, wait 10-15 minutes, then scrub and rinse;
  • brass-specific cleaners – if your brass item holds significant value or has a lot of tarnish, think about using a cleaner made just for this material. These products are designed to remove tarnish without harming the product.

How to shine tarnished brass?

After cleaning very tarnished brass, you need to keep that shine. Here’s how to do it:

  • dust often – dust your items often to stop dirt from building up, which can make tarnish happen faster;
  • keep dry – keep brass items dry and store them where it’s not damp to stop future tarnish;
  • polish now and then – even if your brass isn’t tarnished, polish it now and then to keep its shine and protect it from rust.

To wrap up, bringing back the shine of discoloured brass takes some work, but it’s worth the effort. If you follow these steps and pick the right method, you can remove even the toughest tarnish and once again enjoy the lasting beauty of your brass pieces.

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About Elizabeth Ashford

Occupation: Sales

Elizabeth Ashford is the main contributor to the Royal-cleaning.co.uk blog. With a background in sales and a passion for home care, she shares practical cleaning tips and eco-friendly solutions to help readers maintain a spotless and organized space.