How to Properly Clean Brass, According to an Expert
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In terms of popularity, brass is the queen bee of metals when it comes to decorating our homes. It appears on everything from heirloom flatware and crockery to contemporary lamps and even end tables. That's why it's important to know exactly how to keep those brass pieces shining. Though patina has its time and place, extremely tarnished brass does not. Careful upkeep is the only way to stop corrosion on your favorite brass pieces.
VERANDA reached out to Sherita Bougere, the executive housekeeper at New Orleans-based antique shop M.S. Rau, to learn how to properly clean and polish brass jewelry pieces and vintage objets d'art in our collections. Here, she reveals the cleaning product she swears by, why you should always keep toothbrushes in your toolkit, and how to remove that tricky tarnish. Happy cleaning!
The Difference Between Cleaning and Polishing Brass
While some may assume cleaning and polishing are synonymous, Bougere points out that one requires a bit more elbow grease and time. "The purpose of cleaning is to remove debris from the product," says Bougere. "Polishing, on the other hand, makes a product shine and you will need both cleaning products and buffing via cloth."
Examine each of your brass pieces to see if they need a deep clean or if a thorough polish will do the trick. Upon first impression, you may think those antique candlesticks may need a lot of love, but oftentimes, a piece with gorgeous patina will be of more value. Lastly, if you happen to notice a thin, shiny coating, it's likely that your brass piece is lacquered which may require you to take it to a metal refinisher to give it the proper refresh it needs.
The Best Tools and Products to Clean Brass
It seems almost every brass owner has a homemade solution they swear by, from ketchup to plain water and dish soap. Bougere recommends for anyone cleaning brass for the first time to invest in a reliable and time-saving solution, such as Goddard's Brass & Copper Polish. Trusted cleaning products help to minimize the room for error that comes with making your own solution.
If you are in a pinch, Bougere says you can mix together a gallon of warm (never hot!) water and two heaping tablespoons of baking soda to give your brass pieces a quick clean. You'll also want to keep toothbrushes, both hard and soft, and polishing rags in your polishing toolkit.
How to Properly Clean Brass
The first step in the cleaning process is to check if your piece is fully brass or just brass-plated. The easiest way to figure out if something is made completely of brass is to stick a magnet up to it. If it does not stick, it's brass; if it does, it's probably just brass-plated. If you are working with something only plated in brass, you can simply clean it in warm water and soap—polishing these types of pieces may accidentally result in scratching off the plating.
After identifying the type of brass piece, Bougere urges people to test whatever solution they are using on the piece to ensure it doesn't have a negative reaction. "Start at the bottom and apply a little solution to see how the piece reacts," says Bougere. "It could be that your piece responds incredibly well to cleaning and won't require much polish, or it could be the opposite."
For brass that has visible debris on its surface, Bougere likes to go in with a toothbrush to remove dirt from more ornate or smaller pieces. Since brass is pretty resilient, you can often use tougher bristles, but it's always safer to start with a softer toothbrush and work your way up. Then, you can go in with your cleaning solution on a clean, soft cloth to remove any tarnish. Bougere warns "extreme tarnish requires patience," so be ready to scrub quite a bit to achieve the perfect shine.
In most instances, you should allow the polishing solution (like Goddard's) to dry on the piece before wiping it down with a clean soft cloth. If you are using a homemade solution, you should thoroughly rinse the piece and pat completely dry.
After a thorough clean, make sure to dust any decorative pieces and wipe down any brass fixtures in your home regularly. Since unlacquered brass can easily tarnish, be sure to polish it every few months with a trusted polishing solution or a rag already loaded with product.
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