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Cleaning brass railings with muriatic acid
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Hello. My mother has brass railings outside her home. The railings are deep brown, very dark and brasso or home remedies do nothing. I bought a gallon of
muriatic acid [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] (diluted). I sprayed a part with water and brushed on some muriatic acid to see what would happen. The brown came off like magic however the brass
"under" it seems raw and copper like. I want to wait and see what happens overnight however even if the railing part is fine, how do I get it to be shiny? or more "brass" like? I'd appreciate any help. I've looked into having them professionally re-done however the cost is way too high. Thanks so much!
Home owner - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Muriatic acid is too dangerous for this use, Maria. I think you will get nearly as good results with vinegar plus salt.
There are a number of different general types of brass polishes and you are correct that this would take forever with Brasso or those like it. But other polishes are designed to chemically attack the brass and might work fast enough; Revere copper cleaner [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] is one example of that type. The raw orange or salmon look comes from dissolving the zinc out of the brass; it will eventually go away, I think, but the Brasso [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] should mellow it pretty quickly. Getting it shiny, however, might require power buffing. Good luck with it!
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 Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
January 24, 2010
I've removed a bracket soldered to a brass saxophone but there is a residue of solder on the instrument body. I don't want to abrade it off and spoil the surface, can you tell me how to remove the solder residue? Thank you.
F Powersinstrument repair - Salem, South Carolina
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January 24, 2010
Hi, F. If the solder is thick enough to even consider mechanical abrasion, you didn't get enough of it off yet. For electronic work, technicians use a very inexpensive "solder sucker", and you should start with this so that the solder to be removed is not a blob but the very thinnest stain or discoloration. Then you might look in our on-line library for Rudy Sedlak's "Solder Stripping Hell". Good luck! Regards,
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August 2, 2011
I'm considering using Nu Finish [linked by editor to product info at Amazon] on my brass railings. Do all of the tiny spots of tarnish need to be completely removed? (I'm finding it difficult to get all of them out). Also, are there any concerns about using Nu Finish, or any car wax, on brass that I need to be aware of? Thank you!
vicki latopolski- binghamton New York usa