Letter 13396

How to Clean Brass Beds 

++ I just purchased an antique brass bed and I have used Brasso [link is to product info at Amazon] and a combination of lemon and salt to clean it. Both have cleaned to a degree but not totally and it has really taken some time and energy. Can you suggest something else to use that will not take so much time and energy and also what can I do once I get it cleaned to preserve the finish? Peggy L - Memphis, Tennessee ++ In 1980 while in the U.S. Marine Corps, I purchased two brass spittoons, for decoration only, while I was in Korea. About two months ago I pulled them out of storage, they were very tarnished from all the years of just sitting there, probably similar to your antique brass bed. I tried the old Marine Corps method, Brasso, took me forever to clean a few square inches. Anyway, I use a product called "Citri-Surf 77" (pump sprayer) to chelate iron contamination from stainless steel; thought it might work on my spittoons. I tried it and the tarnish disappeared very quickly, rinsed with (hot water 160 deg F), worked really well. You can get this product from one of the sponsors of this site, Stellar Solutions. I can't give you a good explanation why it worked, but Lee Kremer could! As far as preserving the finish, a clear coat from the hardware store should work for many years. Hope this helps you with your dilemma. Best regards, Bradford M - Northfield, Minnesota

I have a 25 year old brass headboard (unlacquered) that I tried to clean with a lemon juice/salt/water solution. It cleaned the brass very well, but left a corrosive residue in the cracks and joints. I have tried several different products to remove the corrosion and tarnish from all these nooks and crannies but have only had success with a powdered product that took away the high gloss shine from my bed. I have thought about taking the bed apart to clean individual pieces, but many of the pieces are corroded in place and I fear that I will damage the bed if I take it apart by forcing the rusted and corroded parts. Anyone have any ideas of what I can use to clean in the nooks and crannies of my bed? Many thanks!

Sharon B
- Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

My solid brass bed was damaged with salt water by Hurricane Frances in Florida. It was sitting on a wet carpet for about a week. Now the carpet it damp, even though I had a cleaning company in with 2 huge fans to dry it out. Evidently the legs have turned black. some of the rest is pitted, even though it is supposed to be solid brass, I bought it new about 15 years ago.I would like to know how to go about cleaning it. It is lacquered I believe.

From what I have read it will be a lot of work, which I don't mind if I can save it. It was expensive and I love it.

Glory M
- Northport, New York

Sharon, you can certainly neutralize mild acids like lemon juice with baking soda [link is to product info at Amazon], but I'm not really confident that unneutralized lemon juice is the cause of the problem you're noting. The 'powder' that dulled the finish was probably some kind of abrasive that is making very small scratches in the finish and harming the specularity. Don't use any more.

Stephen, I think you are right that can use a typical solvent paint stripper on your bed without affecting the metal. There is a good article at http://www.woodzone.com/articles/paint_stripper.htm which, while it was written for wood finishing, explains the various types of stripper very well. But know that unlacquered brass will quickly tarnish regardless of what you strip it with, because brass tarnishes.

Tom, try any of the commercial brass/copper polishes on that spot. Lemon juice, salt, vinegar, etc. do tend to leave a more coppery, less mellow look than the commercial polishes. However, there is the possibility, I suppose, that there is copper plating underneath the brass plating and it's showing through. In that case, sending it out for replating is the only fix.

Glory, sorry to hear about the hurt those hurricanes put on people. If a magnet doesn't stick, it's probably solid brass; if a magnet does stick it's brass plated steel. Start with commercial brass-copper polishes; that's what they are made for. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

 

A brass headboard bought about 12 years ago is now showing brown spots possibly from the salt air. Please tell me how this bed can be refinished to get rid of those spots. Is there a way to refinish it by applying a coat of brass covering? Thank you for your time and attention.

Corinne A
Interior Designer - St. Croix, Virgin Islands

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

 

To clean brass I have found in restoring antique brass beds that this is the most easiest way to clean all brass no matter how oxidized it is !

1. get a pair of rubber protective gloves [link is to product info at Amazon].

2. use any standard toilet bowl cleaner [Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner [link is to product info at Amazon]]

3. get a pkg. of 0000 steel wool [large rolls of all grades of Steel Wool [link is to product info at Rockler] are available at this link]

Wipe it on the metal and shazaam !

Be sure to polish after your finished !

This is the easiest way to do it

Trial and Error, but it is fast and easy to do !

Kenn S
- Galveston Island, Texas

I have a brass bed that seems to have a clear coat that has worn off in places. How can I remove the remaining clear coat, polish it and what do I use to coat it again?

Beverly B
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

 

I have dealt in antiques for quite a while and in the course of restoring brass, beds-light fixtures-fireplace accessories etc... have discovered one very IMPORTANT thing:

You will be happiest with your brass items if you can learn to appreciate and enjoy the natural patina that brass develops over the years.

That said, here are a few tips to keep brass items looking good without trying to make a beautiful old antique look NEW.

1.) For an initial cleaning do not use any chemical or abrasive that will damage the smooth finish or be too aggressive and remove the plating in case your item is not solid. (earlier in this thread someone mentioned the magnet trick to determine if you have solid or plated brass) Using anything abrasive (like most powders or steel wool) then you leave behind fine scratches that will tarnish faster and be harder to clean the next time! I like Liberty brand polish but I've used Brasso [link is to product info at Amazon] and it works well too. Be patient, just use a little polish and the only real trick (besides a lot of elbow grease) is to be sure and change your rag as soon as it gets black, on a very large or very tarnished piece you will go through many rags so be prepared.

A good brass polish leaves behind a protective finish that will help the piece tarnish more slowly.

2.) To maintain your finish, remember a few things. The oils in your skin react with the brass and turn it reddish colors as it "ages" (i say "ages" instead of tarnishes, it helps me learn to ENJOY the tarnish). However the constant touching on something like an unlacquered doorknob also polishes it and you end up with a nice patina that has some red on the back plate and the top surface of the knob will be shiny. With this in mind, try to keep your hands off something that you don't want to "age" too much. Also clean your items often (weekly) with just a cloth dampened with mild soapy water, wipe again with damp plain water and then rub to a nice shine with a soft dry cloth.

3.) If you don't want to do an real polish job with tons of polish and dozens of rags but the damp cloth clean above does not give you the results you want, You can try something in between. On a large cloth slightly dampened with water, add a little brass polish. Work it through the cloth so that a large area of the cloth has a very small amount of polish on it. Now lightly rub the entire item or just the areas the have not "aged" well. The trick to success here it to NOT polish too much. You do not want to remove the patina entirely or have one area that is much brighter than the rest, you just want to give everything a little lift. Use a light hand with the polish. After you have hit everything you wanted to lift with the polish, let it dry then buff the whole thing out with a clean dry rag. Switch rags if it gets too dirty.

4.) Finally a word about lacquer. Many people do not like lacquered brass. It has a bright, artificially shiny look to it that takes away from the warm soft glow that makes natural brass so special. It can also cause MORE WORK down the line. The lacquer is easily damaged by common household cleaners like window cleaner and when spots wear thin, crack or get damaged in the lacquer, the air hits the brass and it tarnishes. Now you have something that looks spotty and there is no way to polish the brass until you first STRIP OFF ALL the lacquer. NOT A FUN JOB! If you absolutely have to have brass that looks like shiny gold, be sure to lacquer it well, putting on a good coat of quality product and then NEVER, NEVER clean it with anything but plain water. That should keep it in best shape possible.

I hope this is helpful!!

Victoria Louise
- Rochester, New York

It has been the third week for me to get rid of the BLACK SPOTS on my brass grill. Tried Flitz and Brasso, but I find Flitz [link is to product info at Amazon] is much better in terms of speed and result. BUT I still cannot get rid of the BLACK SPOTS. Applying too many time on the brass grill will turn the color from yellow to light yellow.

Can't find METAL POLISH in my country and dare not apply the lemon/salt method either.

Please advise me.

Thank you.

Se Tan
- KL, Malaysia

I have a 24 year old shiny, very shiny brass headboard and footboard (it is solid brass because I used a magnet on it). I am extremely tired of the garish shine. I want to have it professionally stripped, but I don't think anyone in my area knows how to do it. Most everyone I called strips wood. They said they could do it, but I'm unsure of the outcome. Should I just sell it as is and buy something else or do you think these guys know what they are doing? I would never buy a bright shiny brass bed again.

Linda H
- St. Clairsville, Ohio

Finally I got the BEST solution on the brass.

I must make clear that my brass grill is covered with oxidized black spots seriously!!!

1. I bought a 1/4" sheet sander, some brand like RYOBI, can't recall.

2. 50 sheet of WET and DRY sandpaper [link is to product info at Rockler] graded 2000, the finest I can find in my country.

3. Autosol Metal Polish [link is to product info at Eastwood], compare to Flitz [link is to product info at Amazon] that I can find, AUTOSOL is cream based, FLITZ is in liquid form.

How it works:

1. Cut the sandpaper into 4 pieces to fit my sander, clip it on the sander.

2. Apply the AUTOSOL (just a little bit) on the sand paper.

3. On the machine and apply direct on the surface of the brass.

and, the BLACK SPOTS gone with the wind. No force is needed as we are not jedi.

It works even without AUTOSOL. Reason to have AUTOSOL is to immediate protect the brass after sanding.

Hope this help everyone.

Enjoy the work!

Se Tan
- KL, Malaysia

What can I use after polishing my brass bed to help keep it looking good and to keep it from changing color when touched. HELP!

Tammy
- Ohio

Brass lacquer is made for the purpose, Tammy, and is something that an individual can apply without extravagant equipment. Good luck!

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

 

We had about 3 feet of flood waters (maximum amount in house) following Hurricane Katrina.

I purchased a brass bed about 25+ years ago. The bed has a clear coating on it (I assume that it is lacquer, but am not certain).

I have looked over a number of suggestions on how to clean a brass bed and am still puzzled.

I have the brass bed in storage and am looking to strip off the clear coating (some has come off on its own over the years leaving a dirty finish on the brass).

My question is:

What will work on the clear coating (lacquer?) and remove it? with the least amount of elbow grease?

I have recently purchased a product that was advertised in a Sunday supplement that claims it will clean and polish any metal. It does polish nicely with minimal elbow grease, but does NOT remove the clear coating.

Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Joe Richard
- New Orleans, Louisiana

Hello Joe. There are good suggestions on this page; sorry, but it's hard to fine tune them if we don't know what the coating is and whether the bed is solid brass or brass plated steel.

If I find some white powder in my basement, nobody can suggest how much of it to use in my cake recipe until we figure out whether it's arsenic or flour :-)

Use the magnet test to identify whether the bed is solid or plated. And try lacquer thinner [link is to product info at Amazon], which is designed to remove lacquer. If it doesn't work, it's not lacquer. If it's not lacquer, but some higher technology powder coating, you could try an aggressive paint stripper; I don't think it will harm the brass or plating but it's hard to know for sure. The 'dirty look' may be tarnish, or it may be rust where the brass plating has worn through to the steel. The latter can only be fixed by sending it to a plating shop for replating unfortunately. Best of luck.

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

 

I tried a brass cleaner to clean an old microscope and it started to remove the lacquer, I decided it looked much better without it, which is what led me here.
I tried the paint thinner & 0000 steel wool and it didn't remove as much as the polish had. So I got crazy and tried the toilet bowl cleaner and steel wool, much to my delight it is working like a charm. I would however recommend doing this in some sort of plastic container you can throw out when you are finished, as I did the first piece in my stainless steel sink (silly) and now have a whole new problem, it seems toilet bowl cleaner and stainless don't mix well.

Thanks for the help!!

Leah Bonnett
- Waterford, Michigan

Hello...I am finding your questions and answers very interesting, but most of the brass beds mentioned here are around 25 years old. Mine is over 100 years old, wide pipes, ball connections. My grandparents bought it second hand and slept in it together for 65 years. They've been gone since the early 70's. It will cost me $1000 to have it cleaned and lacquered, I sleep in that bed, so whatever I do I will have to do in a day or sleep on the couch. I work on it a bit at a time but by the time I get to the end I have to start over...Please give me your very best hint...I am ready to try the toilet bowl cleaner, but that sounds dangerous.

Thanks,

Laurel K Hart
- Belleair, Florida

Now that my kids are gone off to college, I pulled my antique (very tarnished) brass bed out of the attic & set about trying to clean it up. The local brass refinishing business wanted $1200 & 3 weeks to do it so I started with brasso-a long arduous, smelly process. I happened across this website where someone suggested CitriSurf 77 from Stellar Solutions for brass cleaning Though not advertised for brass cleaning as such), I thought what could I lose. I know this sounds like an infomercial -- but it worked awesome. I sprayed it on, used very fine steel wool & good polishing cloth-and in 3 days it was gorgeous. I've used it on all my brass around the house and its great, candle sticks, mail box, etc. Its clean, little or no odor, and works like a million bucks! I highly recommend it!

Debra Hall
- Santa Clara, California

Please help me.... I have a very old brass bed... I don't think it is plated.... I tried cleaning the brass with a vinegar and table salt paste..... It seemed to work okay but now I have areas of redness... I was told to use Muriatic Acid [link is to product info at Amazon]... I'm worried about ruining this bed.... I am also worried that if I sprayed the muriatic acid on to the brass bed then I may have stains left from acid running down the bed....There is so much fine detail on this bed... It has 3 large medallions with intricate details of angels....
Can anyone please advise me.... I'm lost

Clarence Bartlett
- Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Don't use muriatic acid! It's dangerous to use, the fumes will rust everything in the neighborhood, and it's no good for brass anyway. Vinegar and salt is safe for people but powerful and very aggressive on brass -- which is why it's now red (some of the zinc has been eaten out of the alloy at the surface). Use a mild polish like Brasso and it will come back to the warmer brass color soon if not immediately.

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

This is the best site... Thanks for all your help!...My brass bed is well over 100 years old... I believe that refinishing strips away any natural patina that adds character to brass over the years, however, my bed is so dark and aged.....I've now cleaned it the best I could.. Certain areas I couldn't get in to clean....(angel wings) and brasso has left a greenish residue in the nooks.... My questions
1) will lacquering an antique brass bed devalue it.
2) does lacquer come in a matte finish... I hate the gloss look
3) What's better waxing or using linseed oil to protect its finish?
4) I've heard that Linseed oil if rubbed into the brass will protect it from aging. Won't this get on my sheets?
5) How often should I apply Linseed oil to my bed?
5) Should I lacquer the bed immediately after cleaning or do I have a week or so before the bed noticeably tarnishes...
6) What's better waxing the bed or using linseed oil if I choose not to lacquer.....
8) I did use muriatic acid but diluted it 50/50....The brass
appears more yellow and not even.... Should I wait a week or so to give some natural patina to the brass or should I protect its surface immediately
9) With this in mind what would you suggest.... Lacquer the bed/wax the bed/or use linseed oil......

THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR HELP... THIS WAS THE BEST SITE ON THE INTERNET FOR FINISHING INFORMATION.

Clarence Bartlett
- Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

Does lacquering an antique brass bed after stripping its natural patina reduce its value?
How do I care for my brass bed after I remove its patina?
I heard to wipe bed down weekly with a rag moistened with olive oil or boiled linseed oil? Which method is better?
Why do I have to boil linseed oil?
Should I wait and let the brass bed return to its dull brass look and then lacquer? or should I lacquer immediately after cleaning? How long does lacquer last before needing to be redone?

Marley Anderson
- Victoria, BC, Canada

I have been working on refinishing an old brass bed all week. I have been using "Barkeepers Friend [link is to product info at Amazon]" and it seems to be working very well. I make a paste with the powder and then apply it with a sponge - you have to rinse by rubbing it with a clean cloth while spraying the water over it, or there is a film left, but once it is all dried it looks beautiful. I have found this to work perfectly for stainless steel sinks,and all my aluminum pots and copper pans, too - I received a sample of it with my new Calphalon pans and just love it.

Kathy Ellis
- Everett, Washington

A neighbor was throwing out an antique brass bed last week. I asked if I could have it. not knowing that it was a solid brass bed I started cleaning it with Brasso. it's doing a great job but it will take many weekends to finish.

What I started to do is wax the parts I have done with car wax as I finish sections. has anyone tried this? it seems to add quite a shine and I can't imagine wax harming the brass at all

thanks

Chuck Fenner
- Port St Lucie, Florida

Nice to see i am not the only one who loves old brass.I bought mine years ago,and was nearly completely green from tarnish,i fixed it ,tightened it and began the tedious chore of polishing with brasso.I discovered a product called Autosol Metal Polish [link is to product info at Eastwood] in a toothpaste like tube,this stuff rocks and when you are done polishing,you will be fascinated,it is found at auto stores,and hardware stores,i believe it's purpose is to polish mag wheels,this stuff rocks,trust me:)have a great evening ppl:)

Randy Horne
- Peace River, Alberta, Canada

I bought my "over a 100 yr. old" solid brass bed in 1969. The first cleaning was slow, probably because of an original lacquer and I should have used a solvent on it. But after that time I could polish it with Brasso in just a few hours and I only did it once every year or more. Even waiting 8 years, it has mellowed to a lovely patina. Not getting fingerprints on it helps to keep the patina even. I find I prefer it to the glaring gold and I find the new lacquered beds to look a bit phony. A friend said Ketchup cleans brass easily and safely. I may try it. I think people should not be perfectionists in the cleaning process. Let the patina grow as part of the charm of a true antique. It's all good.

Nance Leikhim
- Truckee, California

There is patina, and there is crud and there are no rules to say which is which. If you have a real antique piece, patina is desirable, but most of the time, you might decide to go for the clean stuff. I just tried the Lysol toilet cleaner, as suggested here, on an old copper nightstand. The piece had gone black, and it was too big a job for brasso. Plus, brasso might leave traces, even after rinsing. I did not use steel wool, just a sponge, and I rinsed immediately and very carefully and dried the piece with rags. It works wonders, the result is immediate, faster than vinegar, lemon juice or coca cola.Coke works well for regular cleaning, I knew a barman who used it daily on his heavy copper bar to take the glass marks out. I plan to cover my nightstand with a protective matte lacquer from Peacock laboratories (permalac, at www.peococklabs.com). The product is a bit expensive, but it is the best on the market and you do not get that unpleasant shine. We need to protect copper here in Savannah, as there is a lot of sulfur in the air.

Garance Lambert
- Savannah, Georgia

I have personally used sprayable phosphoric acid to cut through the coffee-colored tarnish on a 100+ year old solid brass bed. This worked great. Then I found a muriatic acid product that was a "synthetic" type without all of the dangers and I flooded the bed with it.

Yes, it did leave streaks which I was able to remove with either "000" steel wool or an "extra-fine" padded sanding block. This produced a "wonderful" brushed satin finish which I liked over the garishness of polished brass.

I was also able to achieve the same result with my Dremel and the #512 sanding puff (purple in color and about a 380 grit). You could rub each section as you finish it to prevent tarnishing.

I chose to wait until I saw a slight patina form then I hit it with the Linseed Oil [link is to product info at Rockler] to keep it in this state.

Melissa Fox
- Canton, Ohio

Does anyone out there know if I can use pure extra virgin olive oil to shine brass antiques?

Shinelle Valere
- Brooklyn, New York

March 13, 2009 I have a brass hand railing that was finished by the contractor, cleaned with some orange stuff and then sprayed with a can lacquer. The lacquer is coming off in places, so I need to remove the rest of the lacquer, clean and reseal. I have read some other strings and it looks like to strip with lacquer thinner : Any idea which type/brand? Clean Brass with Lysol toilet bowl cleaner and 0000 steel wool [link is to product info at Rockler] or is something better? Polish with brass polish and seal...again any particular type/brand? Tom Gathman building manager - Springfield, Illinois March , 2009 Hi, Tom. If you are talking about a lot of railing and consequently a lot of lacquer thinner and/or lacquer, the site's supporting advertiser G.J. Nikolas is a specialist who can supply you with all of the materials related to refinishing brass. I personally don't care for the idea of using toilet bowl cleaner on brass. Regards, Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey May 2, 2009 I am hoping someone might be able to help me determine whether it is possible or even feasible to clean a king-size, solid brass bed that went through a fire. Although I think it is the lacquer that burned, I don't know whether that is removable, how much work is involved, or whether the burned areas are simply not salvageable. Right now it is supporting boxes over the rafters in our garage; if it is not salvageable, i suppose i could use it to support a wisteria vine. (flower bed - heh heh). Catherine Clark - New Orleans, Louisiana, USA August 6, 2009 I have a 1920s brass bed that I have owned since 1968. I have polished it many times but I was told today, by a local small town dealer, that I shouldn't polish it because it reduces the antique value. Is that true? I have noticed in the past that when it has gone unpolished for a long time that the "patina", or whatever it's called, looked like it was eating into the brass itself. It seems that left unpolished indefinitely the bed would be ruined. What is the recommended way to care for an antique brass bed? Bruce Campbell none - St Augustine, FL