Letter 1730

Cleaning tarnish from brass fire extinguishers

I live on a saltwater bay & have stainless steel railings on a balcony which have needed continuous cleaning due to the salt air, and I have been looking for a suitable sealer which will resist the elements. I have found a product called "Nycote" details available at their web address. I have no affiliation with this Company but it seems the ideal solutions for sealing all metals after finishing. as opposed to lacquer which breaks down quickly and needs to be completely stripped back, this product can be rubbed back and coated in the area of damage only.

I have found the best solution to clean brass and copper items is to soak them in a mixture of Citric Acid [link is to product info at Amazon] and water overnight, and then clean with soapy fine steel wool. The items then only need a final polish and sealing. Citric acid is quite cheap and is used in soft drink manufacture.

Peter Connors
- Australia

Just for the sake of others. I would say that HP sauce would be House of Parliament Steak Sauce. I have cleaned the bottom of a large brass lamp with Wright's Copper Cream [link is to product info at Amazon] and found that it does the work for the most part.

Taryn Miller
- Everett, Washington

Someone mentioned trying toilet bowl cleaner to clean pitted brass. I just tried using some Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner [link is to product info at Amazon] which contains hydrochloric acid. I used with gloves on and elbow grease and it did a great job on my black and rust-colored spots on the brass. YEA! I'll follow with commercial brass cleaner and protectant spray.

BE Myers
- Glastonbury, Connecticut

I bought a copper plate today at a yard sale for $1.00, It was black, but I new it would look great if I could get it clean. So I asked Jeeves and found this list of responses, all I can say is WOW, I used Salt and vinegar and with very little effort it worked like a charm.

Thanks everyone for you help.

Cecilia Miles
- Palm Bay, Florida

I have an antique brass bed headboard which had become quite tarnished. I tried Never Dull & Brasso and was the better part of three days doing just one end post. I then tried plain white vinegar and 000 Steel Wool [link is to product info at Rockler]. In less than 2 hours I had the entire headboard shining.

David E. OLSEN
- STEWARTSVILLE, New Jersey

In response to Chief's post: I have used the "bug juice", it does work awesome! All of our deck drains are brass (and very big!)and after about a half an hour, no matter how bad they were, they come out clean as new. You just have to polish them if you want a shine. The only problem is that I don't think that the cool-aid packets are as strong as the bug juice. You may have to use something more suited for restaurant use. One packet of our bug juice make about 5 gallons of drink, where as the cool-aid, only 2 quarts. Hope this helps

ET2(SW)Joshua P. Billman
brass polisher - San Diego, California

I am trying to strip/restore hardware from cabinets in our 112 year-old home. They appear to be brass, as some parts will shine to a brassish color, but other parts only get like a dull pewter. I used a product called "Goof Off [link is to product info at Amazon]" to remove the paint, and "Maas Metal Polish [link is to product info at Amazon]" to try to get the shine, but I really need something that will do a better job. There is a black layer of junk (probably years of dirt and hand oils) that is very stubborn to remove, as they are somewhat ornate. Any suggestions? Thank you!

Susan Layton
home-owner - Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania

Regarding the citric acid product for cleaning brass prior to applying a lacquer finish, is there a particular brand that you could recommend that is readily available. I have a matched set of lamp bases that I am refinishing or possibly sending them out for refinishing. Thanks for any help you can offer.

Ken VanDe Walker
stained glass - Olean, New York

Ed. note: Stellar Solutions is a supporting advertiser of finishing.com and are specialists in citric acid cleaning products.

You guys are amazing! I just removed a 30+ yo door knocker from my house. It was dingy, pitted, and looked terrible. I followed the advice from two or three postings on this site and did the following. It looks practically new, with no immediate sign of pitting. (If you look really close, there is the lightest discoloration. If I worked harder, it would likely go away, too.)

1. In a plastic bucket, I soaked the knocker in soapy water for 20+ minutes and then scrubbed it with a non-abrasive scrubber. Wow! much better already!

2. Made a solution of 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water (appx 5 oz/part), appx 1/2 t salt, and 4 or 5 drops of liquid dish soap. Swished it up, and soaked the knocker about a half hour. Scrubbed it down again with the non-abrasive pad. It was a pretty rosy brass color, shiny, but still indication of pitting. Rinsed it. Washed it again with soapy water, and dried with a dishcloth.

3. Used Flitz [link is to product info at Amazon] and a soft cloth for about 5 minutes to give a final polish. The cloth came out black the minute I started rubbing. And the pitting (or maybe it's the oxidation in the pits) just rubbed away. The rose color left, and it looks like shiny yellow brass. I rinsed with warm soapy water and dried it again.

4. I think I'll finish up with a layer of wax so I don't have to repeat this process tomorrow!

Mary Allsopp
- Glen Ellyn, Illinois

I pastor a church that is several years old. When we first got started our funds were very limited and many of the chancel furnishings and accouterments were either donated or were used and bought for very little. Most of them hadn't been properly cared for and several items were 150-200 years old and very neglected. I did much of the work myself.

For the smaller items (vessels, processional cross tops, etc.) cleaning in soapy water, then soaking for 20-40 minutes in 1:2 white vinegar and water solution with a bit of salt did wonders. A little steel wool helped on the difficult spots followed by Brasso and some wax has kept everything in excellent shape.

Fr. William Klock
- Portland, Oregon

Try this: To see if your item is solid brass and not just plated, use a refrigerator magnet. A magnet will not stick to brass. If a magnet DOES stick to your item, you probably have steel or zinc covered with brass plating. Don't use heavy duty polishing agents on brass plating, because the layer of brass is so thin that you'll just polish it away. If the magnet doesn't stick, you can do another test in an inconspicuous place: scratch the item with something sharp. If it's brass, you'll see bright yellow under your scratch. If you see white or silver, you probably have zinc or another metal plated with brass.

Have been trying to polish an old trombone; after trial & error & research here's what I've learned: A lot of brass has a lacquer finish on it. Brasso or other tarnish-removers won't clean through the lacquer. You first have to strip off the lacquer. This can be done with paint stripper or--easier--hot water. I used a Scotch pad from Home Depot's paint dept. which was made for paint stripping-- it said it was equivalent to medium-fine steel wool. I would have used a finer steel wool if I had it, for less scratching. Once the lacquer is off, Brasso [link is to product info at Amazon] works wonders. I've also heard that vinegar & salt works (use lots of salt, so much that it stops dissolving in the vinegar). If the lacquer is still on, you can polish all day and won't get anywhere. I'm no expert but this is what worked for me.

E Madigan
- Michigan

Thanks to all of you for giving me some really great ideas! I'd tried in vain this morning, to remove the dull tarnish from a small brass teapot I've just received as an heirloom. When I was a young girl I used to polish this same teapot to a bright brass finish, but I guess nobody else did that job after me. 40+ years of tarnish would not be removed by using Brasso or Nevr-dull wadding polish, so I turned to the Internet and found your suggestions.

I heated up 2 cups of apple cider vinegar in a bowl in the microwave, then added 8 big tablespoons of salt to it, and a few squirts of lemon juice for good measure. This worked like a charm! The teapot turned pink quickly as I sponged it all over with the warm solution. Then I used Brasso to remove the pink, and as a last effort, used Nevr-dull which is less messy, and now the teapot just gleams! Thank you my friends, for making my day as bright as this teapot!

Carol Hook
- Annandale, Virginia

I am toying with the idea of trying to clean heavily encrusted ancient Roman bronze coins with my pool Hydrochloric (muriatic) acid. Can someone please tell me what will happen if I combine these two together? Will it clean the 2000 years of encrusted dirt off?

Thanking you all in advance.

John Denver
Hobbyist - Sydney, NSW, Australia

Hi, John. Not a good idea. Too harsh. Even the vinegar and salt is too harsh for precious items, but a lot less problematic than the acid.

Regards,

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

I need to polish brass and have heard about something called bug juice. What is bug juice?
What is in it and how do I make it?

Betty Dawson
cleaning - Lismore, NSW, Australia

This is regarding all brass issues: I have a brass bed that was made in England and shipped to the USA. The company where it was purchased told me BRASSO will strip the brass and ruin it. They told me to use Wright's Brass Polish [link is to product info at Amazon] first then once all of that is off the bed apply Turtlewax Car Polish [link is to product info at Amazon]. Let it dry then rub it off. It adds a layer of protection to the brass.

Sandra Garrett
- Gallatin, Tennessee

My hand strength isn't good enough for extensive hand polishing so I used my Black and Decker Scumbuster [link is to product info at Amazon] instead. It is less abrasive than using fine steel wool but I wouldn't use it on brass plating, just solid brass for a 1x polish to get years of tarnish off. I don't think I'd use a motorized tool like this regularly on an antique metal but for a 1x only job, I am doing well and it looks nice! (And I'd never get it polished otherwise!)

I'm using the hand polisher with a brass cleaner and wiping periodically. Right now the bed is together but I'm going to take it apart to make this easier. I'm so excited, the bed is a 1920's king with HUGE double balls at the head and foot board and the headboard is an enormous decorative piece. It's a great bed.

R, Ciocca
- Phila., Pennsylvania

A remarkable cleaning product that you can use to remove heavy tarnish is called Flitz. They make several polishes and cleaners and this stuff is amazing. You can purchase the products direct from their website, or from Amazon, (Flitz [link is to product info at Amazon]), or ebay (Flitz on Ebay).

This is the best stuff I have ever used.

Michele Gronke
- Twin Lakes, Wisconsin

HELP! FIREPLACE INSERT BRASS BLUES . We have a fireplace insert that burns wood, and the door has brass all around the edge (of a window)...my question is this: how do i effectively clean and brighten the brass? I have tried Brasso, but not to my satisfaction. It seemed to take off some of the dirt and dullness, but there appears to be layers. My insert has only been used for ONE burning season! Any suggestions? Thank you!

Carrie Lynn Coyle
consumer - Mishawaka, Indiana

I am a Louisiana State Trooper, and all of our uniform brass comes with a heavy Lacquer on it. To remove it, all u need to do is put a heavy coat of brasso on it, light it on fire, and let it burn out. Then u will just wipe the lacquer off. U r still gonna need to use a little elbow grease, but it works. (wouldn't recommend this on large items). To polish the brass, we all agree that a Dremel [link is to product info at Amazon] tool with a felt attachment works best. I use a paste called Maas Metal Polish [link is to product info at Amazon]. It seems to be not as gritty as Flitz, which will scratch the surface of the brass. HOPE THIS HELPS YALL.

*I NEED A GOOD TIP ON HOW TO KEEP MY BRASS SHINY FOR MORE THAN A DAY. (TOO MUCH HUMIDITY!!!!!)

TPR. Keith Bergeron
- New Orleans, Louisiana

Hi, officer Bergeron. Thanks for the burn-off tip. You can try a light Brass Lacquer designed to let brass shine for a reasonable period.

Regards,

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

Have some Brass knobs on my first antique piece of furniture, which are coated in a gold paint.

I am spending tomorrow following the advice posted, thank you for all the tips!

I'll test its solid brass and then try vinegar&water as I remember tedious time spent as a child polishing brass as a kid with Brasso!

Do I use hot soapy water first?

What should I use to remove the paint? Is turpentine too strong?

PLEASE HELP - I can't use any harsh smelling toxins as I have a young baby in the house!!

Laura Drury
- Bradford, West Yorkshire, ENGLAND

Hi, Laura. Turpentine is not too strong, and it should not hurt brass. But turpentine is a bit harsh smelling, and 'toxin' is a very vague term.

Regards,

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

July 7, 2009

I have a pair of solid brass antique dragon candle holders that have partially been painted with gold spray paint. How can I remove the paint without damaging the brass?

Thank you,

MAGGIE MACPHESON
hobbyist - Enterprise, Alabama

Hi, Maggie. Solvent type paint removers (as opposed to caustic paint strippers) should have no effect on brass. aircraft stripper [link is to product info at Amazon] is based on methylene chloride and is noxious stuff, requiring goggles [link is to product info at Amazon] and protective gloves [link is to product info at Amazon] and excellent ventilation, but it easily removes almost all paints with no effect on the metal. Good luck

Regards,

Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

October 30, 2009 hi , i found this thread through google. i have two sets of solid brass victorian bath taps that are badly encrusted with lime scale. on one set of taps a tried a lime scale remover i bought from a supermarket. the brass ended up pink and i cannot shift it. i dont want this to happen to the other set of taps. can anyone please recommend a way to remove built up limescale from antique brass without turning it pink? the tarnish i can polish off but the lime scale is rock solid. any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks Rob. rob gilmore - london, U.K. October 2009 Hi, Rob. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. The zinc is highly soluble in the same mild acids that dissolve calcium scale, leaving the metal copper-rich or orange in color. One answer, which may or may not suit your situation, is to send the parts to a plating shop, which will have the more powerful oxidizing acids, like nitric acid, which can also dissolve copper, keeping the tone better. They also will be able to do brass plating if you wish. Have you tried buffing your "pink" parts back to brass color? Usually the discoloration is only skin deep and a power buffer and mildly abrasive polishing compound can bring back the brass color. Regards, Ted Mooney finishing.com Brick, New Jersey November 3, 2009 thank you Ted , i have ordered a polishing kit and will give it a whirl. its a drill attachment kit and includes three polishing/buffing wheels and three blocks of cutting/polishing paste. i will indeed report back and perhaps try and load up some pics of my progress. thanks again, Rob. rob gilmore - london, U.K. 1     2