Letter 9922

How Do I Clean Brass (gateleg table insert)? 

+ How would I clean and protect a badly tarnished outside brass ornament? Lucy A [name deleted for privacy] - Corona, CA + Make a paste of equal parts of salt, flour, vinegar. Rub on, leave for a hour, clean with soft cloth, buff. Jim S - Kingston, Ontario, Canada ++ I have just used the brass cleaning solution on a large oval heavily detailed brass table insert to a Burmese gateleg table. It works a treat. I have never seen the brass so clean since my mother owned the table 40 years ago. Thank you!!! Gordon L [name deleted for privacy] - Oshawa, Ontario, Canada ++++ Thank-you for the information on cleaning brass, it works great. It's something everyone has around the house. Melinda F [name deleted for privacy] house wife - ST.Catharines, Canada

I've a brass ship's "stern" lantern made in Peterhead, Scotland, that is badly tarnished and needs cleaning. Brasso [link is to product info at Amazon] isn't strong enough. Would you give me your advice as to how I can clean the lamp and bring it back to it's original luster.

Dr. Steve A
cleaning a brass lamp - Ashburnham, MA, USA

Dr. Steve,

I don't know if you found an answer to brass cleaning but I would like to tell you about a product that I found that you don't need a lot of muscle to get it to work.

Brass Guard-brass polishing paste ( comes in a small tube in a white box). The cream is pink but works better then other brass cleaners that I could find. I know because I clean brass in my church. The company on the box is
Monarch International, Inc.
4471 E. Santa Anna #A
Ontario, CA 91761

God Bless You....Hope this works for you.

Mrs. Maynard
- Monroe, MI, USA

Thank you for the tip, it really works, cuts out all the hard work, thanks again.

Janet C
- Folkestone, Kent, England

Thanks for the info on flour vinegar and salt It has worked a treat on my very tarnished brass clocks and bell. I have tried them all and this simple treatment is the best.

Thanks again

Ken U
- Gold Coast, Australia

I tried the vinegar, flour and water it worked beautifully. I had a door knocker that was black and nothing I tried worked. Then I thought "google". The internet is a wonderful tool and thanks to the lovely person who put the tip here.

Jennifer C
- Augusta, West Australia, Australia

I just used the salt/vinegar/flour concoction on a large brass bucket that has sat outside for several years and it worked like magic. This bucket was so tarnished, I wasn't sure it was actually brass until I applied the paste and the effect was instantaneous. I followed up with a good cream polish (Maas Metal Polish [link is to product info at Amazon]) and the bucket is now truly as good as new. Thank you!

Helen S
- Woody Creek, CO, USA

Wow, that is amazing, I have just cleaned all my brasses and I am not filthy, It is the best I have Ever seen them.

Thank you, I will never use brass polish again, Pat, UK.

Patricia Sharp
- Sunderland, England.

I like the idea of the vinegar, flour and water but I am not sure which vinegar to use apple cider or distilled?
sss in OKC a homeowner

Shirley Swaim
homeowner - Warr Acres, Oklahoma

I'm confident that it makes no difference and you can use whichever you have at hand, Shirley. But the amateur scientist in me says don't introduce extraneous variables into a reaction, so if you already have both on hand or if you are going to buy specifically for the purpose, go with the distilled because it is purer. Good luck.

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