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Cleaning brass railings with muriatic acid

2007

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 [affil links] (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!

Maria Yanga
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 [in bulk on eBay or Amazon] 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 [Ed. update 2023: no longer available] 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 [on eBay or Amazon] should mellow it pretty quickly. Getting it shiny, however, might require power buffing. Good luck with it!

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007

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 Powers
instrument repair - Salem, South Carolina
January 24, 2010

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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,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
January 24, 2010

I'm considering using Nu Finish [affil links] 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
August 2, 2011