Homemade Brass Cleaner

Brass is a metallic alloy made up of copper and zinc. When it comes in contact with air, it oxidizes very easily and as a result it gets tarnished. So as to prevent the oxidation, a thin lacquer coating is added to the surface of the brass. If improper cleaning techniques are used, the coating on the brass is lost. Therefore, cleaning of brass involves getting rid of the tarnish and at the same time, a coating of polish should be given to minimize oxidization of brass in the future. The biggest challenge one faces with brass items is that it loses its shine and sparkle over a period of time. So, it is very important to maintain the brass articles by cleaning them with proper homemade brass cleaners.

Homemade Brass Cleaner #1
Boiled linseed oil is an effective brass cleaner. You can safely use this cleaner on antique brass items. Firstly, remove all the dirt and grease from brass surface with warm soapy water. Rinse thoroughly with water and allow it to dry up. Then, pour some boiled linseed oil on a soft piece of cloth and rub it over to get rid of all tarnish. The excess oil can be wiped off and buff the surface with another clean piece of cloth. Cleaning brass with linseed oil is not only helpful in tarnish removal, but also helpful in the removal of the mellow colored formation on the brass.

Homemade Brass Cleaner #2
The ingredients require for the preparation of this homemade brass cleaner are: half cup each, of detergent, flour, white vinegar and table salt and a cup of lukewarm water. Take a big, clean plastic container and pour all the ingredients into it and mix them up well to obtain an effective brass cleaner. Dip a soft cloth or sponge into it and rub it over the brass surface vigorously. Once it is clean, wash it thoroughly with warm soapy water and then rinse with clean water. Now, buff it well with another piece of soft cloth to get a clean shiny surface.

Homemade Brass Cleaner #3
Another brass cleaner can be prepared at home using lemon and salt. You do not need any cleaning pad for this method. Cut a fresh lemon into two halves and de-seed it. Sprinkle some table salt over the pulp of the half lemon and rub it on the surface of the brass. Within no time, you can see the brass material getting back its brand new look and natural shine as well. This method is particularly good if the brass surface is a highly corroded one.

Some Other Homemade Brass Cleaners
Take a bucket of water and add vinegar into it in proportion one-tenth vinegar to that of water. Dip all the brass items into the mixture for about half an hour. Then, take them out and wash off with water and you will get a clean shiny brass item. Rubbing isopropyl alcohol on the brass with the help of a scrubbing sponge is an easy way to get rid of mild soils from the brass. Wiping all your brass items with a small amount of ammonia once a week, will keep the shine of the brass intact.

Hot water should never be applied on lacquered brass items as it can cause damage to the lacquer. This is because, the layer often comes out of the surface of the brass. Apply a layer of olive oil on brass after the cleaning process. This will keep the surface bright and slows down the process of tarnishing in the future. Thus, the use of homemade brass cleaners helps you to keep maintain the exquisite look of the brass articles and also helps avoid any abrasion and damage.