Brass Cleaning Hints

If your brass is simply dirty, then cleaning using nothing more than soapy hot water and a child’s toothbrush is recommended, this can be used very gently even on those pieces that have fine etchings and decoration. If the piece is only lightly tarnished, then a silver polishing cloth can be used to remove the tarnish. If however there is severe tarnishing then a brass and copper polish should be used to gently remove the tarnish and restore the original beauty.

Whenever you are cleaning brassware it is essential that you dry the piece thoroughly after washing, making sure that great care is taken to remove any cleaning materials that you have used. Residue from cleaning materials can cause pitting of the brass and this should be avoided at all costs as it distracts from the beauty of the antique.

When done correctly a piece of cleaned brass won’t need touching again for several years if it is handled correctly, you should avoid touching the actual item and instead use a cloth to hold and the place the item into place, touching it will only start the tarnishing process over again. The only thing you should need to do on a regular basis is to give the piece a quick dust over to ensure that its shine remains.