The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
-----

Removing burnt black soot on brass candle chain

I clean many areas of the church and I'm looking for a way to get soot off a small brass chain that holds up a candle called the eternal light. It is burnt black for years of candle burning....I've tried every brass cleaner I could find out there. Remember this is black hard soot not tarnish. Thanks to anyone who may know and God's Blessings to ya.

Mrs. Maynard
church cleaner - monroe, Michigan
2004

---

First of two simultaneous responses --

See questions #4387 and #25530 on this forum.

Tom Gallant
- Long Beach, California, USA
2004

---

Second of two simultaneous responses --

You can use ammonium citrate solution (50 gms citric acid ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] dissolve in 1 lit water, then add some ammonia (25%) ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , pH must be 9!). Cold immersion(up to 8 hours). Hot solution work faster(80 °C). Rinse well!

Goran Budija
- Zagreb , Croatia
2004

---