Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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How Do I Clean Brass?
Q. How would I clean and protect a badly tarnished outside brass ornament?
Lucy A [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Corona, California
2001
A. Make a paste of equal parts of salt, flour, vinegar ⇦in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . Rub on, leave for a hour, clean with soft cloth, buff.
Jim S [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Kingston, Ontario, Canada
2001
Gateleg brass table
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!
2002
Thank you for the information on cleaning brass, it works great. It's something everyone has around the house.
house wife - St. Catharines, Canada
2004
Brass clocks and bell
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 [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Gold Coast, Australia
2005
Door knocker
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.
- Augusta, West Australia, Australia
2006
Brass bucket
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
⇦this on
eBay or
Amazon [affil links]
) and the bucket is now truly as good as new. Thank you!
2006
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.
2007
Q. 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
homeowner - Warr Acres, Oklahoma
2007
A. Hi, Shirley. I'm confident that it makes no difference and you can use whichever you have at hand. 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.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007
Thank you for the tip, it really works, cuts out all the hard work, thanks again.
- Folkestone, Kent, England
2004
Brass jam pan
I'm not easily impressed but this paste is amazing. I had tried to clean an old brass jam pan using everything that I could think of. My success was conspicuous by its absence! One application of the paste and after a couple of hours the pan cleaned up with very little effort.
Thank you.
- York, Yorkshire, UK
April 7, 2008
Jim, You are my HERO! Can't believe that this concoction works so well! Who would have thought .... salt flour vinegar! EEESH!
- Durban, South Africa
January 20, 2009
Q. IF I USE 2 CUPS FLOUR, 2 CUPS OF SALT HOW MUCH vinegar? I HAVE 2 VERY LARGE BRASS LIGHT FIXTURES ON MY PORCH I NEED TO CLEAN. THANKS
JANE GRAHAM- OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA
August 15, 2008
A. Hi Jane. Jim S. suggested equal parts, so I'd say 2 cups of vinegar. Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
January 2014
Q. I'm going to try the flour, salt & vinegar on badly tarnished door knockers. One of them has been lacquered so I'm hopeful that it will come off.
Wilson Cowden- Northern Ireland
October 14, 2010
A. Hi, Wilson.
It's better to remove the lacquer first with lacquer thinner ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] Warning! highly flammable! . Trying to wearing it away, with flour as your abrasive, sounds time consuming :-)
Luck and Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
March 2011
Q. I have 2 brass lamps that have fingerprints on them. What is the best method to remove them? Brasso didn't work and I wasn't sure where to go from there.
COLLEEN O'BRIENCONSUMER - WHEATON, Illinois, USA
2007
A. Brass tarnishes very quickly, Colleen. If your brass does not do so it is because the brass has been lacquered. In that case the fingerprinting is probably in or underneath the lacquer. To remove it you must strip the lacquer with lacquer thinner ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] Warning! highly flammable! and apply new brass lacquer ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] .
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007
Just tried the flour/salt/vinegar trick. Didn't work.
- Renton, Washington, USA
March 22, 2011
March 22, 2011
A. Hi, Dave. The flour/salt/vinegar has obviously proven a great success for so many others that the question must be what was different in your situation? Please give us some details of the things that you are trying to clean. Might they not be solid brass? More likely, might there be a lacquer coating or clearcoat on them? If so you must remove it first. Thanks.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Multiple threads merged: please forgive chronology errors :-)
Q. Hello All,
I have a polished brass table that is now tarnished. Thanks to my toddler who has put his hands all over it. I would love to hear from anyone who knows if there is any product to re-polish brass or any company that can re-polish my tables?
Rose Louder- Fayetteville, North Carolina
2001
A. Polishing brass is a never ending jog. However, I use a gun shell casing cleaner called Quick Brite, which dissolves the tarnish immediately. Naturally it needs to be washed off immediately, then protect the bright brass finish with a polish or spray.
Dan ValleyRetired - Ruskin, Florida USA
2002
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Ed. note May 2019: We can't seem to find Quick Brite anymore, but that's okay because we appreciate Dan's generic suggestion of "gun shell casing cleaner", but we don't post recommendations of specific brands/sources in this public forum anymore (why?)
Brass ship's stern lantern
Q. I've a brass ship's "stern" lantern made in Peterhead, Scotland, that is badly tarnished and needs cleaning. Brasso ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] 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 [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]2004
2004
A. 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, Michigan
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