Tarnish has a way of making even high-quality brass items look a bit dull. Luckily, it's fairly easy to restore the shine to your candlesticks, lamps, vintage serving trays, cabinet pulls, and more. We asked experts to share how to clean brass items.
Pros at the Home Care & Cleaning Lab say that lacquered and non-lacquered items require different approaches. If your brass item is lacquered, simply wipe it with a soft, damp cloth. If it's non-lacquered, try using a brass polish. If you're in a pinch, one of the pantry items below can also help.
No matter what cleaning agent you use, be sure to do a test spot to ensure you don't ruin the finish. You'll also want to ensure you wipe any dust and grime off the item before polishing it. If you're cleaning something with a lot of raised details or engravings, you can use a soft-bristled toothbrush to get inside all the different nooks and crannies.
Below, experts share how to clean brass with household ingredients you already have on hand. If you're looking for more tips on cleaning household metals, read up on the best way to clean tarnished silver and how to clean stainless steel appliances.
1. Ketchup
Squirt a dollop of ketchup on a rag and rub over the surface. Wipe off the residue with a damp cloth and buff dry.
2. Vinegar
Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1/2 cup vinegar and add enough flour to make a paste. Rub onto the brass and leave for 10 minutes, then rinse and buff dry.
3. Lemon
Squeeze half of a lemon onto a sponge and sprinkle salt on top. Rub over the sponge over the surface and then rinse it off. The results are pretty amazing:
Lauren is a senior editor at Hearst. She was previously the senior editor at WomansDay.com and the home editor at GoodHousekeeping.com and HouseBeautiful.com. Her book club, ramen, and jean jackets are a few of her favorite things.
