How to Refinish Aluminum on an Eames Chair
The chairs designed by Charles and Ray Eames are treasured by world-class museums and private collectors alike. If you are lucky enough to own a vintage Eames, you can clean and refinish (polish) the aluminum on it yourself by following a few simple steps. It is important to work carefully to produce even coverage and shine without leaving any scratch marks. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Vinegar
- Fresh lemon or lemon juice
- Brillo pad
- Soft cloth or cheesecloth
- Dishwashing detergent
Instructions
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Mix some mild dishwashing detergent into a quart of hot water. Gently scrub the aluminum with a soft cloth dipped in the soapy water. You can also use a Brillo pad dipped in warm water. Rub the chair's aluminum parts in a back and forth motion, not in circles. This should remove the old clear-coated finish and any dirt, leaving you with plain, unfinished aluminum.
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Boil a quart of water and add in 2 tbsp. of vinegar. Dip a soft cloth into the water and clean the aluminum with the vinegar water. You may wish to use a half a lemon dipped in salt instead. Gently rub the aluminum with this salty lemon half (or with a soft cloth dipped in lemon juice and sprinkled with salt).
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Apply an aluminum refinishing product that is recommended by professionals for restoring aluminum finishes. Pour some of the refinisher onto a soft cloth and polish the aluminum with it evenly. Follow all use and safety directions!
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Let the aluminum dry thoroughly. Once the aluminum is completely dry (this may take several hours), add a second coat of polish. Let dry, and you’re done!
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Tips & Warnings
For the best recommendation on which aluminum refinishing product to use, ask professional furniture restorers or a luxury-car auto shop -- they will know what works best. (See References 6 and Resource 1)
Never use steel wool to clean aluminum parts on furniture! This can result in serious scratches to the surface.
Test these methods on a small part of the aluminum surface before applying them to the whole of the chair's aluminum parts, to make sure the aluminum restores properly.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
