How to Care for Polished Brass

Properly maintaining polished brass extends its lifespan.

Distinguished by their bright, gold-like characteristics, polished brass hardware, fixtures and decorative accessories add a luxurious touch to homes. Polished brass consists of solid brass coated with clear lacquer, which protects the brass from scratches and tarnish-related discoloration. Like all metals, polished brass requires cleaning to remove dust and abrasive surface grime. Cleaning polished brass regularly also maintains its gleaming finish and protects its lacquer coating against dirt penetration. Fortunately, polished brass only requires basic care.

Things You'll Need

• Magnet
• 2 terry cloths
• Cotton swab

Instructions

1. Make sure the item is solid brass and not brass-plated steel. Hold a magnet against the piece. If the magnet doesn't stick, the piece is indeed solid brass. Otherwise, the item is brass-plated steel.

2. Dampen a terry cloth with water. Squeeze the terry cloth to remove excess water.

3. Wipe the polished brass piece with the damp terry cloth, cleaning off all grime and dust. Use a cotton swab to remove grime from crevices in the brass.

4. Buff the damp brass using a fresh, dry terry cloth. Absorb all moisture from the polished brass item.

5. Store the clean brass item in a dry environment to prevent the lacquer coating from becoming damaged.

Tips & Warnings

• Substitute a microfiber or cotton cloth for the terry cloth.

• Never use abrasive cleaning materials on polished brass, as it will become scratched.

• Never use household cleaners, brass cleaners or polishing creams on polished brass, as it will become damaged.

References

• American Metal Fabricators: Brass Fabrication
• "Good Housekeeping"; Metal Protector; Heloise