How to Treat Polished Brass

Polishing brass differs depending on how it was finished.

The process for treating polished brass depends on the type of finish applied to the surface of the brass. Many brass items, such as musical instruments, have a lacquer polish applied to the surface to keep the brass from tarnishing. Items of an industrial nature, on the other hand, are simply polished to a high gloss. Nonlacquered brass takes more effort to maintain than lacquered brass.

Things You'll Need

• Microfiber or cotton rags
• Ketchup

Instructions

Lacquered Brass

1. Wet a microfiber or cotton rag with water and then ring out the excess water.

2. Wipe the surface of the brass clean with the damp rag. Use pressure from your hand to clean off spots that have caked-on dirt. If necessary, wet the area and let it soak for a few minutes to soften the dirt.

3. Wipe the surface dry with a dry microfiber or cotton rag.

Nonlacquered brass

1. Apply a small amount of ketchup onto a microfiber or cotton rag.

2. Polish the surface of the brass in a circular motion. Overlap the circles to ensure you coat the entire brass surface with the ketchup. The acid and abrasiveness of the ketchup will remove the tarnish from the surface of the metal.

3. Wipe the surface of the brass clean with the damp rag.

4. Wipe the surface dry with a dry microfiber or cotton rag.

References

• Good Housekeeping: Metal Protector
• House Cleaning Central: How To Clean Brass