How to Clean Vintage Kitchen Cabinet Hardware

Restore your vintage hardware to shine as brightly as new.

For such small items, kitchen cabinet hardware carries a strong voice that can alter or greatly enhance your decorating scheme. Antique or vintage cabinet hardware provides desirable accents for many older kitchens and even newer ones. If your hardware is already fastened to the cabinets, carefully remove every screw, hinge, knob and handle, and put them into one container to prevent loss. This is also a good time to clean the cabinets, especially around dirt-prone areas where the hardware was removed.

Things You'll Need

• Small bowl
• Bucket
• Dishwashing liquid
• Wooden spoon
• Dish towels
• Old bath towels
• Soft toothbrush
• Plastic card
• Large, fine wire mesh kitchen strainer
• Hair dryer
• Jeweler’s polishing cloth
• Lint-free cloth
• Glass cleaner
• Oil soap
• Rags
• Linseed oil
• Turpentine
• Metal bowl
• Plastic sheeting
• Newspaper
• Chemical-resistant household cleaning gloves
• Fingernail brush
• Ultra-fine-grit sandpaper

Instructions

Brass, Chrome, Glass or Porcelain

1. Fill a bowl or small bucket with warm water. Add 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid. Agitate the mixture with a wooden spoon.

2. Soak the hardware, including the screws, in the bucket for approximately 30 minutes.

3. Seal off the kitchen sink with the stopper or drain basket. Spread a dish towel across the bottom of the sink for extra protection against losing small pieces down the drain. Place a thick towel such as an old bath towel on the counter beside the sink.

4. Remove the hardware from the bucket and place the pieces on the towel in the sink.

5. Scrub each piece with a soft toothbrush. Pay close attention to screw threads and seams where grease and grime can collect.

6. Scrape off paint specks with a dull plastic edge such as an old credit card.

7. Place each piece in a large, fine wire mesh kitchen strainer and rinse under cool water. Don't use a colander, as the openings are too large.

8. Remove the pieces from the strainer and set them on the towel beside the sink.

9. Wipe each piece dry with a soft cloth. If any water remains in hard-to-reach areas such as hinges, set the piece on a towel and direct warm air from a hair dryer to the area. Don't use the high heat setting, which can crack glass or porcelain.

10. Buff brass or chrome pieces with a jeweler’s polishing cloth. Polish glass or porcelain pieces using a lint-free cloth dampened with glass cleaner.

Varnished or Painted Wood

1. Fill a bucket with warm water. Dilute oil soap in the water according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.

2. Dip a rag into the cleaning solution and wring it out.

3. Wipe the wooden pieces with the rag, using a circular motion to remove old dirt. Rinse the rag in the bucket and wring out as needed. Avoid getting water inside screw holes on handles and knobs, as these areas are usually not sealed.

4. Scrub off stubborn buildup with a soft toothbrush and a light touch to prevent scratches.

5. Rinse the rag under cool water, wring it out and wipe the pieces to remove cleaner residue.

6. Dry the pieces with a soft towel.

Cast or Wrought Iron

1. Pour equal parts of linseed oil and turpentine into a metal bowl.

2. Spread out plastic sheeting over your work area and add several layers of newspaper. Set the iron hardware and the bowl on the newspaper.

3. Put on chemical-resistant, household cleaning gloves.

4. Dip a fingernail brush into the oil and turpentine mixture. Scour the iron pieces with the brush, concentrating on rust, grime and old paint specks.

5. Dip each piece into the bowl to rinse off loosened residue.

6. Repeat the process if any rust remains. Don't subject the iron to water or detergents at any time. If the brush can't remove excessive rust, dip ultra-fine-grit sandpaper into the oil mixture, lightly buff the piece until the rust is loosened and rinse the piece in the bowl.

7. Buff each piece dry with a soft, absorbent towel or rag. Aside from wiping the pieces with a towel, don't wash off or remove the oil and turpentine mixture because oil protects the metal.

Tips & Warnings

• Reach inside tiny openings with a fine-bristle paintbrush or toothpick.

• Remove rust from metal parts on glass or porcelain hardware, using a soft scouring cleanser that won't scratch glass.

• Soaking wood pieces can cause permanent warping. Exposing iron to water will cause rust.

References

• Your Cabinet Hardware: Cleaning and Shining Kitchen Cabinet Hardware
• Pressing Iron and Trivet Collectors of America: Iron Cleaning and Restoration