How to make your own Brass and Copper polish

Why buy commercially prepared polishes, when you can prepare an equally effective one on your own for a fraction of the cost?

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Tarnished brass or copper object
• Salt
• White Vinegar
• Flour
• Buffing rags

1. Tarnish on brass and copper is caused by oxidation. The metal atoms on the surface of the object get chemically attached to oxygen from the air, and the result is that greenish patina that you want to get rid of. On the small scale, these atoms are being ionized -- losing their electrically neutral status -- as the oxygen literally steals their electrons. The good news is that with the use of acid and other ions found around your kitchen, you can easily reverse this process, returning your metal objects to their previous luster.
2. In a handy container (recycled yogurt bins work great!) mix equal parts white vinegar (your acid) and table salt (your ions). How much you need will depend on how much polishing you plan on doing today -- usually 1 Tbs each works well for my purposes. The salt will not dissolve very well in the vinegar, so don't worry about trying to mix them together.
3. Add enough flour -- doesn't matter what type -- to the vinegar and salt mixture to create a slightly runny paste. If your paste gets too dry and doughy, don't worry -- just moisten it by sprinkling a little water, or a bit more vinegar into it. Consistency is something of a personal preference, so feel free to experiment.
4. Spread the paste over the object(s) you wish to polish, making sure to cover all areas. It doesn't need to be a thick coat, just a comprehensive one.
5. Wait about five minutes. Let the chemistry do your work for you. Go have a cup of tea, or something.
6. Remove the paste (which has probably turned rather green by now) from the object. You can simply scrape it off and reuse it -- don't worry about the funky color, your polish is still plenty effective -- or you can safely rinse it down the sink.
7. Rinse the brass or copper object in warm water; or, if that is impractical, wipe it down with a clean, damp cloth. Dry. You will notice your object is now back to its original color, but not as shiny as when new. Don't worry, we'll fix that in the next step.
8. Gently use a buffing cloth -- chamois, old cloth diapers, and bits of flannel all work nicely -- or superfine (000) steel wool to restore your polished object to a state of extreme shininess. Voila!

Tips & Warnings

• Using steel wool for the final shining is very effective, however, unlike buffing cloths, it creates a small amount of dust. So if you choose this option, you will need to do a final rinse/wipe of your metal to get it properly clean.
• Vinegar is acidic, so be careful to keep it out of eyes and other sensitive tissues, including cuts or sores. Gloves should not be necessary, however, unless you have sensitive or chapped hands.