How to Brighten Pewter With Ashes

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Pewter is a type of alloy made up from tin, antimony and copper and is famous for both its strength and brilliant color. Pewter is often given a bad reputation, as early versions of pewter products were made using toxic lead; however, modern pewter-ware contains no lead whatsoever. Pewter generally requires very little care. Using ash to polish your pewter once or twice a year is all you need to keep it looking shiny and new. Read on to learn how to brighten pewter with ashes.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Ashes
Soft sponges or cloths
Steel wool #0000
Soft bristled toothbrush

Step1

Collect fine white ash from your fireplace, your cigarette ashtray or even your charcoal barbecue. Do not worry about odors from the ashes, as any scent held in the ashes will quickly rinse away with water, leaving no trace of odor on your pewter items.

Step2

Brighten smooth polished pewter with ash and a soft sponge or cloth. Mix a few tbsp. of ash with enough water to make a paste. Dip a sponge or cloth in the ash paste and rub it onto the pewter surface in circular motions. Wipe away the ash mixture occasionally with a clean cloth or sponge and repeat application of the ash paste until you reach the desired polish. When finish, rinse the pewter piece under warm water and dry with a soft clean cloth.

Step3

Polish grained "satin" pewter with a light brushing of ash using very fine steel wool. Mix your ash paste and dip the steel wool #0000 into the paste. Apply the paste in the same direction of the grain, using only very gentle pressure. Remove the ash with warm water and towel dry with a soft cloth.

Step4

Clean up your oxidized pewter if desired. Oxidized pewter is made to have an antique look and generally darkens over time; however, if your pewter pieces are darkening more than you like you can polish them up a bit with your ash paste. Apply the paste to a soft bristled toothbrush and gently scrub the darkened surface until you reach the desired coloring. Rinse the piece under warm water and dry with a soft towel.