How to Polish Military Buttons
Military dress uniforms come with brass buttons. Dress uniforms are worn at formal occasions at home and abroad and are intended to present a clean and efficient image. To meet the regulation standards of the armed forces, you must ensure that the buttons are polished before donning the uniform. To polish the buttons, you must first protect the uniform's fabric and your skin from the cleaning material and then clean the buttons using polish.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Military uniform jacket
- Scissors
- Sandwich bags (one bag per button)
- Clear plastic tape
- Latex gloves (or alternative if allergic)
- Brass polish (Brasso)
- Cotton rag
Instructions
-
Protect Uniform From Polish
-
1
Sit down and place the uniform on a nearby table or on your lap with the front facing up.
-
2
Cut a very small hole in the bottom of the sandwich bags.
-
-
3
Place sandwich bags around each button. Ensure that the bags completely cover the surrounding cloth.
-
4
Tape the bags to the uniform fabric around the buttons for full coverage.
-
5
Put latex gloves on your hands to protect them from the brass polish.
Polish Buttons
-
6
Wrap the rag tautly around your forefinger and dip the rag in the Brasso solution.
-
7
Place your free hand beneath the button you are polishing to support the activity and to prevent slippage.
-
8
Rub the rag on the button you wish to polish first. Use a moderate amount of pressure. Do this for each button, using more Brasso on the rag as needed.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Military personnel are permitted to replace standard issue brass buttons with anodized brass, which do not require polishing. To do this, you must purchase approved buttons from clothing sales and take the uniform to a tailor. Instruct the tailor to replace the buttons.
Always polish brass buttons after the uniform has been dry cleaned.
Do not overlook decorative buttons and buttons on the cuffs.
Do not consume brass polish.
Do not allow brass polish to come in contact with uniform materials, skin, furniture or wood.
Store Brasso away from children and pets.
Warn dry cleaners of the presence of brass buttons.
