How to Clean Brass With Vinegar & Salt

Clean brass naturally

Over time, the surface of brass will oxidize and dull. While some people like this tarnished look, others prefer a shinier brass. To get rid of tarnish, polish your brass naturally with salt and vinegar. Prior to cleaning your item, test that it is composed of actual brass and not brass-plated steel. Brass-plated steel requires a different type of cleaning. Pure brass is not magnetic, so if a magnet sticks to the brass, your item is probably brass plated.

Things You'll Need

• Bucket
• Salt
• Vinegar
• White flour
• Bowl
• Cloth

Instructions

1. Soak the brass item in hot water. If the item is too large to fit in the bucket or sink, spray it with the water.

2. Form a paste by mixing equal amounts of vinegar, white flour and salt in a small bowl.

3. Apply the paste directly to the brass with your fingers. Let the mixture sit for a 30 minutes to one hour.

4. Thoroughly rinse the salt and vinegar paste from the brass with water.

5. Dry the item with a clean cloth. Use the cloth to gently buff the brass to a shine.

Tips & Warnings

• For really dirty, non-laquered brass items, buff the brass while the paste is still on the item. The extra abrasion will help clean the item of the extra dirt and leave an extra shine.

• If you don't have any flour, use a mixture of the vinegar and salt to clean the brass.

References

• Mrs. Clean: Brass Cleaning
• Architectual Classis: How to Clean Brass
• Baltimore Brassworks: Brass Facts

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish