You can restore an antique brass piece or polish up your brass jewelry with DIY cleaning solutions. But before you start scrubbing away, it's important to understand what causes tarnish and how to remove it without ruining your metal items.
First, you'll need to figure out how old your brass is and what type of finish it has on it. If the brass is lacquered you will need remove the varnish first before you can use any cleaner or tarnish removal product. It doesn't have to be lacquered. You can clean it using mild soap water.
Next, look for an acidic substance that can remove tarnish on brass. There are many options. Tomatoes, lemons and vinegar are all good choices. But you also have the option of using vinegar or tomato sauce. A thin layer of any of these will be enough to help remove tarnish from brass. Allow it to sit for around an hour before gently rubbing it off with a toothbrush or soft cloth.
Toothpaste is also a good DIY anti-tarnish product. According to Sean Parry, a cleaning expert at Neat Services, it "reacts with the acid that's present in the tarnish."
Bougere suggests that antique brass items be cleaned by placing a lemon slice/rind in salt. After this, rub the salt onto the item for approximately ten minutes. A combination of salt's abrasiveness, lemon's acidity and citric acid can work well to loosen and remove tarnish on brass pieces that are delicater.
You can even try mixing lemon juice with table salt to create a homemade paste. Make a paste of the salt and the lemon juice. Then apply the paste to your brass items. Let it sit for about an hour before you scrub them.
After cleaning the brass, wipe it dry with a microfiber cloth. This may be repeated several times depending on the amount of tarnish that remains on your brass.
Last but not least, if you need to clean copper and brass that has been oxidized, you can make equal parts of white wine and flour, and then spread it on the tarnished surfaces. Let the mixture soak for about an hour, and then scrub it with a toothbrush to loosen the tarnish.
The best way to clean badly tarnished brass is to use a natural, organic salt-based product. Flitz Instant Brass & Copper Tarnish Remover is a safe, effective and fast way to remove heavy tarnish from brass and copper surfaces.
Spray-on copper and brass tarnish remover immediately dissolves and lifts heavy deposits of calcium and tarnish. It is safer than conventional acid-based cleaners. It can be used on a wide range of surfaces. It is safe for indoors as well outdoor and can be used on copper and brass, aluminum, glass and painted surfaces.