How to Clean Brass

Learn how to clean brass objects effectively with this step by step guide. You only need two ingredients; vinegar and baking soda (aka bicarbonate of soda). Using these non-toxic ingredients are the best option for you and the environment.

This technique is a cost effective way to clean your smaller brass objects. It will bring them back to life and leave them looking beautifully shiny.

How to clean brass - before and after shots of a chamber candlestick holder.

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Alternative Brass Cleaning Methods

I recently purchased this lovely brass chamber candlestick holder from eBay. It was pretty dirty when it arrived and I wanted to avoid having to use any conventional cleaners such as Brasso.

I have used Brasso in the past, before I realised how toxic it was. It has a very strong smell and causes extreme irritation if it comes into contact with your skin (I found this out the hard way!).

I had a look for some alternative cleaning methods and came across quite a few different articles that recommended using ketchup, or a combination of lemon and baking soda, or vinegar and flour.

These methods all seemed like they would be quite messy, so I didn’t want to attempt them.

I therefore turned to my trusty Clean & Green book for advice on the best way to clean brass. Nancy Birtwhistle is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to traditional and eco friendly cleaning methods.

Every homemaker should own a copy of this book in my opinion, it’s amazing!

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How to tell if an object is real brass

Please note that the following cleaning method may only be suitable for real brass objects, rather than just brass plated.

If your object is brass plated, then you may be better off just using warm soapy water. Or carry out a patch test on an area that is less noticeable first.

According to The Brass Addict, there are four ways to determine whether your object is genuine brass:

Brass is not magnetic, so if you hold a fridge magnet to it and it sticks then it is not solid brass.
Scratch a small area (that won’t be noticed) with a sharp object, solid brass should look yellow or gold if scratched.
Solid brass is a heavy metal, feel the weight of it.
Brass has a clear loud sound if you were to hit it with a metal spoon.

I have tweaked Nancy Birtwhistle’s recommendations slightly for this cleaning project. Read on to see how I tackled cleaning my brass candlestick holder.

Cleaning Ingredients & Equipment

Cleaning Ingredients

Bottle of white distilled vinegar
2-3 tablespoons of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

Equipment

Pyrex bowl or dish large enough to place objects in
Wire wool or an exfoliating glove
Microfibre cloth or alternative soft cleaning cloth
Dish cloth or tea towel
Old toothbrush

Bottle of vinegar, dish of baking soda, exfoliating glove, dish cloth. microfibre cloth, old toothbrush and large Pyrex bowl.

Step 1

If you are able to dismantle your candlestick holder into smaller parts before cleaning then this will help.

I was able to unscrew the top of my candlestick holder from the base, so it was in two separate parts.

Brass chamber candlestick holder in two parts

Step 2

Start by washing your candlestick holder in some warm soapy water. Then dry it thoroughly with a dish cloth/ tea towel.

Step 3

Place your candlestick holder into a bowl and pour over enough vinegar so that it is submerged. Leave it to soak in the vinegar for 30 minutes.

I used about 300ml (1.25 cups/ 10 fl. oz) of vinegar to cover the base of my candlestick holder before I ran out. It wasn’t quite enough to fully submerge the top part, so whilst I cleaned the base I turned it over and left the other side to soak for a bit longer.

Candlestick holder soaking in bowl of vinegar

Step 4

After your candlestick holder has been soaking for about 30 minutes, take it out of the vinegar and place it on a cloth to protect any surfaces.

Put on your exfoliating glove and dip your finger into the bowl of vinegar, just enough to wet it slightly. Then use your finger to scoop up a small amount of baking soda.

Applying the baking soda to the brass using exfoliating glove

Depending on how sensitive your skin is, you may want to wear rubber gloves underneath your exfoliating glove. Vinegar and baking soda shouldn’t hurt if it goes on your skin, but it may feel uncomfortable if you have any small cuts or really dry skin on your finger.

Gently rub the baking soda onto the brass. The baking soda and vinegar will form a light paste and you will see it shine up quite quickly as it starts to lift off the dirt.

Dirt from the brass on end of gloved finger

Below you can see on the left hand side where the vinegar soak has already started to make the brass look shinier. On the right hand side is where I have rubbed in the baking soda and removed even more dirt.

Candle holder that has been soaked in vinegar on one side and scrubbed with baking soda on the other — Left half vinegar only / Right half vinegar & baking soda

Step 5

Continue to gently scrub with baking soda and small amounts of vinegar, until you are satisfied with your results.

During this process you may need to rinse off your exfoliating glove and the candlestick holder a few times with some warm water, to remove the dirt as you go.

Make sure you dry off the water from the candlestick holder before adding more vinegar and baking soda paste.

If your candlestick holder has any small grooves or crevices then use an old toothbrush to scrub the vinegar and baking soda paste into these areas.

Toothbrush cleaning small groove on top section of candle holder

Step 6

Once you have your brass candlestick holder looking clean and shiny then give it one last wash with some warm soapy water and then rinse with just water.

Be sure to dry it thoroughly before reassembling any separate parts.

This whole process took me about an hour from start to finish. That included the 30 minutes where I just allowed it to soak in the vinegar, without needing to do anything.