Learn how to clean brass objects effectively with this step by step guide. You only need two ingredients; vinegar and 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.
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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 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!
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.
Instructions
Step 1
Gather your cleaning materials. You will need:
- Bottle of white distilled vinegar
- 2-3 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda
- Pyrex bowl or dish large enough to place objects in
- Wire wool or an exfoliating glove
- Old toothbrush
- Soft cloth
- Dish cloth / tea towel
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.
Step 2
Start by washing your candlestick holder in some warm soapy water. Then dry it thoroughly with a tea towel/dish cloth.
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 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.
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. I also placed a tea towel underneath the soft cloth, to protect my tablecloth.
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 bicarbonate of soda (bicarb).
Depending on how sensitive your skin is, you may want to wear rubber gloves underneath your exfoliating glove. Vinegar and bicarb 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 bicarb onto the brass. The bicarb and vinegar will form a light paste and you will see it shine up quite quickly as it starts to lift off the dirt.
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 bicarb and removed even more dirt.
Step 5
Continue to gently scrub with bicarb 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 bicarb paste.
If your candlestick holder has any small grooves or crevices then use an old toothbrush to scrub the vinegar and bicarb paste into these areas.
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.
You can achieve amazing cleaning results with just a few simple household ingredients. Cleaning in this traditional way is so much better for you and the environment.
Let me know in the comments below how you get on with this brass cleaning method.
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