How to clean brass

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. A fairly sensitive material, it will tarnish upon repeated contact with fingers or dust. It will also corrode over time leaving it with a greenish patina. 

A number of household products can be used to help you maintain brass including everything from basic soapy water to Coca-Cola or white vinegar. Another option is to use aluminium foil and bicarbonate of soda which is particularly effective against oxidised brass.

It's also possible to pick up ready-made brass cleaners specially designed to strip or clean metals. These products should, however, be used with great caution.

A number of ordinary cleaning products can be used to maintain brass.

Cleaning brass with soapy water

If your brass isn't in bad shape, a little warm soapy water applied with a cloth might just do the job. When you're done, rinse the brass well before drying and polishing. If the brass is a little dirtier, you can try mixing a liquid black soap solution in water with a spoonful of bicarbonate of soda.

Cleaning brass with toothpaste

As surprising as it might seem, toothpaste can be an excellent way to clean brass. Apply a little toothpaste to a soft cloth and gently rub the brass. Rinse, dry and polish your brass, and you're all done!

Cleaning brass with Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is a powerful ally against corrosion. You can either apply the Coca-Cola to the brass or, if the object is small enough, you can place it in a container filled with Coke. Scrub the item gently, rinse, dry and polish.

Cleaning brass with white vinegar

If you need to get rid of built-up corrosion, place the brass in a bath of white vinegar for about an hour. Rinse it carefully before washing in soapy water. You can then rinse, dry and polish.

Baking powder and aluminium foil

If your brass is heavily oxidised, bathing it in a special aluminium foil and bicarb bath can make it look as good as new. Line a container with tinfoil, fill it with hot water and pour in a small cup of bicarbonate of soda. Leave the brass to soak until the greenish corrosion marks disappear. Rinse the brass before cleaning with soapy water, then re-rinsing, drying and polishing.

Various ready-made cleaning products can be used to clean brass and give it back its shine. They can be applied using a soft cloth or a cotton pad.

Cleaning brass with soda crystals

Also known as carbonate of soda or sodium carbonate, these little crystals will dissolve in water. Used for a wide range of purposes, soda crystals are also perfect for cleaning brass.

Cleaning brass with polishing cream

A shop-bought polishing cream will make the material shine and slow down oxidisation. However, these products are powerful and should be kept out of reach of children. You must always wear gloves when handling this type of product. If your brass item features delicate patterns or engravings, be sure not to scrub too hard as these products can be abrasive.

Metal cleaner

If the brass is already very corroded, a metal cleaner or rust remover will make quick work of natural patina. Once again, these products have to be used with caution and that means safety goggles and protective gloves.

If the brass is only lightly tarnished, some brass polish should remove any dirt and make it shine once. This will also help to protect it from future corrosion. And to really make it shimmer, you can finish by polishing it up using a chamois cloth.

If you want to protect your brass before it gets the chance to corrode, you have two main options.

Metal varnish

Metal varnish can be used to protect brass for a long time. Sold in pots or spray cans, this varnish is suitable for indoor and outdoor use as it is designed to stand up to moisture and UV rays.

- Metal beeswax can be used to cover the brass with a colourless film which lends a beautiful richness to the material without adding to its yellow tones. This type of product can only be used indoors.