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How to clean brass knobs


Domestic Science: How to Polish Brass Cabinet Hardware

Last year I transformed my historic butlers pantry with the help of some dark blue paint (see: Moody Midnight Pantry with Farrow & Ball Paint). The final step of this restoration project? Removing decades-worth of tarnish from the original brass hardware—all 36 pieces of it. I now consider myself an expert on how to polish brass.

Here’s what I learned.

What you will need

Above: For heavy tarnished brass like mine, remove the hardware before attempting to polish it. It’s just too hard to do a thorough job if it is still attached to your cabinets.

Supplies you’ll need:

1.

Test your metal. Above: You don’t need a powerful magnet to test the authenticity of your brass. I borrowed a simple one from my fridge.

Before you begin, confirm that your piece is indeed solid brass and not plate or some other gold-toned metal. To test, simply hold a magnet up to the surface. If it doesn’t stick, you have solid brass. If it does, you most likely have plate. Clean this only with soap and water.

2. Strip any lacquer.

Above: The results of old varnish or stain, the brown discolorations on these two pieces needed to be cleaned with varnish remover.

Many modern brass surfaces are protected with a lacquer finish. Even so, they can become tarnished. You will not be able to effectively polish them until the varnish is removed.

First, examine your piece; lacquered brass is more yellow, smooth, and shiny than unfinished brass. To remove the lacquer, submerge your brass piece in very hot water, which will cause the brass and the lacquer to expand. You may need to go so far as to boil your brass object in a non-aluminum pot.  Carefully, remove your piece from the water and let it cool. As it does so, the metal will contract from the finish, and you should be able to peel the lacquer away. You can also eliminate lacquer with varnish remover and a soft, clean cloth. Nail polish remover also works. For really old, stubborn lacquers, consider soaking your piece in the chemical remover for several hours. Never use an abrasive cleanser, wire brush, or steel wool, as these will scratch the metal.

3. Pre-clean.

Using hot, soapy water and a soft cloth or brush, clean away any dirt, food, or other deposits. For wax, try carefully pouring boiling water over the spill until it melts away. Dry thoroughly before you polish.

4. Polish the brass.

Above: Acids such as vinegar or lemon, even ketchup, can be used to clean brass.

A. Eco-Friendly Solution

I like to start with straight white vinegar, which is usually all I need to touch up a piece of mildly oxidized brass. To use, simply dip the end of a soft, clean cloth into your vinegar and rub the brass until it shines. You can also add 1 teaspoon salt to 1/4 cup of vinegar to boost the polishing effects. But make sure the salt is not too coarse, as it can scratch the brass. Some people also use lemon juice and salt in similar proportions. Others add flour to their acid/salt combos to make a paste which they leave on the brass for 10 minutes, then buff away.

How to Clean Brass Hardware to Make It Look Like New

By

Lauren Thomann

Lauren Thomann

Lauren Thomann is passionate about crafting and DIY home improvement, writing on both topics. While refurbishing her 1916 bungalow on her own, she shares lessons learned through her DIY and home improvement articles.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 11/08/22

The Spruce / Nelly Cuanalo

In This Article

Project Overview

Some homeowners with older houses like the darkened patina that results as brass doorknobs, hinges, and other hardware begin to tarnish. It's even possible to artificially age new brass to get this antique look. But even if you want the metal in your home to look antique, it does not need to look corroded and unsightly with caked-on layers of tarnish and grime.

Tarnished brass hardware can be difficult to clean. It's easier when you use the right product or technique. There is a single product that can effectively clean brass hardware and other metals such as copper and stainless steel in a matter of minutes. Bar Keeper's Friend is a popular and effective metal cleaning product, but there is a variety of brass and metal cleaners available.

You can also make your own metal cleaner using baking soda and vinegar; it's not as effective but will work in situations where you want to remove some but not all of the patina.

Before You Begin

Carefully remove the hardware, making sure you do not strip the screws or damage the metal. If the screw slots are plugged with dirt or paint, you may need to scrape out the slots so that the screwdriver can grip the screw. A manual screwdriver works better than a drill driver to back out screws since brass is a fairly soft metal that is easily damaged.

Next, try to identify the type of metal. If it looks like brass, you'll need to figure out if the hardware is solid brass, or brass-plated. If it is solid brass, you will not have to worry as much about damaging the plating with an abrasive cleanser.

One simple method is to test with a magnet. Brass is a non-magnetic metal, so if a magnet is attracted to your hardware, it's likely comprised of a thin brass plating over an iron-based metal. In this case, you will need to be extra gentle in your cleaning and polishing to avoid abrading through the brass.

The Spruce / Nelly Cuanalo

Equipment / Tools

Materials

Instructions

  1. Clean the Hardware With Lukewarm Water

    With the hardware removed, wipe off any dust or debris with a lint-free cloth. Submerge the items in lukewarm water and let them soak for a minute or two. If the hardware is very dirty, mix in a mild dish detergent to loosen the grime. After you remove the hardware from the water, move immediately to the next step without drying it.

    The Spruce / Nelly Cuanalo

  2. Sprinkle the Hardware With Powdered Cleaner

    With the hardware fully wet, sprinkle on a powdered cleaning product so the metal is completely covered.

    If you are using vinegar and baking soda, first brush the hardware with a layer of vinegar, then sprinkle on baking soda. The mild chemical reaction of vinegar combined with baking soda is what loosens the tarnish. When it starts to fizz, you will know it is working.

    The Spruce / Nelly Cuanalo

  3. Scrub Gently to Buff the Surface

    Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently buff the surface. The cleanser will become paste-like and begin removing the tarnish. If there is a heavy tarnish build-up, it may take repeated scrubbing; add more water and metal cleaner as needed.

    If you are using the baking soda and vinegar method, dip your toothbrush in a bowl of vinegar, and use that to buff the baking soda mixture on the metal.

    It will be obvious as the tarnish starts to come off, but if you want to retain some of the antique patina, focus the toothbrush on the high points and avoid the crevices and edges.

    The Spruce / Nelly Cuanalo

  4. Rinse the Hardware

    Once the metal is cleaned to your liking, use lukewarm water to rinse off any remaining cleaning solution. Next, take a damp lint-free cloth or paper towel to buff the hardware. Make sure each piece is dried completely to prevent rust or tarnish issues.

    The Spruce / Nelly Cuanalo

Watch Now: Watch Now: Easy Ways to Refurbish Hardware

Clean and disinfect brass handles

Today I would like to give you some useful tips how to wash and disinfect brass handles .

In times of Covid 19, cleaning and disinfecting the handles of your home is very important because if they are touched many times during the day, they can be receptors for dirt and bacteria that we ourselves carry from outside.

In this article I will explain how to clean brass knobs . Brass is not a pure material, but an alloy of zinc and copper, which was already used in ancient times for the manufacture of braziers, jugs and other everyday items.

Brass handles are widely used because, compared to other materials, they are very resistant to corrosion and have a long service life. However, it has a drawback, is oxidized by . To bring it back to its ancient splendor, you need to use the right products because despite resistance, the wrong detergent can permanently ruin your pen. nine0007

Two solutions, universal but not obvious, are:

  1. go to a specialty store, such as a hardware store with a good assortment or a DIY store, and buy a special brass cleaning product,
  2. or you can choose natural product, made by you at home. Without high costs and ecological choice.

To clean brass handles, you can prepare various natural mixtures at home: nine0007

Instead, to remove grease stains from brass knobs, you can pour 2 or 3 drops of dishwashing detergent onto a damp cloth and rub the knobs gently.

Also, for disinfection, you can prepare a mixture at home:

After cleaning and disinfection, you can always start polishing with your own hands. nine0007

Before you start polishing, wrap the handle with paper tape to avoid staining the door.

Brass handles can be polished in two ways: natural and very effective:

  • lemon juice, salt, vinegar and baking soda : Make a paste of these ingredients, cover the hands for about ten minutes, then wash off with warm water and neutral soap.
  • linseed oil : Wipe the brass handles with a cloth dampened with oil to develop a patina that will keep them shiny and clean over time. This solution is also great for oxidation and black spots. nine0026

If you are interested in this topic, I want to note that a video on how to clean and disinfect brass handles is available on Youtube:

Now I can only wish you good work!

Products that may interest you

how to care for the material and deoxidize at home

07/23/2020

by Any-Home

07/23/2020

by Any-Home

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc with a yellowish brown tint. For the first time, the ancient Romans began to use brass, and the British officially patented the manufacture of the alloy in 1781. Since then, brass has been very popular all over the world, due to its durability, low cost relative to precious metals and an unusual noble shade.

Most often, brass is used in the manufacture of faucets and water pipes, which are coated on top with another metal (galvanization or chrome plating). Previously, orders, medals, church crosses and table utensils were made from brass. Today, this metal is loved by interior designers. Candlesticks, figurines, furniture fittings, mirror framing, tables, consoles and much more are made from it. nine0007

See also: Brass in the interior: tips from experienced designers

Why brass oxidizes

Despite the fact that brass is a durable material, it is highly susceptible to environmental influences:

  • from heating (too high temperature), brass can deform and fade;
  • if the air in the room where the brass product is stored is too humid, then over time this will lead to corrosion and the appearance of green oxide;
  • on contact with the skin, dark spots may appear on the brass product, and if you wear brass jewelry, then a dark green mark remains on the skin. nine0026

Some people don't clean up these marks. They give the brass product a vintage and unique look, things look aged and resemble antiques. But if you want to get rid of oxide, then brass can be easily cleaned at home.

L013 brass coffee table from Any-Home. Designers Irina Kireeva and Anna Piskun.

How and what to clean brass

To clean brass furniture at home, you only need 5 minutes of free time, 3M Marine Metal Restorer and polish 09 brass cleaning paste019e, rag and dry cloth.

  • Step 1. Using masking tape, isolate the brass from contact with other objects so that the cleaning agent does not get on them.
  • Step 2. Put on gloves and prepare a cloth and 3M Marine Metal Restorer and polish 09019e.
  • Step 3. Using a cloth, apply a small amount of paste to the item you want to clean. The paste should be enough to cover the whole piece with a thin layer. For uniformity, you need to clean the entire plane at once. Check out our Instagram for how to do it right. nine0026
  • Step 4. For a couple of minutes, rub the paste over the product with smooth movements. During the cleaning process, the paste will begin to darken. Don't worry, this is a standard chemical reaction.
  • Step 5. Wipe off any remaining paste with a clean, dry cloth. Do not rinse with water!

Done! Brass looks like new, no fingerprints or water marks. Using 3M Marine Metal Restorer and polish 09019e paste, you can clean brass to a shine without harming the product itself.

Brass sconce SB013. Project by designer Natalia Patrusheva

How not to clean brass

Not suitable for cleaning brass at home:

  • Products with abrasive particles. They may scratch the product.
  • Rigid brushes. Cleaning should be done with a cloth or soft bristle brush.
  • Products containing alcohol.

It is possible to clean brass with citric acid, but only very carefully. In some cases, acid can harm the metal. If you do not know how the product will behave and what kind of particles are added to the alloy, then it is better not to risk it. The same goes for acetic and hydrochloric acid. nine0007

Chandelier SL023. Designer Natela Mankaeva.

How to Care for Brass

To keep brass shiny for a long time, you need to follow a few rules for caring for this material.

  • Wipe only with a cloth. If there is a protective layer on the item, then the fabric should be lint-free.
  • Do not use water or chemicals for maintenance. If you need to wash a brass item, then do not leave it to dry naturally. It is best to wipe dry immediately with a clean cloth. nine0026
  • To give a shine to the product and polish it, silver cloths are suitable. You can buy them at any jewelry store.
  • If the product is frequently used in the home, keep it clean. Regularly wipe brass from fingerprints, dust and moisture.
  • Avoid touching brass with greasy or dirty hands.

Any-Home Brass Kitchen Island. Design project by Polina Gerasimova.

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