Brass is an alloy made up usually of copper, zinc and other metals. The primary purpose of brass is for decorations thanks to the lustrous and golden colour is carries. Brass is also used in many mechanical devices where its important to maintain low friction such as gears, locks, doorknobs, ball bearing, ammunition etc. It is also used extensively in many musical instruments like bells or horns or even guitar strings. Since brass is softer than most metals its used in fittings and tools dealing with high explosives. Just like anything else brass also tends to accumulate grease and dirt and could also tarnish over time. To restore the shining brass you once possessed to its original state follow the tips below.
- Make sure you want to clean the brass. Just because your brass is tarnished it doesn’t mean that you need to clean it. Tarnished brass looks sexy on antique pieces and makes at much more attractive. If the brass piece you own is an antique valuable one, consider leaving it alone or passing on the responsibility to a professional cleaner. Remember that too much of cleaning can screw up your brass equipment.
- Make sure the item you want to clean is actually made completely of brass. A good method is to hold a magnet nearby. If the magnet sticks it means that the object has either very little or absolutely no brass content. If the item is just brass plated you will have to be extra careful while cleaning as you do not want to wear out the brass plate.
- Get some water and add some mild detergent to it. Use this water to wash the brass object. If the problem with the brass object is that its oily or plain dirty this should clean it up well. Use a soft cloth and dip it in the detergent solution. Using this cloth wipe your brass object clean. You can make a mild polish using a cup of water mixed with equal amounts of white vinegar and a cup of flour. You should use a soft toothbrush to get to hard to reach places or clean delicate carvings. Use the brush gently in order to avoid scratching.
- Get hold of some varnish or paint remover. Use a paintbrush to get rid of lacquer. If your brass is tarnished and you want to remove it you have to polish the brass peiece first. Use a paint brush and apply the varnish or paint remover to the brass to clean it.
- Use a brass polish, readily available at a local store, with a clean cloth to polish the brass object. Once done use another clean cloth and wipe the brass clean to make it shine.
Following the above steps will help you make your brass clean and shiny again. Once you brass object or artifact has regained the natural shine you sought, keep cleaning and dusting regularly to keep it good looking. This will keep your brass in great shape for years to come.
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