You may not notice it, but it can dissolve brass itself, depending on its potency. So, when you polish brass with vinegar, be careful not to scrub or buff too hard. You don't want to damage the surface of your brass item, especially if it's just a cladding to a different material.
Vinegar is a mild acid (acetic acid). Yes, as you use it to clean the crud off the brass, it is oxidizing the metal itself. Slowly. If you use too much, use it in too high a concentration, or leave it too long, it can damage the brass.
Brasso and Bar Keepers Friend are two excellent brass cleaners used to polish up and clean the brass to a nice shine. I tend to prefer Bar Keepers Friend because it comes in a powder form, and I can make a thicker paste.
When brass corrodes, it can undergo dezincification, a process in which zinc is lost and copper is left behind. Mild dezincification may simply cause a cosmetic change, namely, the colour of the surface turning from yellow to pink, but severe dezincification can lead to the weakening of brass and even its perforation.
Of course, if you happen to have a professional brass polish, then any tarnish will buff right away. If you don't? Sailors are known for their resourcefulness and, in a pinch, can whip-up a paste with lemon and salt or baking soda. The key is a bit of acid and a gentle abrasion.
Can WD-40 be used to clean brass? Yes. Spray a small amount of WD-40 on a soft, clean cloth and gently rub it into the brass in a circular motion. Let it sit for 15-30 minutes, then remove it.
Cleaning brass: the basics
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.
Combine the juice of half a lemon with a teaspoon of baking soda and stir until it becomes a paste. Apply the paste with a soft cloth. If the tarnish is heavy, let the piece sit with the paste on it for 30 minutes. Rinse with warm water and dry.
Another disadvantage of brass is its relatively low strength and fatigue resistance compared to other metals, such as steel or aluminum. Brass can deform or fracture under high loads or repeated cycles of stress, limiting its applications in high-stress or dynamic situations.
(Cola or peroxide? Not proven or recommended for household brass; those methods are sometimes suggested for firearm cleaning.)
Baking Soda and Lemon
Mix the juice from half a lemon and a teaspoon of baking soda in a bowl of water. Use a cloth to apply the mixture. Buff away any stains or tarnish. Wipe with a wet cloth.
This paste is excellent for removing rust from iron, steel, aluminium and other metals. However, please don't leave it on any surface for too long, as vinegar can erode it, weakening the metal and making it more susceptible to rusting.
If the salt isn't getting the job done, reach for baking soda. The nontoxic minerals in it serve as an awesome natural alternative to harsh cleaners. For really tough jobs, sprinkle only the baking soda on your cloth and rub it all over your tarnished brass or copper.
You may not notice it, but it can dissolve brass itself, depending on its potency. So, when you polish brass with vinegar, be careful not to scrub or buff too hard. You don't want to damage the surface of your brass item, especially if it's just a cladding to a different material.
Similarly, avoid using steel wool or metal bristled brushes as they will leave scratches on the surface of the lamp. A thin coating of mineral oil, linseed oil, or WD-40 Multi-Use can be effective in preventing tarnishing. Try to avoid touching brass items too much.
This might surprise you, but yes, you sure can clean brass using just toothpaste.
It is important that you use one specially made to clean brass, as other household cleaners (such as bleach or ammonia) can damage and discolour your brass.
Cleaning (for light soils): The use of isopropyl (rubbing alcohol) applied with the sponge side of a light-duty, "white-padded" scrubbing sponge with the grain of the door. In the event of tougher scuff marks, flip over sponge and gently agitate with the grain of the metal with the white scrub pad.
Combine 1 cup of white vinegar with a tablespoon of salt, then add enough flour to make a paste. Spread the paste over the tarnished brass, let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour, and rinse thoroughly.
Whether you're doing a weekly wipe down of your brass doorknobs or bringing a 100-year-old brass bed frame back to life, BKF is your answer. It's easy to use, safe, and it works. BKF is the answer to how to clean brass.
If you've ever polished a copper pot with a lemon dipped in salt, you can do the same with brass. Since brass is an alloy that contains copper, the citric acid in a lemon breaks the bond of the tarnish on the surface of brass, while the salt acts as a mild abrasive.