Cleaning brass is really an easy process if used regularly to keep the surfaces shine. The brass products should be rinsed thoroughly after using any method of cleaning brass to maintain its luster and shine for long.
Cleaning brass is an easy process if done with care and following right procedures. Brass is the product of two basic metals copper and zinc in a perfect proportion to give you corrosion free, strong and golden yellow colored metal alloy. The difference of the proportion of zinc and copper in brass can give you different varieties of brass to be used for different purposes. Brass is not only used to make kitchen wares but is also used to manufacture coins, bolts, zippers, electrical appliances, gears, locks, doorknobs, bearings, plumbing spares as well as musical instruments.
Brass in usual forms get tarnished if kept in contact with humid air as it gets oxidized and to protect it from being tarnished it is usually polished with lacquer which can retain it for years together. Dirt, grease, dust etc. are other things that can tarnish the bright surface of this golden metal if they accumulate on it for long time. Therefore Cleaning Brass properly and regularly is necessary to maintain its graceful shine and luster for long time and for that purpose one should know how Cleaning Brass can be done effectively.
Before starting cleaning brass you should be assured that the surface you are going to clean is really brass. Several golden yellow looking components are not really made of brass but they are brass plated on other metals which helps them in maintaining their shine and luster for long time due to the non-corrosive property of brass. It can be detected through a magnetic test as brass is a non-magnetic metal and if the metal gets attracted to magnet then it can never be made of brass. After detecting the quality of metal the cleaning brass process can be started using various techniques that can be adopted as per the availability of the material needed for the purpose. Cleaning brass can easily be done even at home.
Several procedures and materials can be used for cleaning brass after being assured of the quality of the metal. Detergent or dishwashing soap, a piece of cotton cloth and slightly warm water can be used for cleaning brass in normal conditions which can clean brass as well as maintain its shine and lacquer. Vinegar and salt, lemon and baking soda, milk or yogurt are some of the other combinations that are used for cleaning brass as home made cleaners for brass which can give a new look and shine to this golden metal.