How to clean brass

WHETHER handed down to you or purchased from a local antique shop, brass items can be beautiful additions to any home.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to clean brass homewares to keep them looking new, even if they’re covered in soot, dirt, or dust.

How to clean brass

The first step to cleaning brass is to gather the materials you’ll need.

You’ll most likely need the following:

• Warm water
• Dish soap
• A soft sponge
• A soft cloth
• Bar Keepers Friend (either their soft liquid cleanser or their original powdered cleanser)
• A toothbrush
• Ketchup

These materials should all be cheap and readily available.

Next, you’ll want to clean any dirt, soot, or dust off your brass.

This will keep you from accidentally scratching it while you clean.

If your items are small enough to take to the kitchen sink, you can rinse them with warm water and dish soap first, gently brushing any additional dirt off with a soft sponge.

If your items are larger than your kitchen sink, take a bucket of warm soapy water and your sponge over to the article and gently rub off any dirt.

Get rid of the tarnish on your brass

If your brass is still tarnished or black from years of use, don’t worry.

The next step is to get rid of the tarnish.

Remember, gentle cleaning is more important than instant results.

This step is where you will use your soft cloth, Bar Keepers Friend cleaner, and possibly a toothbrush.

First, wet your soft cloth in warm water, then add some Bar Keepers Friend cleaner.

Then, gently but firmly, scrub away the tarnish on the brass.

You should see results in under a minute, but rinse it off and reapply more Bar Keepers Friend until you’re happy with the shine.

If you come across any nooks and crannies, it’s safe to gently brush in them with a toothbrush using the same Bar Keepers Friend cleaner.

Make your brass shine

This final step may seem crazy, but we promise it works.

Soak a paper towel in ketchup and coat your brass piece with it.

Leave it for about five minutes, then remove all of the ketchup with a warm, wet cloth.

We recommend going over it a few times to ensure you get all the ketchup off.

Your brass should now be clean, tarnish-free, and shiny.