How To Clean Completely Tarnished Brass.

[Smowball]

An elderly couple I know asked me to try and clean their fireplace. In fact it is so tarnished I actually thought it really was black. They had a tin of Brasso and some other cleaner but it hasnt shifted it at all. The cloths I was using ended up black but the fireplace still looks the same. Is there any old fashioned method of getting the brass to come up like new?

[boxtops]

Try coca-cola.....

[Barmaid]

Try lemon juice. Or tomato sauce.

Or some other ideas here:

http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/stories/how-to-clean-brass-naturally

[EcclesCake]

I think if you make a paste of salt and vinegar and smother it on it will 'eat' the tarnish.

It will probably take a few attempts though if the tarnish is really bad.

[Sipowicz]

Try Champagne puppy slush!

[Sipowicz]

.....or Brown sauce.

[Smowball]

Ha ahh Sipowicz! lol.

Oooh Ive never heard of those ieas. I would have to be something that I can paint/smear on the main fireplace as I obviously cant soak it, but the front little plate that comes away i could soak in a bowl of something...

Dont think its been cleaned for years and years.
..

[Smowball]

* ideas

[shoota]

If it is 'raw' brass, as opposed to lacquered, you could buff it with an electric drill fitted with a mop and some polishing compound.

[shoota]

If that is not practical, 'Duraglit' is more effective than Brasso or get some rubbing compound from Halfords and use that. (Its what they use for heavily marked car bodywork.)

[margie04]

I've heard of excellent results from something called Maas.

[Smowball]

Ive just read that if its brass plated then a magnet will stick to it and if it is solid brass then the magnet wont stick. Not sure if that will affect how you clean it though.

[Sipowicz]

How about some Elbow grease. ;-)

[Smowball]

Lol, I spent over 2 hrs on it and you could barely see any difference!

[TheHangman]

Paint it with gold paint. Other than that rub with fine emery paper then polish with cardboard soaked with Brasso, peel the cardboard and use the corrugated part. then clean off with a soft cloth. (if it's really bad use a heavier grade of emery paper then the fine).

[carrust]

Are you sure it's brass & not cast iron?

[Smowball]

I did wonder that but there is the teeniest glimpse of a brass/gold colour on the edges.

[carrust]

It could be a rough cast fireplace...After casting, the marks left by the sand in the mould weren't polished out by the manufacturer.

[tonyav]

Try some Autosol, it's pretty good stuff. I used to use it years ago on the unlaquered alloy wheels of cars I have owned ( the wheels used to polish up a treat ). I once used it on my mom's badly tarnished brass letter box it polished that up a treat also.

[tenrec]

Try a little corner with Brillo. If it works ok, if it doesn't scratch into the metal.