Polishing Brass Trays
I’m always on the lookout for unusual and exquisite pieces to decorate my homes.
Recently, my housecleaner Carlos took on the task of cleaning and polishing three antique brass trays that I purchased during my last trip to Florida. These trays were timeworn, dull and dark in color, but I knew with a little work they'd shine beautifully. Brass is a strong, corrosion-resistant alloy made from a combination of zinc and copper. With its bright golden color, brass has long been a favorite material for home furnishings and decorative accents. Cleaning brass takes time and a lot of elbow grease to complete, but now these pieces are shimmering once again.
Here are some photos - enjoy.
-
- Like any metal, brass can become dull and tarnished over time. Tarnish is a thin layer of corrosion that forms over brass, copper, silver, aluminum, magnesium, neodymium, and other similar metals as their outermost layer undergoes a chemical reaction, many times with the air. This tray is heavily tarnished now, but I knew it would be beautiful once it was cleaned up.
-
- For cleaning, I have long used Wright’s Copper and Brass Cleaning Cream. It comes in small and large sizes. For this task, Carlos also gathers soft rags, rubber gloves, sponges, an old soft-bristled toothbrush, and some water. I always tell my team to collect all the needed supplies first, so it saves time hunting them down later.
-
- Wright’s all-purpose cleaning creams come in a paste like this and is easy to apply with a sponge or soft rag.
-
- After removing any dust on the tray, Carlos starts by gently rubbing small amounts of cream into the tarnished edge. Carlos wears rubber gloves to protect his hands from becoming black from the dirt and tarnish.
-
- Look closely – one can already see the difference. The cream almost instantly changes the entire appearance of the piece.
-
- Here’s another look – the left is still undone, but the right is looking much better. Carlos coats the piece’s edge with cream and lets it sit a few seconds. The brass starts to brighten as it is rubbed.
-
- Carlos also applies cream in the crevices. Tarnish ranges in color from a light yellowy gold to almost black, depending on how long it has been allowed to develop. In addition to using soft sponges and rags, one can use cotton swabs to apply the cream to tight spots and crevices when cleaning.
-
- Carlos uses the soft-bristled brush to rub all these tight spots. It may take a little longer when cleaning a piece with more intricate designs, crevices, or indentations, so be patient.
-
- First he goes in one direction, and then in the other, so it is left as clean as possible.
-
- On this side, the edge is looking excellent compared to the darker untouched center.
-
- Carlos then wipes the edge carefully until all the cream is removed.
-
- And then he wipes it again with a damp cloth to ensure every bit of cream is gone. One can also rinse the piece carefully and thoroughly, so there is no trace of cream left. This piece is too large for my basement sink.
-
- Again, the edge is wiped thoroughly right away with a soft absorbent cloth to avoid any water marks.
-
- The next step is to clean the center of the tray. Carlos rubs more cream into the piece using the sponge. Whenever polishing metals, be sure you use a product that is specifically made for the type of metal being cleaned.
-
- He takes the soft-bristled toothbrush and gently rubs the flat areas to make any stuck tarnish is removed.
-
- It’s looking much brighter and much shinier. Always avoid using highly abrasive scrubbing cloths, metal-bristled brushes, or steel wool; these will scratch the surface of the brass.
-
- And here it is all finished. Brass items require regular dusting to maintain their shine and to prevent a buildup of tarnish. A more intense cleaning is required when the brass looks dull in color.
-
- Here is another view. I am not yet sure where this piece will end up, but I am sure it will look great.
-
- Here’s another tray with a similar design pattern but in a rectangular shape.
-
- I love how it glistens now that it is cleaned and polished.
-
- And here is a round tray without any colored designs. It looks so beautiful. It’s always so gratifying to get these tasks checked off the list. What are you cleaning up this weekend? Share your comments with me in the section below.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
