How to Clean Brass Tarnish

Learn how to clean brass tarnish using four different methods to restore brass to its original shine!

Over the past year, I’ve been on a journey to decorate my home with beautiful and functional items. As I’ve begun thrifting and antiquing, I’ve noticed myself being drawn to brass pieces. I’ve never loved brass, but it’s something that I now find beautiful. I specifically like brass with some patina on it, some character if you will. I recently found this unique (to me at least) solid brass bowl from the thrift store that I knew I had to have. I paid $4.99 for it and thought that was quite the bargain!

This bowl was quite dirty and had a lot of patina on it, but I knew I could clean it up and restore it. As I said, I do love brass with some patina, but this needed some help. What I also found interesting about this bowl is it had the original manufacturer on it, Farber Brothers. Based on my research, this was probably produced in or around the 1950s!

After researching several methods on how to clean brass tarnish, I settled on a few. I used methods 1-4, as outlined below, and repeated the process three times to achieve the final look. If you’re looking to restore a brass item or items, I recommend starting with method 1, then working your way through the methods and repeating as necessary to achieve the look you desire. Let’s get started!

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HOW TO CLEAN BRASS TARNISH

METHOD 1: SOAP AND WATER

If you’re looking to simply clean your brass and remove dirt, but keep the beautiful patina, then I recommend simply giving it a good scrub with mild dish soap, warm water and a soft sponge or old toothbrush. This method won’t restore shine, but can make a difference in the overall appearance.

METHOD 2: GENTLE SALT AND FLOUR SCRUB FOR BRASS TARNISH

If your goal is to gently remove some tarnish and a few raised spots, then I recommend this method. Dissolve a teaspoon of course salt in 1/3 cup water, then add 1/3 cup of flour to create a paste. Gently rub this paste over the entire item, then rinse it off. Repeat this process as many times as desired.

METHOD 3: VINEGAR SOAK FOR BRASS TARNISH

If your goal is to remove a large amount of tarnish, then a vinegar soak is really great. In a bucket, combine 1 cup of distilled white vinegar with about a gallon of warm water. Then submerge your brass item in the mixture and allow it to soak for 30 minutes. Repeat this process 1-2 more times if needed.

** This vinegar soak will remove the most tarnish of all the methods in my experience, so I highly recommend using caution if that’s not your end goal. You can also adjust the soaking time down if needed.**

METHOD 4: SPECIALIZED METAL CLEANER (BRASSO)

If you’re looking to finish off and polish your brass, using a specialized metal cleaner like Brasso is great. It gives the piece a nice shine and rubs off some tarnish as well.

NOTES

• It’s important to use a soft cloth or sponge when cleaning and removing tarnish from brass so you don’t scratch it.
• Be careful when soaking your brass in vinegar because if you soak brass in vinegar for too long, it can damage it.
• When cleaning with something like Brasso, be sure to do it a well-ventilated area.
• Depending upon how tarnished your brass is, you may want to use a combination of methods 1-4, going in order, to achieve the desired final look. You can repeat the steps a few times as well.

FINAL LOOK

Here’s how the bowl turned out after using the methods above! I was able to remove a lot of the tarnish and crusty spots and I love the final look, even though it’s a little brassier than I wanted it to be. What really made the biggest difference was the vinegar soak. The great thing about brass and similar metals is that the finish is ever-changing. Hopefully you enjoyed this tutorial and can put the cleaning methods to good use!

LOOKING FOR MORE DIY PROJECT IDEAS?

Looking for more DIY project ideas like this? Check these out:

• Easy DIY Barstool Makeover
• How to Strip a Wicker Basket
• Glass Lamp Makeover
• How to Paint a Laminate Dresser

Did you give this tutorial a try? If you did, I’d love to see how it turned out! Tag me on Instagram (@thesimplehomeplace) to show me your own recreation of this recipe!