All over the globe, brass jewelry is fashionable, trendy, durable, and inexpensive. However, brass jewelry can become dull and difficult to maintain. We are here to help you clean your brass jewelry at home.
How to Clean Brass Jewelry: Easy and Effective Methods
Ketchup
You can revive most brass items with regular ketchup.
- Rubber gloves and an apron are recommended to protect your hands from ketchup spillage while cleaning. Use a paper towel to absorb as much ketchup from the jewelry.
- Turn the item over and apply ketchup to the other side. The results will be noticeable!
- If your piece is tarnished, you can leave the ketchup on for 4-6 minutes.
- Sponge any excess ketchup off and rinse with warm, soapy water.
- Allow your jewelry to dry overnight so that it doesn’t get ruined when you wear it.
Toothpaste
Toothpaste is an excellent cleaner for brass and requires little effort.
- Use regular toothpaste to clean your brass jewelry.
- Continue to remove dirt and grime.
- To make your brass jewelry shine, rinse it and then wipe it with a soft, dry cloth.
Notice: Toothpaste is mildly abrasive, so it should only be used for occasional cleaning.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice can be used to clean red and yellow brass jewelry.
- Soak it in a glass bowl of lemon juice for delicate jewelry that has multiple pieces. Alternately, soak cotton swabs with fresh lemon juice and rub them on the jewelry for five to ten minutes.
- Make sure to rinse your jewelry well and dry it with a clean towel until it shines.
- You can also use your toothbrush to clean difficult-to-reach areas and get rid of any dirt or grime quickly.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a household cleaner that has been around for a while. It can also be used to clean your brass jewelry. With a bit of apple cider vinegar, you can make sparkling brass jewelry no matter how short it takes. You should wear gloves before you apply the vinegar to your hands and wrists.
- For several hours, or even overnight, submerge your jewelry into a bowl of vinegar. For better results, you can add salt to the vinegar.
- Take your jewelry out of the solution, and use a clean cloth to wipe off any vinegar left behind.
- Before you wear your items again, make sure to wash them.
Baking soda
You can use baking soda and salt to make your brass jewelry look new. It is easy, and you can retain some patina to add charm. This natural cleaning method preserves the brass’s shine. Baking soda won’t scratch or alter the metal color, even though it is slightly rough.
- Mix a little salt and baking powder in a bowl with some water.
- Make a paste by blending the ingredients.
- Use the cleaning paste to scrub your jewelry for five minutes, then rinse it with warm water.
- In no time, your brass jewelry piece will be restored to its original glory. You can use an old toothbrush for those difficult-to-reach places on your jewelry. However, be careful not to scratch them.
You can clean brass jewelry without removing the patina.
Over time, brass can tarnish and develop a greenish patina. This patina is a beautiful addition to jewelry and adds elegance and color.
You can clean these pieces with warm water and soap to preserve the patina. This will remove dirt, grime, and buildup without removing the patina.
To gently remove the patina, use a soft cloth instead of a polishing cloth. To avoid water stains, wipe your jewelry clean with a dry cloth.
Next, we will discuss cleaning and polishing your brass jewelry to stay beautiful and shiny. Continue reading for more details.
How to Care for Brass Jewelry
- Avoid using abrasive cleaners or polishes, as they can damage the protective, golden sheen of your jewelry and make it look dull.
- Only use a polishing cloth on uncoated pieces. It would help if you did not use the polishing cloth on jewelry with engravings, paints, or etchings. The fabric’s abrasive surface can scratch anything that isn’t polished silver or gold.
- Use a toothbrush to clean hard-to-reach corners. Tiny hairs can be used as long as the bristles are smooth.
- To clean cast brass jewelry, you only need warm water. After scrubbing, lay them flat on a towel and dry them overnight.
Let’s now get to the at-home hacks that prevent tarnishing from your brass jewelry.
How to Prevent Brass Jewelry from Tarnish
- Keep your brass jewelry in a dry, clean place.
- Avoid using abrasive cleaning methods on brass jewelry. They can strip the patina and cause a dark green or black patch.
- To avoid water spots, dry your jewelry immediately after cleaning.
- To prevent scratches, wipe off any excess cleaning agent from the jewelry.
- Your jewelry’s ability to tarnish quickly will depend on the strength of alkaline and acidic solutions. Avoid using harsh chemicals for cleaning.
- You can use a high-quality polish to rub the metal until it shines. This can be repeated if there is any visible tarnish. It will only work if you polish your jewelry sparingly.
- Avoid wearing brass jewelry while you are swimming or showering. Avoid contact with harsh chemicals such as perfume, household cleaners, and makeup removers.
- Keep brass pieces out of direct sunlight.
- Avoid rubbing your brass jewelry against other pieces. This can cause scratches. To avoid scratching each other, place felt pads between the details if you store them for a long time.
These simple and easy ways to maintain your brass jewelry’s shine will last many years. There are no rules or guidelines on how to care for brass jewelry. Just use common sense and safety.
Don’t get too much water on the metal. So that you don’t scratch your brass jewelry, make sure not to wear it during strenuous activities. Your beautiful jewelry will last forever with a bit of love, care, and cleaning.