How Do You Clean Brass Plates at Home?

You can effectively clean brass plates at home using a simple paste made from common household ingredients like salt, vinegar, and baking soda.

Cleaning brass items, including plates, helps restore their shine and remove tarnish. A popular and effective homemade method involves combining ingredients readily available in most kitchens.

Simple Homemade Brass Cleaner

This method utilizes a chemical reaction between the acidic vinegar, abrasive salt, and mildly alkaline baking soda to gently lift tarnish and dirt from the brass surface.

Here's how to apply this cleaning technique based on the provided reference:

1. Gather Your Ingredients: You will need table salt, white vinegar, and baking soda.
2. Prepare the Mixture: Combine equal parts of table salt, white vinegar, and baking soda in a small bowl.
3. Mix Thoroughly: Stir the ingredients together until they are fully combined, forming a paste-like consistency.
4. Apply the Paste: Use a soft microfiber cleaning cloth to apply the mixture evenly onto the surface of the brass plate you are cleaning.
5. Allow to Sit: Let the applied mixture sit undisturbed for one hour on the brass plate. This allows the cleaning agents time to work on the tarnish.
6. Rinse Clean: After one hour, rinse your brass item well in clean, cold water. Ensure all traces of the cleaning paste are removed.
7. Dry (Optional but Recommended): While the reference doesn't explicitly mention drying, it's generally a good practice to dry the plate thoroughly with a clean, soft cloth after rinsing to prevent water spots and potential re-tarnishing.

This method provides a straightforward way to tackle tarnished brass plates using basic household staples, helping them look their best.

Remember to test any cleaning method on an inconspicuous area first, especially for valuable or antique brass items, to ensure it doesn't cause any damage or discoloration.