How To Clean & Polish Brass Naturally

Restore the shine of your favourite brass items naturally, with my tried-and-tested non-toxic and eco-friendly cleaning and polishing methods.

I recently inherited some brass ornaments from my dad. The ornaments belonged to my gran, who passed away when I was 11, so they’ve been in storage for over 30 years.

I have such strong memories of helping my gran clean and polish her figurines. She’d bust out the Brasso and we’d get to work making them gleam. Right now, though, they are in desperate need of a good polish, and I’m determined to do the best I can.

However, this time around I’m going to skip the Brasso. Conventional cleaning products may not be so good for your health or the planet.

As such, I’ve been looking for safe, non-toxic and clean alternatives. I’ve tried and tested lots of different methods to get my brass gleaming. Here’s what you need to know if you’re also looking for ways to sustainably clean and polish your brass items:

Important Checks To Make First Before Cleaning

Before reaching for your natural cleaning supplies, there are a few important checks to make to avoid damaging your item.

Solid Brass Or Brass Plated?

Firstly, it’s important to know whether the item you’re working with is solid brass or brass-plated. Solid brass is more durable and can withstand thorough cleaning. Meanwhile, brass plating is a thin layer of brass over another metal, making it more delicate.

An easy test is to place a small magnet on the piece. If the magnet sticks, it’s likely to be brass-plated. And if it doesn’t stick then it’s likely to be solid brass. For plated items, be gentler to avoid damaging the surface.

Lacquered Or Non-Lacquered?

It’s also important to check first before cleaning to see if the brass has been lacquered or not. This is because most natural and conventional cleaning methods will damage lacquered brass.

Lacquered brass is one that has had a protective layer of clear lacquer applied to the surface. This coating helps prevent oxidation and tarnishing, maintaining the brass’s original appearance. It’s commonly used when a consistent, polished appearance is preferable. As such, you’ll find that many taps, doorknobs, and other types of hardware are lacquered.

Non-lacquered brass lacks this coating, exposing the metal directly to air. This causes the brass to tarnish and causes a patina over time. This might not sound like a plus point, but it can be desirable when used to give pieces a unique character over time. You’ll find that antique hardware, musical instruments, cookware, vintage lamps, or jewellery are often non-lacquered.

To tell the difference between lacquered and non-lacquered brass, inspect the surface closely. Lacquered brass has a clear, glossy coating that protects it from tarnishing. To the touch, it feels smooth and visually your item looks consistently shiny. Non-lacquered items don’t feel smooth or shiny and are likely to be darker in colour.

Need a visual? Here are my two brass ornaments pre-cleaning:

If you look very very carefully, you can see that the tortoise ornament is shiny and a much brighter colour, so it is likely to be lacquered. Meanwhile, the lady isn’t as smooth or shiny and has a much deeper colour so it is likely to be non-lacquered.

I appreciate it’s hard to see – the difference is much clearer in real life – so if you’re in any doubt, you can also do a quick rub test. All you need to do is gently rub an inconspicuous area with a cloth. If the tarnish comes off, the brass is likely to be unlacquered.

And if you are still in any doubt, always contact a professional for advice – especially if it’s a prized antique or family heirloom.

How To Naturally Clean & Polish Brass With Non-Toxic Ingredients

Now that you’ve established if your brass is plated or solid brass, and lacquered or non-lacquered, it’s time to get cleaning the eco-friendly way. Here are my favourite options for all types of brass.

Warm Soapy Water

For cleaning lightly tarnished solid brass, as well as brass plated and lacquered brass items, I’ve found that warm soapy water is the best cleaning option.

All you need to do is mix a bit of eco-friendly washing-up liquid with warm water in a bowl. Then you should use a soft cloth or sponge to wipe the brass. You don’t need anything more heavy-duty than that.

If your brass object has any crevices, then an old, soft toothbrush dipped in the soapy water is ideal for cleaning up any dust and grime that may have gathered there. Just scrub gently to avoid damaging the brass or the lacquer.

Once clean, rinse your brass item with clean water. Then dry it thoroughly with a soft cloth to prevent any water spots or streaks. Job done – no harsh chemicals involved!

Lemon Juice & Salt

For solid, non-lacquered brass there are a few more natural cleaning options open to you.

One good option is lemon and salt. The acidity of the lemon combined with the gentle abrasiveness of the salt works to lift the tarnish and polish the brass beautifully.

All you need to do is cut lemon in half, sprinkle salt onto the cut surface, and use it to gently scrub the brass. You may need to add a little more salt as you go. Once cleaned, rinse the brass with warm water and dry it immediately.

I found it did a great job without the use of toxic chemicals. Plus I already had lemon and salt in my kitchen, so it was really economical.

Vinegar & Salt

White vinegar is another excellent natural cleaner that’s worth trying on solid non-lacquered brass. The acidity of the vinegar really helps to remove any tarnish the non-toxic way.

All you need to do is mix equal parts vinegar and water in a bowl, then add a tablespoon of fine salt. Use a soft cloth to apply this mixture to the brass, rubbing gently to remove tarnish. For stubborn spots, let the solution sit on the brass for a few minutes before scrubbing lightly. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry to finish.

Just be careful. Vinegar can cause your brass to dull if it’s left on for too long, or if you scrub too hard. Make sure you always use diluted vinegar, and never leave the solution to sit for more than 10 minutes to avoid any damage.

I find this method just as effective as lemon juice and is a great one to use if you don’t have any lemons to hand.

Flour, Vinegar & Salt

Another great option for solid, non-lacquered brass is to make a paste of flour, vinegar and salt. It may sound offbeat, but there’s science behind this method.

The acidity of the vinegar helps to cut through any tarnish, the salt reacts with the tarnished brass surface, loosening the metal oxides that cause discolouration. Meanwhile, the flour acts as a gentle abrasive and thickens the mixture so that it sticks to the brass, giving it time to work.

Here’s how to make the paste:

• Pour 100 ml of white vinegar into a bowl, and add 1 teaspoon of salt.
• Stir well to dissolve the salt.
• Add enough flour until the mixture forms a thick paste.

To use, gently rub the paste onto your brass, and let it sit for no more than 10 minutes, before rinsing the paste off with warm water. To finish, buff it dry with a soft cloth.

Again, I found this cleaning method worked really well. It felt a little more involved, and was a bit messier, but my brass came up looking lovely. I’d say it is my preferred method.

Newspaper

Finally, if you’re looking for an eco-friendly way to polish and shine your brass – whether it’s solid or plated, lacquered or not – then newspaper is the thing to reach for.

Cleaning brass with newspaper may sound unusual, but it is surprisingly effective at maintaining its shine. The slightly coarse texture of newspaper acts as a gentle abrasive, helping to polish away surface dirt and fingerprints without scratching the metal. Meanwhile, the paper helps to absorb any oil or grease left on the surface.

To use this method, crumple a piece of newspaper and rub it firmly against the brass in circular motions. While this method won’t remove heavy tarnish, it’s effective and gentle enough for everyday upkeep. Alternatively, you can use it as a finishing touch after deeper cleaning, leaving your brass looking clean and bright.

My gran always used newspaper as the finishing touch after giving her brass the Brasso treatment. So this is one sustainable technique I’m sticking with!

The Natural Cleaning Methods To Avoid

There are a few natural cleaning methods for brass that I’ve seen around the internet that I don’t recommend. Some don’t work because the ingredients you are mixing aren’t compatible, and others just aren’t any good. Here are the methods I recommend avoiding:

Lemon Juice & Bicarbonate Of Soda

I always wince when I see people on the internet recommending using lemon juice and bicarbonate of soda (also known as baking soda) to clean brass, or any surface really. It’s not a solution that I recommend, because it’s not particularly effective, and could damage your brass items.

First off, bicarbonate of soda may be too abrasive. It can potentially scratch softer brass surfaces if applied too vigorously.

However, the main reason that this combination isn’t very effective is all rooted in science. It’s also the same reason that you shouldn’t use bicarbonate of soda and vinegar to clean.

You see, lemon juice is an acid and bicarbonate of soda is an alkali. When you combine an acid with an alkali, they immediately neutralise each other, in a reaction that creates salty water and carbon dioxide. So while the bubbles it creates might look impressive, they do very little, and all you’re essentially cleaning with is salty water.

Since the acidic properties of lemon are what help dissolve tarnish, you’re better off using lemon juice on its own. If you’re looking for a milder, non-reactive abrasive to remove tough tarnish, then try salt. It can be used with lemon juice and is more effective and much more gentle on your brass.

Tomato Sauce/Ketchup

Tomato sauce or ketchup is another eco-friendly cleaning solution that I’ve seen bandied around. Apparently, the acidity of the tomatoes can help lift any stubborn tarnish. I can see the science behind this one – acid is good at removing tarnish – so I did give it a go.

From what I have read, you are meant to smear a layer of sauce onto your item, and let it sit for around 15 minutes, before giving your item a gentle scrub, and then rinsing and drying.

I followed this and found the tomato ketchup didn’t really do anything – apart from leaving a sticky mess to clean up. I would not recommend it.

Protecting Your Brass After Cleaning

Once you’ve restored the shine, you’ll want to keep your brass looking its best for as long as possible. I’ve found that one sustainable yet effective way to protect brass is to apply a thin coat of natural wax, such as beeswax, after cleaning.

Simply rub a little beeswax wax onto the surface, let it dry, and buff it with a soft cloth. This creates a barrier that slows down tarnishing and makes cleaning easier next time.

The Before & After

These are how my two ornaments came out after being cleaned using natural methods.

As the tortoise is made of lacquered brass, its transformation isn’t too radical. A scrub with warm soapy water and a quick buff with some newspaper was all it needed to remove grime that had gathered in the crevices and restore its shine.

The little lady though, that’s a whole other story. She got the flour, vinegar and salt treatment, followed by a newspaper polish and now just look at her shine! It’s like she’s got a whole new lease of life on her.

I’m so pleased with how she turned out after a little eco-friendly TLC. And I’m certain my gran would have been over the moon with these results. It really just goes to show you that you don’t need to use conventional products like Brasso to get that shine and polish on your old brass objects.