How To Clean Brass Hardware (With Video Tutorial!)

Having a tough time cleaning all of the brass hardware in your home? I totally get it- I was once struggling too! It can be a real pain to get that tarnish off, but it doesn’t have to be! With just a bit of your time (along with 3 other essentials), you’ll have your brass hardware in tip-top shape in no time. Here’s how to clean brass hardware. Happy polishing!

Y’all, if you’ve followed me for even a minute you know that I’m obsessed with brass. Whether it’s original brass pulls on vintage furniture or brand new brass light fixtures that we incorporated into our new home, I love it all!

Now, I’m not talking about that awful, shiny fake junk that was so popular in the ’80s and ’90s. I’m talking about the gorgeous, solid real deal!

What Is Brass?

It’s a classic metal that will always look stylish and sophisticated. Due to the metallic composition of this alloy, it’s susceptible to tarnishing.

Tarnish is just a really thin layer of corrosion on the surface of the brass. It’s normally easily removed with polishing, and I’m here to show you my favorite way to do just that!

Is It Safe To Clean And Polish Brass?

When it comes to brass, there are a lot of different opinions on how you should clean it.

Some people say that you can use any old household cleaner like soap and water or ammonia. Others swear by using special cleaning products that are made specifically for brass.

The truth is, both methods work fine for cleaning regular metal furniture with regular paint jobs; HOWEVER, if your furniture has an actual layer of brass (or copper) sitting under the paint job, then these other types of cleaners will cause the protective layers to peel off over time.

But, there are some safe products out there to clean brass!

Supplies Needed

It took me a while to figure out what I should use to clean brass hardware in my home. I’ll admit, it was a bit of trial and error but I finally figured it out!

Here are the 3 (yes three!) essentials you’ll need to clean brass safely:

Yup- that’s all you need to get the job done!

How To Clean Brass Hardware Like A Pro!

To show you how to do it, I am going to show you how to polish brass hardware using the brass handles and knobs on my Thomasville dresser that we had converted into a vanity for our master bathroom.

The instant I saw it, I knew it would be absolutely perfect as a vanity! The only thing I wasn’t crazy about was that tarnished hardware! No worries though, I knew it would be stunning after it was polished up.

Instructions:

All you do is:

Remove the hardware from the piece of furniture or cabinet and take it to a sink.
Get the hardware and your preferred brush wet.
Pour some of the cleaning powder onto the brass.
And, all that’s left to do is scrub, scrub, scrub!

That’s it, guys! Couldn’t be easier. Just a bit of elbow grease, and it looks like I just bought it!

Tip: I like to do this every once in a while I am cleaning my painted kitchen cabinets. Just get it all in one go!

Live Video Tutorial

Still struggling a bit? That’s okay! Watch this Facebook Live I did a while back to see how I scrubbed my brass hardware pieces and made them new brand-spankin’ new!

I hope this will inspire you to give your brass a new lease on life! Until next time, my friends, thanks for coming by!