Ask Mrs. Clean: House Cleaning, Stain Removal and Organizing Tips

[cleaning_joy]

hello everyone,

I would like to know if there is anything I can do to keep my brass flamingo to shine longer than it usually does?
It has been very tiring polishing it once a year but after about 5months it starts to get all dirty and not shiny.
Is there anything or any product I can coat it with to keep its shine longer?

Thanks,
Cleaning_Joy

[mrscleannw]

Hello Cleaning_joy, and Welcome to Mrs. Clean’s Forum:

As you have found, the biggest challenge in keeping brass shiny is to not only remove the tarnish, but delay the oxidation process. What is recommended is a weekly wiping with a little liquid ammonia on a soft cloth to help keep unlacquered brass shiny.

Most brass polishes such as "Brasso®," "Never Dull®," etc. coat the copper surface with a thin film of oil to help inhibit future tarnishing. I don’t know what you are using as a polish but check to make sure that it contains all of the following:


1. A solvent/detergent to remove tarnish
2. A mild abrasive to polish the meta
3. An oil to act as a barrier between the raw metal and air


Be sure not to overcoat your brass. More is not better in this case as excess polish creates a smudging problem and will only attract dirt and grime. Only a very small amount should be applied; just enough to create a thin film.

Some recommend distributing a small an amount of polish on an absorbent cloth. Then, dry the cloth for a minimum of 24 hours. After 24 hours, polish object using a motion “with the grain”. Working in small sections, use another clean cloth to buff in a rapid motion. This will create friction and harden the polish creating a surface that will be harder for dirt to stick to.

I also found this interesting piece of advice: Use Olive Oil to keep brass looking brighter and it will require less polishing. Olive oil is said to retard the oxidation process.
If you want to lacquer, it can be done at home or you can have it done for you. From what I have found, it can be a tricky process to do it yourself. First, all old lacquer (if it was lacquered) must be removed and the surface completely clean. This means that no fingerprints or cleaner whatsoever remain. Spray the lacquer on evenly and use multiple thin coats. Most people say that is not easy to do the first time. To maintain the lacquer finish, wash in sudsy, lukewarm water, rinse and dry. Never use hot water on lacquered items because it will degrade the lacquer; and do not polish or soak in water after lacquer is applied.

Here's some more information about brass cleaning.
I hope this helps and good luck with your project. Let us know how it all works out!

[cleaning_joy]

oh thank u for the info,

i usually use brasso and it gets it very shiny but not for long. And it is a tiring job polishing my two flamingos.
I kinda like the idea of the olive oil. I shall try that and see how it turns out.

Thanks

[tammy123]

Brasso is good for keeping all the brass utensils clean and shiny and at the same time, there is some other homemade option which is best for keeping it clean for a longer time and that method is using vinegar with lemon juice which is the best combination to use.

Thanks