How do you clean tarnished brass sinks?

Beginner Info, Kitchen, Sink

How do you clean tarnished brass sinks
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So, how do you clean tarnished brass sinks?

Well, in this post, I would be walking you through the nuts and bolts of cleaning a tarnished brass sink.

And, the best part is, even though you’re expediting the cleaning process for the first time, you can do it on your own without the need for professional guidance.

Does it make sense?

So, without any further ado, let’s begin…

How do you clean tarnished brass sinks?

Frankly speaking, cleaning a tarnished brass sink isn’t a fun task at all, and trust me, you’re NOT gonna enjoy it at all.

However, the process that we’re gonna share with you’ll help you to clean your tarnished brass sink without any hassle and of course, in an epigrammatic span of time.

But, before that, do you know the main reason behind your brass sink tarnishing?

Well, the culprits are chemicals, water, and also oxygen present in the atmosphere that plays a devil role and corrode your brass sink with the passage of time.

As we all know, prevention is better than cure, so you need to clean your brass sink on a regular basis in order to maintain both its shine and color.

To be honest, there are quite a few ways in which you can clean your tarnished brass sink.

However, we would be only discussing the methods that we’ve been recommending to your clientele for quite some time now.

The good news is, the feedback that we’ve received so far is amazing and mind-boggling.

Steps involved in cleaning a tarnished brass sink:

Before we dive deep into the cleaning methodology, make sure that the brass sink that you’re planning to clean is real.

In case, you’re not sure about your sink, then just by expediting a simple test you can be sure whether your sink is made of pure brass or NOT.

Take a magnet and bring it near your brass sink, if it sticks to your sink then the quality of brass isn’t pure and vice-versa.

Prerequisite

It’s highly advisable to be ready with the below-mentioned list of items in order to prevent any last-hour misadventure.

  • Vinegar
  • Salt
  • Baking soda
  • Lemon
  • Ketchup
  • Soft cloth
  • Dish soap
  • Gloves
  • Brass cleaner
  • Brass polish
  • Soft-bristled toothbrush

Trust me, you need to be handy with all the aforementioned items in order to reap maximum benefits out of our steps.

Prepare Your Sink

You need to prepare your corroded brass sink for cleaning.

First and foremost, all the utensils and other related things need to be removed from and in and around your tarnished brass sink.

Use a piece of soft cloth to remove any food particles or specks of dirt present in your brass sink.

In simple words, make sure that all the food particles and other specks of dirt visible from naked eyes are removed.

Apply Cleaning Agent

Now, it’s time to apply a cleaning agent to your entire sink.

Frankly speaking, there are numerous cleaning agents that you can use for this purpose.

Below is the list of the cleaning agent that we recommend to our clients for cleaning their tarnished brass sink.

  • Lemon
  • Lemon and salt
  • A mixture of lemon, salt, and baking soda
  • Ketchup
  • A mixture of salt, vinegar, and flour
  • Toothpaste
  • Warm soapy water
  • A reliable brass cleaner and polish

Of course, you can use commercial cleaning agents available on Amazon like this one.

However, we recommend using natural cleaning agents such as lemon and salt, and from our past experience, we can affirm that it will give you satisfactory results.

Well, before you start expediting the cleaning process, it is solely your responsibility to make your safe and secure.

The best thing that you can do is to cover your body fully and to safeguard your eyes and hands, you can wear spectacles and gloves respectively.

If you’re interested in using lemon juice as I do, then cut a couple of lemons and pour the juice into each and every part of your tarnished brass sink.

Wait for a couple of minutes, so that the juice settles down.

For better results, you can use a mixture of lemon juice and a pinch of salt.

Another highly effective method is using baking soda along with lemon juice.

Prepare a thick paste of baking soda and lemon juice by mixing them in a 1:1 ratio.

The next thing that you’ve to do is to smear the mixture on your brass sink and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes if not MORE.

We highly recommend you use a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice in case, your brass sink is heavily corroded.

If you love trying innovative methods, then I’ve got one for you.

Well, you can spread a thin layer of ketchup all over your tarnished brass sink.

Many of you might be wondering how can ketchup help in cleaning your tarnished brass sink, right?

Well, the tomato present in your ketchup contains mild acid that is capable enough to remove specks of dirt.

However, this isn’t a quick process, in fact, it will consume at least 30 minutes of yours so expedite it only when you don’t have a scarcity of time.

The good thing about cleaning your sink with ketchup is its ability to enhance the shining as well.

One of the most recommended ways of cleaning a tarnished brass sink is by using a mixture of salt, vinegar, and flour.

Make sure the salt dissolves completely.

The next thing that you need to do is to rub the mixture thoroughly on your tarnished brass sink and leave it for at least 30 minutes to settle down.

Another effective home remedy is the use of toothpaste on the sink.

The procedure is fast, quick, and newbie-friendly.

All you need to do is to apply a thin layer of toothpaste to your tarnished brass sink.

Then, allow it to settle for some time.

Now, remove the toothpaste with the help of soap water solution to optimize the outcome.

Last but not least, if you don’t have budget constraints then you can think of trying brass cleaner commercial solutions.

They are easy to apply and will do the trick for you.

Make sure that you’re opting for plant-based cleaners as they are free from harmful ingredients that may corrode your tarnished brass sink further.

Rubbing Your Tarnished Brass Sink

This is a simple yet very crucial step that you can’t afford to ignore.

Before expediting this step, you need to allow the cleaning solution to settle down irrespective of the type you’re planning to use.

Once you’re sure the cleaning solution has done its work, then you need to either use a soft cloth or a toothbrush to rub specks of dirt, stains, corrosion and other impurities.

In case, you didn’t get a satisfactory result, then you need to repeat the step until you’ve achieved the outcome that you were expecting.

For lifting grime and stains, you can also add elbow grease.

In simple words, continue rubbing until the surface is free of stains, corrosion, and specks of dirt.

Wipe or Rinse the Sink Clean

Once you’re done cleaning your brass sink thoroughly, the next thing that you need to do is to carefully wipe away the residue or build-up using a wet piece of cloth.

Moreover, you can also rinse the sink with warm water for optimum output.

Don’t forget to remove scratches from your brass sink after expediting the cleaning process.

Lastly, dry your sink using a clean and dry cloth.

Time to Polish Your Brass Sink

The cleaning of your brass sink needs to be followed by polishing.

In order to maintain its shiny golden color, you need to polish it thoroughly.

Linseed oil will do the trick for you when it comes to polishing a brass sink.

How to keep brash sink shiny?

If you’re NOT satisfied with the shinning that your brass sink is having then you need to follow the below-mentioned steps to enhance the shininess.

Brass Sink Polishing

At least polish your brass sink twice to get the best result.

The more you’ll polish the better the result would be.

All you need to do is to put some polish on a piece of clean and dry cloth and use it to rub the area that you want to shine more.

Use another cloth to clean the area post polishing.

Trust me, polishing scratches out of your brass sink is easy and less time-consuming.

All you need to do is to rub your brass sink with a high-quality polish till the time the surface becomes smooth and even.

Rinse-Off the Polish from Your Brass Sink

Well, after polishing your brass sink, you must neutralize any acid if present by rinsing the area with clean water.

As per my knowledge and experience, I can affirm that most of the brass polishes don’t require neutralizing.

However, exceptions are bound to be there, isn’t it?

Remove Residue If Any….

It is quite possible that after neutralizing the polish used, you might find some residue.

In order to coat the brass in a hassle-free manner, you need to clean them all off.

Coat the Brass

Last but not least, you would be needing a reliable and effective coat such as Everbrite for coating your brass sink.

For applying the coating, I would suggest you should either use a cotton pad or a sprayer for reaping the maximum benefits out of the process.

We highly recommend you should apply for two coats.

Between the two coats, the gap should be of at least an hour if not more.

Once you’re done with the coating, your brass sink will definitely shine more than before.

How do your remove heavy oxidation from a brass sink?

Though there are quite a few effective methods that can help you in removing heavy oxidation from your brass sink still I would be discussing the one that has given me the BEST RESULT.

You need to prepare a solution of lemon and baking soda.

This can be done by combing the juice of half a lemon with a teaspoon of baking soda.

Stir the solution until it converts into a paste.

Use a soft cloth for applying the paste to your tarnished brass sink.

If the tarnish is heavy then in that case, allow the paste to sit on your brass sink for at least 30 minutes.

Rinse off with warm water and then dry your brass sink.

FAQs

As promised to my clientele and the avid readers of izzysmarthomeguide.com, I would be responding to the queries related to how do you clean a tarnished brass sink.

In case, I’m NOT able to respond to your query then please reach out to us via the contact form and our core team would be more than happy to assist you.

Can I use hydrogen peroxide for cleaning my brass sink?

Of course, you can use hydrogen peroxide for cleaning your brass sink.

But, at the same time, you need to make sure that you’re NOT applying hydrogen peroxide in abundance as it can do more bad than good to your brass sink.

Hydrogen peroxide is a good oxidizing agent so you can use it for oxidizing purposes.

What does oxidation on brass look like?

Oxidized brass is typically blackish, green, or blue, and hardens like a thick crust over the surface of the brass.

In order to reveal the shiny brass surface of your sink, you need to flake off the coating.

The good thing about oxidation is that it doesn’t have any effect on the integrity of the brass the way corrosion does.

How long does it take for the brass sink to tarnish?

To be honest, there isn’t any hard and fast rule.

In general, it takes somewhere around 1.5 to 2 years for the brass sink to tarnish in the natural way.

Does apple cider vinegar clean brass?

Yes, apple cider vinegar clean brass.

I’m attaching a self-explanatory video for your perusal.

What can you put on brass sink to keep it from tarnishing?

Most of you would be aware of the fact that a brass sink will start to tarnish as soon as it will be exposed to oxygen.

The only way to prevent your brass sink from tarnishing is by preventing the oxygen from reaching it.

In simple words, you can prevent tarnishing of your brass sink by coating it with a layer of clear sealer that will prevent air from reaching the brass itself.

Wrapping Up | How do you clean tarnished brass sinks

First and foremost, I would like to thank you for being with us till the end.

Secondly, I would like to bring to your notice that I along with my core team have put loads and loads of effort in coming up with this idiosyncratic superlative piece of information on how do you clean tarnished brass sinks.

And, in case, you liked our effort and wants to appreciate us then please do share this post with the like-minded people and the ones who are in need of it.

After all, sharing is caring, isn’t it?

Cutting long-story-short, cleaning a tarnished brass sink isn’t a tedious or time-consuming task at all.

Both natural and commercial products will do the trick for you.

Of course, commercial cleaners works faster as compared to natural cleaners but at the same time, you need to understand that you need to spend some money for buying them.

However, natural remedies such as lemon juice will do the trick without you having to worry about the budget.

That’s all, as of now :):)

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