Keep in mind that vinegar dissolves not just the patina or stains on your brass surface. If that doesn’t work, then consider going for a mild type like cider vinegar. If the vinegar seems too strong for your brass item, dilute it in water. Also known as white vinegar, this type is more potent than those produced from fruit extracts. The ideal vinegar for cleaning is the one that’s made in a lab-acetic acid mixed with water. Some are more potent than others.īefore you start rubbing your brass item with vinegar, find out how it was produced. Meaning, vinegar may also come in different types. It’s important to note that there are several ways to ferment organic extracts. While vinegar may not seem that harsh, as proven by how mild it feels when applied on the skin, don’t underestimate its ability to corrode substances on metals. Things to Remember before You Clean Brass with Vinegar And like other acids, it can corrode a wide array of substances, including patina on brass. The main reason vinegar is an effective cleaning agent is that it’s an acid. There’s another level in which alcohol is further catalyzed into acetic acid, the chemical that makes up vinegar. But that’s just the first level of fermentation. In this process, bacteria break down sugar into alcohol, the same method used for making wine. Vinegar is produced through fermentation. But what makes cleaning brass with vinegar possible? Why do tough stains come off faster when soaked in vinegar than when washed with bleach? The answer lies in its chemical composition. They use it to disinfect wooden cupboards or give their metal frames and trims extra shine. Many people use vinegar for cleaning home furniture and fixtures. What makes vinegar an excellent metal polish? Familiar products like vinegar are also excellent at cleaning metal. But commercial metal polish is not the only product that can clean brass. When combined, they become the ultimate tarnish remover. These are the substances they have in common.Īll of these substances are corrosive. The quality of commercial metal polish products may vary from brand to brand, but they all have the same mixture. As it turns out, there’s more than a handful. You may be wondering what substances there are in the metal polish that allow it to dissolve tarnish or patina. The good news is that patina is only superficial and can diminish when scrubbed off with metal polish. Then, it will turn duller and darker until the patina becomes apparent. You’ll know patina is already forming when brass starts losing its sheen. Fortunately, brass develops patina more slowly than copper and its other alloys, making it easier to polish.īrass comes in over 60 different types, most of which are lustrous. After all, brass sheets, tubes, and bars contain about 67 percent copper, which is the primary reactant during patina formation. All copper alloys develop a crust made of oxide and carbonate, called patina, when exposed to the air.
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