How do I clean unlacquered brass?

If your brass is not lacquered, we suggest a metal polish, such as Wenol. Simply, dab on the object to be cleaned, a small amount of polish, and rub with a soft cloth until the polish turns black. Then rub off the polish with a clean portion of the cloth. If you are not sure if your brass is lacquered, then please read the next question.

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How do I know if my brass is lacquered?

Sometimes it is really difficult to tell whether an item has lacquer on it. On a fine quality piece, lacquer is not apparent at all. It is actively protecting the brass from tarnishing even though it cannot be seen. Generally, if your piece looks tarnished over-all, you can safely clean it with a fine cleaner such as Wenol. Use a tiny bit of brass cleaner on the metal. With very light pressure, rub the cleaner and see if the cloth turns black. This would mean that the cleaner is touching the bare, unlacquered metal. If the cleaner stays pink, the piece you have is lacquered, since the clear lacquer is preventing you from cleaning the metal.

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How do I safely clean my lacquered brass?

Lacquered brass will not tarnish, but the lacquer can become dirty, dusty, or water spotted. Lacquered brass can be safely washed with tepid, soapy water, rinsed, and towel dried. An even better way to clean lacquered brass is to use Faucet Brite on it. Faucet Brite contains cleaners which will remove dirt and film. The polymers in Faucet Brite will bond to the lacquer and strengthen it. The piece will shine brightly just as your car's finish does when waxed. Faucet Brite also works to protect the lacquer even more by repelling water and grime.

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Why doesn't my item look evenly polished when I'm done cleaning it?

It would seem that what you have noticed is that you have a lacquered piece. The lacquer has started to break down. Some of the brass is unprotected and, therefore, tarnishing in spots. This would be a condition of a very old lacquered piece or one that has been improperly cared for. For instance, some cleaning products that contain ammonia would wear away the lacquer over time. Or perhaps, the piece was scratched and the lacquer was damaged. In this case, you must remove the lacquer with a lacquer stripper first, then polish it with Wenol. It will shine like new! Simply maintain the shine by polishing the brass item two to three times a year. If you want to re-lacquer the item, after it is well polished, use a lacquer spray made especially for brass. Just follow the label's directions. Keep in mind, however, that polishing with a fine cleaner, such as Wenol, is not difficult at all and will never need stripping again.

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How do I clean brass with the Baldwin Lifetime Finish?

Just wipe it down with a damp cloth! Lifetime Finish products won't ever turn or tarnish. Just wipe away dust or dirt that has settled on the peice and it will shine like it's new!! You can even use a window cleaning product containing ammonia without damaging the finish of products with the Lifetime FinishTM. That's the beauty of the Baldwin Lifetime FinishTM!