If you are looking for a low-cost, low-elbow grease way to clean the copper and brass around your home then try this:
For this natural copper and brass polish you need: some baking soda, some white vinegar, and a cleaning cloth.
To make the cleaner you mix baking soda and white vinegar together to create a paste. You then rub the paste into the copper or brass object that you wish to clean. Rinse, and buff with a dry cloth; and, voila, a new shining object.
The technology behind this cleaner is the fact that the acetic acid in the vinegar and the sodium in the baking soda work together to dissolve the tarnish.
The benefits of using a baking soda/vinegar polish is that it is inexpensive, free of chemicals and all natural. This cleaner and polish is food-safe, environmentally-friendly and, last but not least, fast-acting.
A couple of tips:
- Be sure to use a soft cloth. Stiff brushes, scouring pads and other scratchy tools can damage copper, as copper is a relatively soft metal.
- If the object you're cleaning is badly tarnished, you may need to repeat the process
- This polish can also be used to clean bronze.
Michael Smith (Veshengro), March 2008
