Surely you have at home some object of bronze. A bell, a mortar, an old key or a lamp. Bronze is a copper alloy (combination of copper and tin). These two metals are extracted from the earth’s crust by mining. When exposed to air and moisture, it develops a greenish coating on its surface.
It seems to some people that this patina adds character bronze and they like to leave it that way, but others prefer to clean it to make it look shiny.
As a general advice, to take care of bronze objects it is important dust them off on a regular basis. Regular cleaning will keep it looking better.
On the other hand, whenever you wet them make sure you dry them very well because otherwise you will help accelerate the growth of that greenish patina that we mentioned.
For those pieces that are smaller or have nooks, we recommend that you use a soft bristle brush.
Finally, you will see that there are specific products on the market to clean bronze. Our recommendation is that you seek professional advice before using a potentially aggressive polishing product.
To make your bronze objects shine and shine again there are several methods that you can carry out with things that you probably have at home.
Methods for cleaning bronze
1. Hot white wine. You can take the cheapest one you can find, what matters is that it has chemicals that clean bronze quickly.
2. Vinegar, water and salt. Mixture equal parts of water and white vinegar in a container large enough to hold the piece of brass you want to clean. Let it soak overnight. If there are multiple pieces, stir them from time to time to make sure the vinegar and salt get to all parts of the pieces. By last, rinse and dry to polish it up.
3. Flour, salt and vinegar. In a small plate, mix equal parts flour and salt. Add vinegar, adding a few drops at a time to form a paste with a texture similar to toothpaste. Apply the paste to the bronze object with your hands (with the rubber gloves) or with a small polishing cloth. Using the polishing cloth, rub the paste over the item in small circular motions. This is the key step in removing dirt, and you may have to scrub several times to achieve the desired effect. Let the paste act for 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse with hot water to remove the paste and pat dry with a clean towel.
4. Water and neutral soap (applicable for other types of metals). The method does not have much mystery, it is about rinsing the pieces that you want to clean in a mixture of soap and water and drying them very well afterwards. This will safely remove dust and / or particles that may hinder your polishing efforts.
5. Lemon, vinegar, ammonia and water. It is the most aggressive option that, in most cases, gives excellent results. It involves immersing the bronze piece in a mixture of lemon, vinegar, ammonia and water for about 5 minutes. Then you have to dry it with a dry cloth to remove excess liquid and wait a few minutes to observe the change. A fast and cheap solution available to everyone.
We hope that these tips have been useful to you and remember that they are useful for bronze, but it is better not to try them with other metals because each one has its own way of cleaning itself.
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
