When it comes to managing a business, attention to details is crucial. Restaurant patrons don’t want to see take-out litter scattered in the parking lot, hotel guests don’t want to walk to the front desk on cracked sidewalks and hospital visitors would rather not be accosted by an antiseptic odor when they walk through the door. Clearly, success is all about the details.
Brass objects such as frames, bell ringers, engravings, candlesticks, fixtures, doorknockers, wall signs and stair railings add a luxurious look and feel to any business. They add a unique richness that is hard to duplicate with any other metal.
However, while customers and staff members alike appreciate the stylish appeal of brass, it’s not always the easiest material to get clean and polished.
Brass tends to show every little smudge and fingerprint, but that’s no reason to let these marks build-up or for brass to tarnish so it looks old and dated, distracting from the overall appearance of the business.
So what can a smart and attentive business owner do? Well, it’s time to familiarize yourself with the many different approaches to keeping brass items clean.
There are several ways to tackle the cleaning and polishing process:
Fake or real? Before determining how to clean and polish brass, first figure out if the object is really brass or simply brass-plated. Both can be cleaned using pretty similar methods, but over-cleaning brass-plated items could cause permanent damage by removing the finish in some spots.
Also, investigate to see if the object has been lacquered or not. Many brass items have a lacquered layer and therefore may be damaged by some cleaners.
Give brass a chance. Give brass objects a regular wipe down to help maintain their appearance. Doing so on perhaps a weekly basis as part of a routine cleaning schedule may help prevent the brass from tarnishing and looking dull. Once brass items tarnish, the process to clean them can be much more tedious and time-consuming.
In addition to weekly spot cleanings and dusting, pencil in monthly sessions with a heavy-duty professional cleaning and polishing agent. Weiman Brass Polish is specially formulated for brass surfaces, so it easily makes quick work of smudges, grease and fingerprints. Not only will it clean the surfaces, water-based cleaner and polish will effortlessly remove tarnish and discoloration. In addition, it also addresses dullness and restores the luster to shiny brass objects. To use the product, just apply, polish, rinse and completely dry.
Go au natrelle. Sometimes simple soap and water can do the trick. Well-maintained brass items that are just dirty or oily from frequent touching may be cleaned by mixing a together a solution of mild detergent with water, gently wiping clean and drying with a soft microfiber cloth. Other common household ingredients, such as white vinegar, can provide the right amount of cleaning and polishing power that you need. Just keep in mind, however, that many homemade solutions will require more time and elbow grease to make brass clean and bright again. To get into all the crevices, for example, use an ultra-soft toothbrush.
A few more notes about homemade cleaners: Make sure to wipe off all the product excess – especially if you are looking to boost the shine factor of brass.
Protective efforts. It might seem obvious, but it is important to note that fingerprints are a very common cause of dirt and grime on brass objects. So, when cleaning these items it is a good idea to wear protective clothing, such as 100 percent cotton gloves.
