The decision on whether to polish antique brass is ultimately a personal one for your own piece of furniture. Brass in an untouched state could be seriously tarnished and unsightly or dirty, but highly polished brass can look ‘too new’.
Our outlook has always been to ‘lightly clean’ the brass on our beds. We aim to have the brass clean while retaining it’s antique heritage.
To lightly clean your brass, Brasso and a polish maybe used to gently remove dirt.
Sometimes, the brass on our beds is heavily tarnished and does require a deeper clean. For this we turn to a bottle of white vinegar. it’s a great, chemical free and cheap store cupboard product that works brilliantly.
Warm a pan full of clear white vinegar, and place your brass in the pan, gently heat for a few minutes. Paint and years of dirt will be removed. Dry it with a cloth once cool enough to hold, use brasso wool to clean the remaining dirt and polish with a smooth dry cloth. Leave on kitchen paper to allow any excess vinegar to drain out before a final polish and returning to your bed.
Simply cleaning the brass lifts the bed and gives it a new look. Re-polish over time to keep it shiny or let it age again.
