Solid brass hinges and hinges made of brass plated steel zinc or cast iron.
How to clean brass plated door hinges.
A sure way to tell the difference between the two is to use a kitchen magnet.
How to clean brass there are numerous ways.
Place a magnet next to the brass hinge you re interested in cleaning.
Before attempting to clean brass door knobs or hardware you need to determine if it s solid brass or brass plated iron steel or zinc as these should only be cleaned with warm soapy water.
If it sticks you ll know it is not made of solid brass.
There are two kinds of brass hinges.
If your piece is lacquered you.
Brass brass is used in many household hardware applications including door knobs door knockers and locks.
Solid brass or coated door knobs.
Start by using soap and water.
Rough polishing or using abrasives is likely to remove the brass plating and damage your hardware.
Plated items can be cleaned with hot soapy water but rubbing or polishing them too aggressively can remove the brass plating so proceed with caution.
When you have brass plated hardware around the home you will notice that dirt and body oils stick to the brass as the hardware is handled.
Brass is heavy while brass plated items are light.
Telling the difference between brass and brass plated hardware is relatively easy.
This leaves the hardware looking tarnished and aged leaving you seeking a cleaning solution that removes all of this buildup without harming the hardware itself.