What could be more annoying than to see that your favorite brass jewelry has changed color the very day you wanted to wear it. With our quick and easy tips, they’ll be as good as new. Follow the guide!
Before giving you our tips, a little reminder on what brass is. Brass also known as “yellow copper” is a metal alloy often used for the creation of jewelry (rings, earrings, necklaces…). It is golden in color and composed mainly of copper and zinc.
It offers many advantages for jewelers because it is easy to work with and resists over time. One more reason to take good care of it. It is also cheaper than other precious metals and does not cause contact allergies if it is of good quality.
ATTENTION: Only wash the brass part of the jewel because the products could damage the more delicate parts. It all depends on your necklace, ring or other. If it is entirely made of brass, no problem. If not, be careful when cleaning so as not to lose quality.
Now let’s get to the heart of the matter: how to take care of your brass jewelry? Here we will give you 5 tips to keep them looking like new as long as possible.
1. Soapy water
This tip is the best known. Simply wash the brass jewelry with soapy water using a soft toothbrush or a small brush. Rinse and wipe with a soft cloth and you’re done!
2. Toothpaste
Here again you will need a small brush. Then rub the brass jewelry with toothpaste, rinse and dry it. You can leave the toothpaste on for a few minutes if needed. This also works with flour, salt or baking soda.
No brush? A rag will do just fine and will be gentler on your earrings for example. This tip is very useful if you 5. Ketchuphave more fragile parts on your brass jewelry (precious stone, other material than brass…).
3. The Coke
This tip is the simplest of all! Just let your jewelry soak for a few minutes in a glass of Coke. You can always scrub a little with a small brush. Like the other tips, rinse and dry.
This type of cleaning should be avoided if your jewelry is also made of another material like earrings with other decorations that are not made of brass.
4. White vinegar
No Coke in your house? No worries, white vinegar works great too! And it’s the same principle as the Coke bath.
A few drops on a chamois leather can also bring back the shine to the jewel. This tip is perfect for more fragile necklaces, earrings or a brass ring with a precious stone.
5. Ketchup
Simply spread ketchup on the brass parts of your jewelry, let it sit for a few minutes and scrub with a sponge or soft brush. Then rinse and dry.
Be careful, only clean your jewelry when necessary. Repeated cleaning can damage them. Instead, it’s best to wipe them with a soft cloth after each use. This should save you from having to clean them often.
Be sure to choose the type of cleaning you will do depending on your jewelry and the type of jewelry. Some are more suitable than others if you have more fragile non-brass parts on your jewelry. If your bracelet is entirely made of brass, no worries in this case. It also depends on the condition of the bracelet. Do you just want to restore its shine because it is a bit dull or do you want to remove the verdigris (greenish deposit on the brass jewel)?
Storage also plays a role in the conservation of the jewel. The ideal is to keep it in a small fabric pouch away from the sun, humidity and light. Also avoid leaving them in the open air.
In order to keep them in good condition for as long as possible, here are some tips. Avoid contact with cosmetics, perfumes, cleaning products and chlorinated pool water. It is also advisable to avoid washing with it as this could damage the brass jewelry.
