When we have splashed out on something special for our home, we want it to stay looking its best for as long as possible. Whether you’ve brought home a vintage brass picture frame or a satin-chrome finish light, there are different ways to look after your precious items.
Brass
With the recent resurgence in popularity for vintage design, brass is becoming more and more popular as a fixture in home décor style.
Whether you choose a true antique piece or a more modern design, you will need to know how to keep your brass looking its best. A homemade recipe requires half a lemon and a teaspoon of baking powder.
Mix the two together to form a paste and then apply to your dirty brass with a soft cloth. Once it is covered, rinse off and dry with a new soft cloth.
Antique Brass Candle Lamp – Baytree Interiors
Copper
If you prefer to use homemade cleaning solutions then all you need to do to bring your copper items back to life is combine lemon juice or white vinegar with a pinch of coarse salt.
Then use a soft brush to coat your copper item, give it a brief clean and then wipe clean with a soft, dry cloth.
Most copper items have a protective layer on them so don’t use any abrasive pads or brushes or you could damage this layer.
Copper Ceiling Light – Design Vintage
Marcasite
You may not have heard of marcasite but it is more common than you might think. Often used in jewellery in particular, marcasite also appears in items such as photo frames and figurines.
Because of its delicate nature, you shouldn’t wash marcasite in water. Instead, use a soft, dry cloth to wipe away any marks or dirt.
If you have a particularly difficult mark to remove, use an extra soft toothbrush, such as one designed for babies, and gently brush away the imperfection.
Marcasite Heart Shaped Locket – Colonia
Satin-Finish Chrome
Finishing off chrome fixtures with a satin-look coating is a great way to add a modern touch to your home, but it can be difficult to keep clean.
The best way to ensure your satin-finish stays looking wonderful is to clean then with a barely-damp cloth before buffing with a separate clean, soft cloth.
You can also buy special polishes for your chrome items that will help maintain the finish, or use a drop of baby oil before buffing.
Satin-Finish Pendant Light – Ocean Lighting
Gold
Because gold is a soft metal, you want to take extra care that you don’t damage the surface when cleaning.
Whether you are taking care of your jewellery, furniture finishings or other household item, the best tool to use is a soft toothbrush.
Once you have your toothbrush, soak your item in warm soapy water (you only need a couple of drops of your normal washing up liquid) and brush away any dirt with the toothbrush.
Dry with a clean, soft cloth.
