Tips For Keeping Your Brass Shiny

If you want to keep your brass items looking shiny and new, it is important to give them some ‘extra special’ attention. This is not to say, however, that you will need to take your trombone on a spa day or sign your staircase railing up to a dating website – all you need to do is treat your brass well and properly care for it, and it will retain its gleam for years to come.

Think about the last time that you saw an orchestra or visited a hotel – did you think that the brass instruments or fixtures were dirty? Of course not! The people who work with these brass items know the proper way to care for them, on a daily, monthly and yearly basis. Follow these tips for keeping your brass looking as shiny as possible for much longer:

• Once a week, you should lubricate the moving parts of your brass items using an appropriate solution. For example, if you own a trumpet, you should unscrew the valves, apply the oil and press the valve back into position.

• It is important to ensure that there is no moisture on the inside of your brass items, as this can cause discolouration to the metal and encourage mould or algae growth. This is most important in the case of brass musical instruments.

• After each use, you should wipe down the outside of your brass items with a soft, clean cloth, as this will remove any oils or perspiration that may have been left on the item by your hands.

• If you can, store your brass items in a special case when not in use, as this will spare the metal from being subjected to unnecessary damage and keep it clean.

• Once a month, you should give all of your brass items a thorough clean internally (if you can get to the inside). In order to effectively complete this task, you will need to completely take apart the item. You will also need cleaning brushes, liquid soap and oil lubricants.

When it comes to keeping your brass shiny for as long as possible, it is important to stick to a strict cleaning schedule. By ensuring that you do the above tasks after each use of the brass item, once a week, once a month or once a year, you will find that it looks as good as new and will last you for many years into the future. Failing to properly care for your brass, however, will lead to its eventual damage and the need to replace the item.