Although chemical brass cleaners are available on the market, it is more safe and eco-friendly to clean non-lacquered brass with natural ingredients, many of which you might already have at home. To clean a non-lacquered brass surface, you can choose oil-based ingredients. If your brass tarnishes easily and has no coating, it is non-lacquered. If you want to clean this tarnish, the lacquer coating will need to be removed, cleaned and polished, and then returned back to the surface of the brass (if you want to prolong the lacquer protection). If you polish and wash lacquered brass on a regular basis it should remain safe from tarnish.īut even lacquered brass can tarnish over years of exposure. Unlike copper items where you may want to remove the lacquer layer, it is better to keep it on your brass, as it prevents it from tarnishing. Most of the brass you might discover in your house is lacquered. It will be covered with other copper salts of various green and blue colours. Only after this stage will the colour change to green. Oxygen in the atmosphere oxidises brass and as a result a black oxide layer is formed on the surface. Before “greening”, the nit will turn black. The process of patina formation depends on many factors and progresses in several stages. For example, it will take five to 25 years for a green patina to form on the surface of a copper roofing sheet. All this diversity gives copper and its two main alloys, bronze and brass, the ability to survive under the influence of the external environment for a long period of time. There are many shades of natural brass patina, from green to olive, blue, earthy, red, and finally black. Patina, in Italian, means a range of various shades formed on the surface of brass and copper under the influence of atmospheric factors during natural or artificial aging (patination). Although brass is called the “eternal metal”, it can become darker from contact with water, which is called tarnishing. It can be yellow, golden, and even have a greenish tint. Depending on the percentage of additives, the alloy acquires different properties and colours. During its manufacture these two elements often have tin, lead, aluminum, nickel and manganese added. This is because its main elements are copper (over 50%) and zinc. You will not find brass deposits in nature. So, how do we take care of products made of copper, brass and bronze? Does Brass Tarnish? With constant contact with water, the brass surface becomes bluish-green. When interacting with air brass gradually darkens. But, like all metals, over time copper, brass and bronze fade and change colour. Copper sinks, brass hoods, bronze furnishings, copper fireplaces, and other products bring beauty and comfort to your home.
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