Cassie Bustamante

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How to Make Aged Brass Look New Again

August 26, 2016 by Cassie 19 Comments

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Happy Friday!  I don’t know about you, but I am really excited about this weekend.  We don’t even have any major plans but this first week back to school was pretty busy and I am just excited about reconnecting with the family unit.  With our August Sweet Clover sale over already, the kids back in school, and Chris having a busy work week, I felt sort of like a deer in headlights this week.  There were plenty of things I could do, but I was just frozen, unsure of what my next move should be.  Have you ever been there?  So I just remained pretty aimless, and worked in all sorts of directions- organizing cabinets, shuffling furniture, painting a dresser, restyling my kitchen shelves for Fall.  That last one let me to today’s post because I have this cute little wooden box shaped like an apple with a brass lid.  The lid was tarnished and speckled, so I decided to reach for Barkeeper’s Friend, a product I always have on hand to clean my stainless steel sink as well as my glass cooktop.  It worked so well that I wanted to share with you how to make aged brass look new again, and with very little investment, time, or effort.How-to-Polish-BrassThis little apple box stores all of our chalk, and I love that it keeps it out of sight, stowed away in a cute accessory.  And of course, with Fall around the corner, an apple is a great seasonal touch.  It’s lid was a mess though, tarnished and mottled.  Next to the lovely warm wood it looked terrible.How to Make Aged Brass Look New Again

I pulled out Barkeeper’s Friend and tested a small area to see how it would work.  I dampened a paper towel (any rag or cloth will work), and sprinkled some Barkeeper’s Friend, a powdery substance, into a little dish.  (When I am cleaning my stovetop or sink I sprinkle it right onto the surface, but with the shape and size of this apple box lid, this method worked better.)  I dipped the damp towel into the powder and then ran it in little circles on the brass lid.  Here is a look at what happened after just about 5 seconds.Barkeeper's Friend for shining aged brassAmazing, right? I finished the entire lid, repeating the dampen, dip, rub method.  When I was finished, I took a clean cloth and wiped off any residue and film. I had never seen brass so shiny- or at least since the late 1980’s brass fixture movement.  That leaf really catches the light now.How-to-Polish-Brass-Easily

How-To-Shine-Vintage-Brass

The apple looks right at home on my Fall shelves, which I will be sharing in a couple of weeks.  For now here’s a little peek at that.Styling-Kitchen-Open-Shelving-Fall

Of course, I couldn’t stop there.  If you know me, you know that there are so many other brass pieces in my house that were just waiting to be revitalized.  Recently I had contemplated selling my precious brass deer… They’ve been happily living on my hearth for quite some time now.  To refresh your memory, here they are just a couple months ago.Black Fireplace and Modern Boho Mantle with Fringe, Cacti, white peonies

I repeated the same method I used on the apple lid on these guys, and now I am so glad I hadn’t brought myself to sell them.  They’re striking, thanks to Barkeeper’s Friend.  Also, as you can see, I haven’t changed my mantle at all; at least I still have fresh flowers.Brass-Deer-Eclectic-Boho-Fireplace-MantleNow that I see these two photos together, the difference is dramatic! I can’t tell who’s shinier- the deer or the disco ball?DIY-Brass-ShiningThey’ve literally got a glint in their eyes now.  And ears.  And tails.Make-Brass-Look-New-AgainThere are still a couple of little spots I need to spend more time in, but overall this was a ridiculously easy way to make my vintage brass look new again.  And little brass candlestick on my shelf, I am looking at you next.  Nothing is safe from Barkeeper’s Friend.  The moral here is that with a little bit of love and sometimes help from a friend, we can all find our sparkle again, right?  I know I’ve been looking for my own, so maybe this easy little task was a great reminder to me.

Hope you shine brightly and have a fantastic weekend!

The-Secret-Weapon-For-Shining-Aged-Brass

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Filed Under: Cleaning, misfits (other craftiness), Organization

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Comments

  1. [email protected] says

    August 26, 2016 at 8:05 am

    I have yet to try it. Did you see my flower pot on Wednesday? It definitely could use a scrubbing. And i love the apple!

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      August 28, 2016 at 4:34 pm

      ha! i didn’t notice!

      Reply
  2. Tania says

    August 26, 2016 at 10:33 am

    Great tip! I pinned to my board: https://www.pinterest.com/vintagecottage/caring-for-revamping-your-vintage-finds/

    Tania

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      August 28, 2016 at 4:34 pm

      thank you so much, tania!

      Reply
  3. Mel says

    August 29, 2016 at 10:30 am

    yep, BKF really works great to shine up the brass…but what about lacquered brass, such as tables? Short of stripping the lacquer off, is there a way to get it to shine again?

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      August 31, 2016 at 1:12 pm

      i haven’t worked with that, so i am not sure- sorry!

      Reply
  4. Jessica | Petal + Ply says

    August 29, 2016 at 12:39 pm

    great tip Cassie!

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      August 31, 2016 at 1:11 pm

      thank you, jessica!

      Reply
  5. Stephanie @ Casa Watkins Living says

    August 29, 2016 at 10:36 pm

    It’s my best friend!! I love the liquid version too. 🙂

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      August 31, 2016 at 1:08 pm

      oooh i haven’t tried that!

      Reply
  6. [email protected] says

    August 30, 2016 at 8:32 am

    so shiny! I definitely need to get to work on some of my brass, too.

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      August 31, 2016 at 1:08 pm

      it’s really a fun process!

      Reply
  7. Jennifer Griffin says

    August 30, 2016 at 10:36 am

    BKF is the best!! Love your little apple!

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      August 31, 2016 at 1:02 pm

      totally! thank you!

      Reply
  8. [email protected] says

    August 31, 2016 at 2:00 pm

    I have to get some of that!!

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      September 1, 2016 at 11:40 am

      it’s easy and life changing.

      Reply
  9. Kim says

    September 6, 2016 at 3:26 pm

    Do you use BKF on stainless steel appliances? Mine always look a mess and I haven’t found any cleanser I like. I did just use it on my brass duck bookends and they look fabulous now! THanks for the tip.

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      September 7, 2016 at 6:55 am

      ironically, i did for the first time yesterday morning before you asked! HA! it worked well but i did it in two stages. we have a stainless steel cleaner spray and that is almost more like a polish… i have also used olive oil before. yesterday i cleaned with BKF and a soft sponge and i kept wetting it and adding more BFK in between, and i was able to get all the spots of grime off. then i used the spray when i was done and now it looks lovely! ALMOST as good as new. 😉

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Eclectically Fall Home Tour - Cassie Bustamante says:
    September 12, 2016 at 9:04 am

    […] the hearth, my brass deer remain as always (especially loving their newly shined status!)  I’ve also added a couple of houseplants I found on clearance for some fresh green, and a […]

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Cassie!

I believe that you don't have to spend a lot of money to live a beautiful life and be your best self.  Here you will find budget friendly ideas to live happily, healthily, sustainably, and most importantly authentically.  We all get one chance at this life, and this ordinary girl plans to make hers extraordinary. How about you? Read more...
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Hi! I'm Cassie.

Mother, wife, shop owner, blogger, writer, incurable diy-er, furniture painter, coffee and wine drinker, friend. Seeking happiness and passing it on. Read More…

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