Brass hardware is making a big comeback. If you have a piece with less than blingy brass, here's a primer on how to polish it to perfection or fake it to fabulous.
Kate from Centsational Girl is one of our favorite people for how-to tips around the home. She has a thing for brass details, and wanted to restore the hardware from a dresser and a campaign desk. Kate provides a comparison of commercial polish, homemade polish, and faux patinas for brass and brass plated hardware. She also reveals how to tell real brass from lesser brass plate:
But first, before you polish, you should know whether your hardware is real brass or brass plate. Here's the simple way to tell the difference. Take a household magnet and see if it will stick to the piece, if it won't that means the hardware is real brass, like these campaign pulls.
It's a great how-to post that we'll definitely be bookmarking for future thrifted finds!
For full details and step-by-step photos, visit Centsational Girl.
MORE BRASS ON APARTMENT THERAPY:
• Accents of Gold and Brass
• Gold and Brass Fixtures and Faucets: Promising or Passe?
• How To Age Brass
(Images: Centsational Girl)
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I was wondering how to tell if my old desk handles were brass or plate... and how to spiff them up. Thanks!
I just started stripping the paint of some brass hinges. I'm going to go home and try this tonight!
Thanks for the great tip!
I just purchased some with added patina. Too shiny for me!
So sad! Not real brass!
What is usually underneath brass plate that is non-magnetic?
(That is, can this method result in false positives?)
QUOTE: Take a household magnet and see if it will stick to the piece, if it won't that means the hardware is real brass, like these campaign pulls.
Not a true statement.
Solid brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, so not magnetic. A lot of brass plate is iron underneath, so it IS magnetic. But I don't know that you can say ALL brass plate is on iron...
A small brass item can be polished with toothpaste. Gel is less abrasive (scratchy) than paste. Not as good as real brass polish, but usually more accessible.
I think I'm sad to hear it's a trend -- I so much prefer silver metals like brushed nickel.
Great tip. We use lemon juice for a natural booster. Use a lemon peel that you've already juiced. Rub over and let air dry and then buff with a soft cloth. This needs to be done over a few days, it's not exactly Brasso.
A cheap brass cleaner: ketchup. Just tried it to humor myself and couldn't believe how I could actually SEE it working and it was shiny in no time!