Source: Eaglerowe
"With the cost of gold being so high, brass is an excellent alternative to those whole love the warm, rich color of gold but can’t afford its price tag. However, the swap to brass does come with some (minor) care responsibilities. But follow the steps below and you’ll be able to enjoy your brass jewelry for years to come.
- Brass does not like getting wet. Want to tarnish brass quickly? Just get it a little damp and you’ll see a brown patina form. While this can be quite lovely sometimes if you’d like your brass jewelry to shine like gold, keep it dry!
- Inevitably, however, no matter how hard you try to keep your brass jewelry dry, it will tarnish over time. Oils and sweat (not sexy, I know) are the main culprits here. To clean flat surfaces or jewelry that has the detail you don’t want to disturb, like stampings, buff the piece with a jewelry polishing cloth, like Goddard’s, or use fine steel wool available at any hardware store. You’ll be surprised at how quickly a light buff will restore shine. P.S. I highly recommend the cloth, as it is inexpensive and can be used on all jewelry! Also, when you use the steel wool, beware that it will shed so polish over a receptacle.
- For a deeper clean in those hard-to-reach areas, create a mixture of lemon juice, baking powder, and water. Grab a dollop with a toothbrush and gently go over your brass jewelry. The toothbrush should help you get into those dirty nooks and crannies, making your jewelry golden once again.
- If you ever get a little over-zealous in your scrubbing and remove detail in nooks and crannies that should have it, simply use a Sharpie to fill in those areas and then gently rub over them with fine steel wool to remove any surface excess.
- Some people have an allergy to brass that causes a tint to be left behind on the skin. Simply seal the offending areas on your jewelry with any clear nail polish or clear Rustoleum to prevent this from happening. Reapply as needed."
Source: Eaglerowe