Put the shine back into your home (Brasso Metal Polish)

Member Name: lellagrace

Product:	Brasso Metal Polish
Date:	30/07/07 (2835 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to use, good results

Disadvantages: messy

WHAT IS BRASSO?

An old favourite of mine, Brasso. I have used it for many years and remember my mum using it too, so goodness how long it has been around! More commonly known as "metal polish" it is well known as a household cleaning product.

A yellow, thickish liquid, Brasso can be used to bring back the gleam to brass, copper, chrome and pewter. It is a bit smelly but not terribly unpleasant, but I would recommend you use it in a well ventilated room.

It is also available as wadding, where you just rub the presoaked wadding onto the items and then polish it off.

The liquid is available in tins, with a screw lid, it costs around 2 GBP for a 150 ml tin and believe me, it lasts AGES!!!!

There are no harsh chemicals in Brasso, though what the exact ingredients are I don't know because there is no indication on the tin.


WHAT TO USE FOR

You can use Brasso on any item made of chrome, brass, copper or pewter. These metals soon tarnish and regular cleaning with Brasso will have them sparkling like new in no time.

With the trend for chrome light switches etc which soon show smudges from fingermarks, a quick rub over each week with Brasso will have them like new.

I use Brasso for the fittings on my front door which are brass. My letterbox is the shiniest in the street I swear! Every week I give it a polish with Brasso.

I also use it on the chrome around my fire and it brings a lovely gleam to that too.

You can also use it on copper and pewter, but as I don't have anything like that I just use it on brass and chrome.

Another more unusual use for Brasso is to remove cup rings and water marks from polished furniture. I read this in a handy hints book years ago and whenever there is a mark on my polished dining table I give it a quick rub with Brasso. I am not sure how it works but it does remove the mark and then I just polish the table. Stubborn marks may need more than one application.

HOW TO USE

Using a clean cloth put a small amount of Brasso onto the cloth and rub the item that needs cleaning. A dull film will appear and you will think you have taken all the shine off! However, wait a few minutes and using another cloth, polish the item and lo and behold there will be a brilliant shine!

I actually find it quite therapeutic polishing things with Brasso. Maybe it is a throwback to my childhood when mum would ask me to polish things after she had put the Brasso on. At that time brass and copper ornaments were quite fashionable and mum would gather them all together and have a cleaning session. I loved to help and it was very rewarding to rub off the dullness and find a lovely shiny surface underneath.

WHERE TO BUY

Most major supermarkets stock Brasso. When I was a kid and my mum used it, the tin always reminded me of a zebra because it is striped. The cap and label are in red, which makes the dark blue and white stripes stand out.

SAFETY

Although I helped mum with the polishing when I was a kid, I was never allowed to use the Brasso myself and it should be kept out of the reach of children. I would also recommend that you place a newspaper on the table if you are using it to polish several items, and always replace the cap firmly to avoid spills. You might also like to wear protective gloves as it is a bit messy to use.

CONCLUSION

A reliable, old fashioned cleaner which is just as good today as it was fifty or more years ago.

Summary: Brasso, a tried and tested household cleaner