Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup white vinegar. When the rust has been removed, the piece should be washed hot, soapy water, rinsed well and dried thoroughly. This is important: you need to put a small amount of the polish on an absorbent rag and allow the rag to dry for 24 hours or more before using it. Hand-pressed by Amish farmers out of material salvaged from barn and building roofs, they're made of corrugated tin.
To keep them looking their best, I recommend…
Most solid copper architechtural pieces are factory-lacquered. They have an eternal beauty that simply increases over time, making them more striking and more valuable.
Use one hand to apply and the other to buff. Buffing…or 'burnishing'…helps to create a hard surface on the brass that is less likely to be smudged or discolored.
***Brass
Finally, wipe down the brass with a 'yellow' treated dust cloth. Remove it (along with the dirt) with a clean rag.
Brass door knockers, copper mailboxes, and weathervanes never go out of style. The same cleaning paste and method that you can make for bronze (above) may be used to keep copper looking good.
There is a wonderful range of decorative items available in popular metals. ***Bronze
With no plug-in receptacles or power packs, solar accent lights can be installed even in remote areas where the sun shines and regular power sources aren't available. A raw potato that has been dipped in whiting will also work. Each star is unique with variations in shading, peeling, and wear that give them a primitive, weathered look. If a piece is especially dirty, you can make an effective, but gentle cleaning paste. The trend toward quality home detailing that evokes bygone times is no fad. In fact, they grow more beautiful with age and one of the greatest pleasures of being a homeowner is watching a rich, warm patina develop."
We're best known for our handcrafted copper weathervanes. If you rub brass with a cloth moistened with olive oil after each polishing, the oil will retard tarnish. ***Copper Lanterns
Apply the polish following the natural grain of the brass. *For brass with a coating of clear lacquer - Apply a tiny bit film of metal polish. Do remove dirt…with a simple soapy solution. Copper lantern fixtures never seem to go out of style, especially the famous Cape Cod copper brass onion lantern
In an interesting marriage of old and new, we offer a variety of solar-powered copper path lanterns and copper desk post lights.
***In-Demand Metals and Their Care
chimney cap Copper mailboxes, windchimes, brass door knockers, and brass sundials can withstand the elements. Use clear warm water to rinse and polish until dry. Easy-care adds to the appeal of copper mail boxes, wind chime, brass doorknockers, copper planters, and other metal home décor. Put it onto the bronze and allow it to sit for a minimum of 15 minutes, and no more than an hour. Rust may be removed by rubbing the affected area with super fine steel wool. Tarnish actually protects tin; so don't try to buff it away.
