Polishing of metal

Most types of metals become dull over time. Fortunately, there are ways to polish them and restore their shine.

Silver jewelry can become dull or black over time. There are various ways to polish silver to make it look as good as new.

You can buy silver polish at most drugstores or online. Silver polish is a liquid specifically made to clean silver items. You simply need to rub it onto the item with an old, soft cloth, and the silver will regain its shine. However, using this liquid on items with many small details or engravings is tricky, as the liquid can accumulate in the grooves and leave a white residue. Nowadays, you can also buy silver polishing cloths, which are the better option for detailed items.

Another way to polish silver is by using toothpaste. Just like with silver polish, you need a soft cloth to rub the toothpaste over the item. Make sure you have cleaned off all the toothpaste and that it does not accumulate in the grooves, as this will leave a residue.

The oils on your skin, as well as water, will tarnish bronze, brass, and copper, causing them to become dull. However, it is quite simple to polish items made from these materials.

Most drugstores sell copper polish, which also works for bronze and brass. Copper polish is a liquid that you can rub over items with an old, soft cloth. This will restore the item's shine. If you want to polish an item with many details or engravings, it is better to use a copper polish cloth instead of the liquid. The liquid is difficult to remove from the grooves and can leave a white residue if it is not fully rubbed in.

Tomato ketchup (or tomato sauce or paste) can also be used to clean bronze, brass, and copper. Tomatoes contain an acid that breaks down the tarnish on these materials. You can simply soak small items in a bowl of ketchup. Wash off the ketchup with warm water and mild soap after about an hour.

It can be challenging to soak larger items, so you can simply coat the item with ketchup and let it sit for an hour. After that hour, you can wash the item with warm water and mild soap.

Rust and small scratches can appear on steel items when they are used. There are some quick and easy ways to polish out small imperfections from steel items.

Just as there are silver and copper polishes, there are also steel and metal polishes. This polish is a paste that you need to rub in with a soft cloth to remove small amounts of rust and scratches. If a steel item is very rusty, this will not be sufficient. You will first need to remove the rust, about which you can find more information here: Maintenance of steel and metal

A cheap alternative to steel polish is toothpaste. Toothpaste is mildly abrasive, meaning it can gently scrape away small amounts of rust and remove superficial scratches. It is advisable to try this first on a less visible spot, as some brands of toothpaste are more aggressive than others. Use a soft cloth to rub the toothpaste onto the steel. Do not rub the toothpaste too hard, or you might get a shinier finish than planned.

When you have finished polishing your steel, it is advisable to oil the steel or use a anti-rustspray so that the polished finish remains beautiful for longer.