by A Kairi

Created on: June 09, 2009   Last Updated: June 11, 2009

Financial worries have caused many consumers to tighten their belts and seek new ways to save money. Making your own cleaning supplies with natural and inexpensive ingredients is a great way to save money. The toxins found in many commercial cleaning supplies can also be harmful to the Earth so making your own is also a good way to help the environment and limit your family's exposure to these toxins.

I came up with the following recipe after I became frustrated by the often awful scent of commercial products designed for cleaning copper and brass. These cleaners are often caustic as well as foul smelling and can irritate sensitive skin. At most garage sales the abundance of copper and brass items is evidence that I am not alone in my frustration. After many failed attempts to easily clean brass and copper I developed this easy to make and inexpensive recipe for homemade brass and copper cleaner.

3/4 cup of vinegar - Be sure to only use distilled white vinegar for this purpose. Flavored vinegars such as apple cider vinegar can leave behind streaks and over time will cause build-up to form on the objects you are trying to clean. They are also not as effective as white vinegar at cleaning brass or copper.

3 tablespoons of salt - Any variety of salt will work for this purpose, however I have found that salt that does not contain iodine seems to work better at cleaning both copper and brass.

Once you have procured your ingredients mix them together in a small bowl. Take the brass or copper objects that you intend to clean and wash them thoroughly with a washcloth and warm water. After washing them, gently dry them with a soft cloth.

Next use a soft cloth or a sponge to liberally apply your mixture to the item you want to cleaned. Be generous with the mixture and ensure that you have applied a thick coat of the mixture to your item. Leave the mixture on for about 20 minutes.

After the cleaner has set on the item for 20 minutes or so use a cloth or sponge and gently rub the mixture on the item using small circular motions. Once you have done this over the entire surface of the item, wipe the mixture off. Rinse the item under lukewarm water until all of the cleaner is gone. Any salt left behind will soon crystallize and make the item appear dirty. If the items that you would like to clean are particularly tarnished or dirty you may need to repeat this process several times. You may also leave the mixture on the item for an additional 10 minutes if necessary.

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