The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-12
HOUSEHOLD METAL WORK.
Favorite and Effective Cleaning Agents
For Brass, Copper. Tin and Steel

E&FOT1G0 ana Effective Cleaning Agents
For Brass, Copper, Tin and Steel.
It may not be out of place to consider
some of the best ways of cleaning the
numerous metal objects that are Of ne
cessity used in most households. Silver
plate, which naturally comes first, may
be passed with brief mention, as any
housewife already knows the value of
whitening and silver soap in this con-
nection. By the bye, silver which is
washed each day in hot suds and dried
with soft linen cloth and rubbed with
channels requires but little extra clean
ing with whiting, jewelers. soap or 9th
er special cleaning medium.
Brass and copper articles may be
roughly divided into two classes-those
lacquered and those left unlacquered.
The lacquered articles ought not to be
secured, but simply busted from time
to time. With careful treatment these
Will retain their luster for long time,
and when it becomes furnished the sim
plest way to renew the brightness is to
have the articles relacquered.
Implements of brass or copper that
are much used, as a rule, are not lac
quered, and to these attention is now
containing corrosive acids for brass. In
the shops one finds a red paste which,
in conjunction with elbow grease, pro-
duces a fine polish. There is, however,
nothing really better than rotten stone
and oil-fnely sifted rotten stone and
good sweet oil. None of the polishing
fluids or pastes or soaps can compare
with it. These latter day nOstrums GER
tainly clean more quickly, but things
cleaned with them tarnish again much
sooner than things cleaned in simpler
ways.
Brass tenders may be cleaned either
in one piece, or better still if taken to
pieces by unscrewing the screws. A soft
rubber of blanket or flannel wrapped
round q piece of wood or cork dipped
in oil, Wrung out and powdered over
with rotten stone, will soon polish up
the fiat portions. Round portions, such
as knobs and bars, are the best cleaned
by passing round them band of fan
mel, moistened as above, pulling the
ends alternately. Coal scuttles and any
repOusse articles such as kettles and
bellows can be cleaned by brushing
with the same compound or with am
mOnia. Brush all traces Of the rotten
stone or paste out Of the recesses. The
same applies to brass candlesticks, trays
and walters Stair rods can be cleaned
by making a thick pad of felt, anointed
with rotten stone and oil, to shut like
q book. The rods must then be inserted
and worked in and out for half their
length, then reversed and treated
similarly for the other end A II brass
things should be finished first by rub
bing with an oiled or vaseIined rag and
then by rubbing with a leather. To Sc
cure a good effect, rubbing should all be
in one direction. Cross rubbing never
gives a good result Copper may be
cleaned in exactly the same way as
brass, though at times very fine emery
powder may be required to give the best
results.
Timed waro looks very nice when
new, but the vigorous securing it often
receives from the ignorant soon wears
through the thin coating of tin and
| leaves the iron underneath exposed to
view and to atmospheric action. Whit
ing with plain water, Or else with am
monia, is the best for such ware, only
the angles and recesses must be brushed
to remove all traces. If the iron under
meath is exposed, returning may be nee
essary. Such ware should be carefully
dried inside to prevent the chance of
rusting.
Steel fire irons, tenders, etc., are best
cleaned with emery powder and oil
After cleaning and polishing they
should be rubbed over with an oiled rag
and then rubbed up again. To preserve
them from rust it is a good plan to rub
on vaseline. Another favorite cleansing
agent is bath brick. Two pieces may be
rubbed down, and the resulting powder
| Eifted and mixed with sweet oil or with
| paraffin oil. When rust has once got
hold of steel goods, it is difficult tc
eradicate it, especially when, like fend-
ers, they are usually in a direct draft.
ALICE VARNUM.