Brass The shiny, gold brilliance of brass will fade over time due to oxidation. While some love this 'patina' others may prefer to restore brass back to its original finish. Whichever look you prefer, read on for more on how to care for your brass items.   Cleaning Hand wash with a brush and warm soapy water. Not dishwasher safe – the harsh detergents will accelerate uneven tarnishing and a blotchy finish. For brass pasta cutting tools, you can leave the bits of pasta dough to dry on the cutter before cleaning the grooves free with a cocktail stick or small brush.   Polishing To polish and bring back shine, make a paste of lemon juice and baking soda. Apply this to the brass and wait from 5-30 minutes depending on amount of tarnish. Use a clean toothbrush to scrub off the tarnish. Rinse with water and dry.   Aluminium Aluminium utensils can easily be cleaned by hand washing in warm soapy water. Avoid putting aluminium cookware in the dishwasher, as the high heat and alkaline detergents can discolour and oxidise the metal. If you find the aluminium has discoloured, natural products such as lemon juice, vinegar or cream of tartar can be used to restore the finish. Remember not to store salt, or acidic food items such as tomatoes in aluminium containers, as this can also stain the metal.   Stainless steel Stainless steel can be hand washed or placed into the dishwasher. However, items with wooden handles must be hand washed and left to dry naturally.   Tin plate, cake pans and cookie cutters Tin plate is a traditional material where a thin layer of tin plating is used to cover steel. These items should be hand washed with warm soapy water and towel dried straight away to prevent rusting. Don’t stand in water, and avoid drying on the draining board – the droplets of water will start to rust the metal.