How To Clean Brass, No. 1

Finely-powdered salammoniac; water to moisten. Rock alum, one part; water, sixteen parts. Mix; warm the articles to be cleaned, then rub with either of the above mixtures, and finish with tripoli. This process will give them the brilliancy of gold.

How To Clean Brass, No. 2

Dissolve in a pint of soft water an ounce of oxalic acid, and keep it in a bottle labelled "Poison." Always shake it well before using it. Rub it on the brass with a flannel, and then take a dry flannel to polish it. Have ready some pulverized rotten-stone, sifted through a piece of muslin, and mixed with oil of turpentine, so as to be liquid. Rub this on with a cloth, let it rest ten minutes, and then wipe it off with a buckskin. Brass cleaned in this manner looks beautifully.

For cleaning brasses belonging to mahogany furniture, either powdered whiting or scraped rotten-stone mixed with sweet oil, and rubbed on with a buckskin, is excellent. Let it rest a little while, and then wipe it well off, seeing that none of the mixture lodges in the hollows of the brass. In cleaning brass handles, hold the handle firmly with one hand, while you clean with the other, otherwise the handle will soon become loosened by the unsteadiness of the friction. Oxalic acid being poisonous, care must be taken that none of the liquid gets into your eyes, when used for rubbing. Should this by any accident happen, immediately get a bowlful, to the brim, of cold water, and hold the eyes open in it, till the pain abates; repeating it at intervals during the day.

How To Clean Brass, No. 3

Powder half a pound of rotten-stone very fine, and mix it with an ounce of oxalic acid, dissolved in as much water as will make it a stiff paste when perfectly dry; powder it very fine, and put it in a bottle for use, and label it "Poison." When you wish to use it, mix a little with as much sweet oil as will make it a stiff paste. Rub it well on the brass with the leather; then take another clean leather and polish it.

How To Clean A Brass Or Copper Kettle

A brass, bell metal, or copper kettle should always be cleaned immediately after it is used. Even when not used it will require occasional cleaning, otherwise it will collect rust or verdigris, which is a strong poison. After washing the kettle with warm water, put into it a teacupful of vinegar, and a tablespoonful of salt, place it over the fire; when hot, rub the kettle thoroughly with a cloth, taking care that the salt and vinegar shall touch every part then wash it with warm water; next take some wood ashes, or fine sand, and scour it well, afterward wash it with hot soap suds, and finish by rinsing it in cold water; and wiping it dry.