Cleaning brass coloured taps

[smurfchops]

My brass colour taps have gone a nasty blacky greeny colour and I can't get them to look nice and clean again -- and as for the plug hole - yuk!! Any ideas on getting them a gold colour again?

[don1]

judie look in your yellow pages for plumbers merchants and give them a ring and ask their advice, I'm sure you are not the only one to have had this problem.

If they dont know the answer ask them for the phone number of any manufacturer of brass taps and ring them.

[Clanad]

It may not work, judie, but at least try using some tomato juice on them... I know, I know... but at least try it. It does wonders for copper bottomed pans and other items like that...

Best of luck!

[Thunderbird+]

An age old tried and tested remedy is 'Brasso'

[smurfchops]

Will it get the gunk off the plug hole?

[heathfield]

Your taps and plughole will have been polished then given a coat of clear laquer. The laquer is wearing through and surface corrosion is starting up. (This corrosion can in some cases continue to spread under remaining laquer). You need to completely remove all the laquer using the finest steel wool. This will leave a dull finish. Next, use some 'Solvol Autosol' chrome cleaner paste to polish the brass to its original shine. Follow this with a couple of coats of clear polyurathane varnish. (solvent type, not waterbased). 'Solvol Autosol' is usually available in car bits and pieces shops and some hardware stores. It's also available at Lakeland Limited under the name (I think) 'Maas' chrome polish, but at about three times the price. It won't be an easy task. You may want to but replacement items instead. In that case I'd recommend giving the an extra couple of coats of the above varnish before installing them - the shine will last years longer if you do. Good luck!

[heathfield]

For 'but replacement' read 'buy replacement'. I blame my keyboard - sometimes it just can't spell things correctli!