From Aluminum to Steel, Learn How to Keep Metal Clean (2024)

It's almost impossible to find a home without metal objects including door and cabinet hardware, fixtures, appliances, eating and cooking utensils, jewelry, and decorative objects such as picture frames. Eventually, every type of metal will need to be cleaned to remove dust, grime, and often tarnish or oxidation.

Tarnish appears on some untreated metals when a chemical reaction occurs between the metal and a nonmetal compound, usually oxygen or sulfur dioxide. Not as corrosive as rust, a coat of tarnish seals the metal and protects the underlying layers from reactions. Aluminum, brass, copper, and silver are most susceptible to tarnish.

There are hundreds of commercial metal cleaners on the market that do a good job of keeping metal looking good, but most cleaning can be done with items you probably already have in the pantry. Most metal items can be safely washed in warm water and a mild detergent. After cleaning metal items with warm, soapy water, you can use common household staples like vinegar, lemons, flour, and salt to remove tarnish and grime. We'll take a look at the best ways to clean and remove rust from different types of metal.

Before You Clean Any Type of Metal Object

Consult the manufacturer's care instructions for the proper cleaning method.
Test any cleaning product on an inconspicuous space to make sure that it does not harm the metal.
Metals are not as tough as you'd expect, so always use the least abrasive cleaner possible to prevent scratching.
Consult an expert before cleaning precious metals like jewelry or valuable antiques.

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What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

Soft cloths
Soft-bristled brush
Electrostatic dusters
Microfiber cloths

Materials

Dishwashing liquid
Commercial metal polishes
Lemons or lemon juice
Distilled white vinegar
All-purpose flour
Table salt
Aluminum foil
Baking soda

Instructions

How to Clean Metal

From Aluminum to Steel, Learn How to Keep Metal Clean (1)

Aluminum
Aluminum is used to make pots and pans, window frames, and outdoor furniture. Untreated aluminum is highly susceptible to discoloration and pitting from acids. Untreated aluminum cookware will discolor in the dishwasher or when used to prepare acidic foods like tomato sauce. It is nearly impossible to restore the original finish.
However, anodized aluminum found in heavy-duty cookware has a coating that protects it from harm. It is best to hand-wash aluminum cookware with warm water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid.
Aluminum window frames and outdoor furniture can be washed with mild all-purpose soap and dried well to prevent streaking. To keep the finish shiny, coat the frames with paste car wax.
Brass
Brass is a favorite for door and cabinet hardware, furniture, and decorative items like statues, bookends, and paperweights. Many modern brass items are coated with a lacquer to prevent tarnish. Eventually, the lacquer can wear away, and it's time to polish or let the brass turn brown. The easiest way to clean brass is to apply a commercial cleaner to the entire surface and gently buff it off with a soft-bristled brush.
Cast and Wrought Iron
Unless cast iron and wrought iron are kept well-oiled or painted, they are going to rust. Both can be washed with soap and water to remove food particles or soil but then must be treated immediately to prevent rust from forming. Cast iron cookware is seasoned with ½ teaspoon of vegetable oil, and wrought iron furniture or fences must be painted or lacquered after cleaning.
Chrome
Chrome is a coating applied to a base metal and is often found on furniture and bathroom fixtures. Regular cleaning with items from your pantry like a solution of 50 percent distilled white vinegar and 50 percent plain water will keep chrome shiny and streak-free, while a baking soda-dipped, soft-bristled brush works well for loosening stuck-on grime.
Copper
How you care for copper items depends on the finish you prefer. Copper develops a lovely patina that you can maintain with gentle cleaning with soap and water. However, if you like the copper to look like a bright, shiny penny, you should use acidic items from your pantry like lemons or ketchup or a commercial cleaner to create a shine. Dip half a lemon in salt and rub on copper in circular motions, or you can rub a layer of ketchup, or a coat of commercial cleaner, on the piece until the tarnish is gone.
Gold
Cleaning gold or gold-plated jewelry is simple because it does not tarnish easily. Just a quick soak in a few drops of dishwashing liquid and warm water, followed by a rinse in clean water and drying with a soft cloth, will restore its luster.
Pewter
Pewter items should have a warm, low-luster sheen. You can use a commercial cleaner or mix your own with 1 cup of distilled white vinegar and 1 ½ cups of flour. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the mixture if the pewter has a matte finish for added abrasive strength.
Silver
Whether you have sterling silver or silver-plated items, they will tarnish due to exposure to oxygen (oxidation). Most commercial silver polishes leave a beautiful shine without removing the patina that gives ornate silver its depth and definition. Some people swear by soaking silver in an aluminum foil-lined pan with 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 2 tablespoons of salt dissolved in boiling water, but it can remove too much patina.
Stainless Steel
Because stainless steel is easy to clean and disinfect, it is the preferred metal in commercial kitchens for countertops and appliances. However, stainless steel can scratch, and water and food can leave streaks on some stainless steel finishes. One of the best ways to keep it streak-free is to use a microfiber cloth to carefully dry the finish after every cleaning.
Steel
Steel that is used for home furnishings or a metal roof is almost always coated to prevent rust and corrosion. Cleaning should be done with warm water and a few spritzes of an all-purpose cleaner to help prevent scratches to the finish that could allow rust to form.

How Often to Clean Metal

There is no one rule to follow about the frequency to clean metal.

Serving and cooking utensils, metal water bottles, and any metal item used for food should be cleaned after every use.
Appliances like refrigerators, stoves, and washers should be cleaned at least monthly.
Decorative metal objects should be dusted weekly and polished when needed.
Rust should be removed as quickly as possible when it appears on metal because it will continue to spread.

Tips to Keep Metal Clean Longer

After wearing jewelry, wipe it with a jewelry cleaning cloth to ensure there's no moisture or body oil on it.
When not wearing jewelry, store it in a climate-controlled room or an airtight container.
Store silver pieces in a drawer or wrap in acid-free tissue, silver cloth, or cover with tarnish-resistant flannel.

FAQ

How do you clean tarnished metal?
A 50-50 solution of distilled white vinegar and water is an effective cleaner for most tarnished metals. You can also use a paste of 1 cup of vinegar, 1 ½ cups of flour, and 1 teaspoon of salt to coat the item and then buff it off with a soft cloth. After using vinegar to clean metal, it’s always a good practice to rinse or wipe the surface with a damp cloth to prevent any corrosion the acid in the vinegar might cause. Although anodized aluminum is fine, avoid using vinegar on untreated aluminum as it can cause discoloration and pitting.
How do you clean metal without damaging it?
The gentlest way to clean metal is with liquid dish soap and warm water. Wipe down surfaces with a soft cloth dipped in warm soapy water, rinse, and dry with a microfiber cloth. You can also soak items in warm water with a few drops of liquid dish soap for up to 15 minutes, rinse, and dry with a microfiber cloth.
How do you make metal look new again?
For antique metal that’s tarnished, rusted, or corroded, you can use common household staples like vinegar, baking soda, ketchup, or lemon to make it look like new. Here are a few methods to restore and remove rust using home ingredients: Soak the item in vinegar for 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the degree of rusting; apply a paste of baking soda and vinegar, or baking soda and lemon juice; add a layer of ketchup, which contains both acid and salt that helps remove rust; or rub the metal with lemon dipped in salt. After cleaning the item of tarnish and rust with one of these methods, rinse, and dry the item with a soft cloth.
Learn More:5 Easy Ways to Remove Rust From Metal

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From Aluminum to Steel, Learn How to Keep Metal Clean (2024)

Before You Clean Any Type of Metal Object

Equipment / Tools

Materials

How to Clean Metal

Aluminum

Brass

Cast and Wrought Iron

Chrome

Copper

Gold

Pewter

Silver

Stainless Steel

Steel

How Often to Clean Metal

Tips to Keep Metal Clean Longer