Not really - OGD started it:- Anyway, I think this whole 'ammonia is a villain' thing is over-stated - it arose from an article about museum-quality, ancient brass artefacts which had fine detail and were in delicate condition. No-one in their right mind would clean those with Brasso. On the other hand, I've seen brass nameplates which have been cleaned daily for decades without any sign of stress-cracking...
Nope, I didn't start it Before I found this forum I had no idea that amonia can affect brass, or that Brasso and Autosol contain amonia... FWIW i'll continue to use Autosol for badly tarnished brass, and other non ferous metal because it seems to work ok on most... Also, Claus's suggestion that 'we' can vent amonia-salt was news to me, so as I have a few bottles of Merlot to finish, and some very nice Danish Salted Liquorice (thank you Claus - I love this stuff), I thought an experiment was in order. Last nights experiment worked - the old polished brass tilley looked much brighter after I had drunk a bottle of Merlot and scoffed a handful of salted liquorice balls. The jury is still out as to whether this was due to the Merlot, amonia-salt from the liquorice, or that my vision was getting a bit blurred!
Ok, Im sorry, I dunny what I was thinking, but when David mentioned Privy, I was thinking on parts but I couldnt make that fit with "a couple of days". I now know it was a toilet you guys are talking about - I was a bit heavy witted there Well OGD I think you got the best out of all this talk, you already infected Tony, just without the licorice. I ensure you I will try it soon the OGD-way with licorice. It seemed to Work for a while Unfortunately my local licorice-pusher first needs to get a new deliverance home 8) Claus C
From my school chemistry days, Chlorine has a strong "Liking" for Ammonia. Maybe dunking a 'Autosoled" lamp into a bucket of water with a few drops of a chlorine based bleach stirred in would counteract the ammonia. Then rinse it all off with water. However I have no idea what chlorine will do to brass.
Tarnish it and make it go green, I think. So we start all over again... But indeed, I am not sure using any proprietary brass cleaner followed by a thorough wash with hot, soapy water, a thorough rinse and dry would do any lasting harm to brass unless already paper-thin. Look at what some of those lamps were like and how they had suffered before you got hold of them to restore and fettle. I think they have some natural resilience.
Yes Sooty, I thought it might. Copper Chloride... I just checked it out and yes it goes green. So to finish off hot soapy water would be the way to go.
