How to Polish Brass with Ketchup

Co-authored by Susan Stocker and Amy Bobinger

Last Updated: February 17, 2022

If you have a brass item that's tarnished over time, you might be surprised to learn that you can clean it with ketchup! The acids in the ketchup will break down the tarnish, making quick work of the cleaning process. However, check to be sure that your brass isn't lacquered before you do this— if the brass has a shiny appearance and it's only tarnished where the coating is worn off, you'll need to remove the lacquer before you can clean the piece.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cleaning Smaller Pieces

1
Wash your brass item with soap and water. Before you try to remove the tarnish from your brass piece, give the surface a good wash with mild dish soap and warm water. That will remove any dirt and oil that's built up on the surface, making it easier for the ketchup to penetrate the tarnish on the brass.
- Use your fingers or a microfiber cloth to scrub the brass. However, don't use anything abrasive, or you could scratch the surface.
2
Place the piece into a shallow bowl. If you have brass jewelry or a small, decorative brass item that you'd like to clean, it's probably easiest to just soak it in ketchup. To get started, find a small, shallow bowl that will easily hold the object, and place the object inside.^{[1]
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- If you can, try to use a bowl that's not much larger than the item you're cleaning. If you use a very large bowl, you'll likely need to use a lot more ketchup to cover the object.
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3
Squirt in enough ketchup to completely cover the item. Grab a bottle of regular ketchup and pour it into the bowl. Make sure to add enough so the entire object is submerged in the ketchup. If you need to, roll the item around to make sure the ketchup gets into all of the crevices on the piece.^{[2]
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- To clean a hollow object like a cup or a thimble, you may want to pour or rub a little of the ketchup inside the item before you coat the outside. That way, you can be sure the inside is evenly covered as well.
- If you'd prefer to use less ketchup, squirt a little of the condiment onto the object you're cleaning, then use your fingers or a cloth to spread it completely over the object.
4
Let it sit for 15 minutes to an hour. Once you've covered the object in ketchup, sit back and relax for a while! After about 15 minutes, check the item by wiping away the ketchup from a small section. If the tarnish is gone, take the object out of the ketchup. If it needs a little more time, replace the object, and continue checking it every 15 minutes or so until the tarnish is gone.^{[3]
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- It should take about half an hour for the ketchup to break down a moderate amount of tarnish, but heavier tarnish might require an hour or even 2 hours. On the other hand, the ketchup might remove very light tarnish after 15 minutes or so.
5
Wash away the ketchup with warm, soapy water. Once you're happy with the appearance of the brass, use warm, running water to rinse away the ketchup. Add a couple of drops of mild dish soap, then lather the soap over the item to remove any ketchup that might be left. If you need to, lightly rub away any dried ketchup with a microfiber cloth or a soft toothbrush.When you're finished, rinse the soap away completely. ^{[4]
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- Be sure to thoroughly wash away the ketchup or it might leave a sticky residue on your object.
6
Buff the object dry with a soft cloth. If you leave your brass object wet, it could start to tarnish again quickly. To make sure that doesn't happen, use a soft cloth to dry and polish the object. First, wipe down the entire surface of the piece to remove any excess water. Then, use a dry corner of the cloth and rub the brass in a circular motion to make it look shiny and bright!^{[5]
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Expert Source

Susan Stocker
Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.}
- If you'd like to help protect your item against future tarnishing, add a few drops of mineral oil or linseed oil to your cloth, then rub the oil onto the surface of the object.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Working with Larger or Non-Removable Items

1
Rinse the surface of the piece with soap and water. Before you try to remove any tarnish, wipe down your brass object with a microfiber cloth that's dampened with warm, soapy water. Scrub lightly to remove any dirt and oil buildup from the surface of the brass.
- Mild dish detergent is great for gently cleaning brass.
- Don't use anything abrasive like steel wool or a rough cloth, or you could scratch the brass.
2
Pour some ketchup into a small bowl. If you're cleaning a larger brass item, like a brass bed, or a piece that can't be easily removed, like a doorknob or a light fixture, it's best to apply the ketchup to the item when you're cleaning it. However, this will be easier if you pour the ketchup out into a container first.^{[6]
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- A shallow bowl or an old takeout container will work best for this, since it will be easy to dip the ketchup out of the container as you're cleaning.
3
Coat the object in a thin layer of the ketchup. To spread the ketchup onto the item you're cleaning, use a soft cloth, an old toothbrush, or even just your fingers if you don't mind getting messy. It doesn't take much ketchup, so you only need to apply a thin, even coating over the entire surface.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Susan Stocker
Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.}
- If you apply too much ketchup, it might drip off of the item. If that happens, wipe the ketchup immediately so it doesn't become dry or stain anything.
- For very large pieces, like brass furniture, it may be easiest to work in smaller sections.
- Try using an old toothbrush to get the ketchup into any little nooks and crannies on the object.
4
Let the ketchup sit for 15 minutes to an hour. Once you've coated the item, the ketchup will start to break down the tarnish. The length of time you'll need to leave it on depends on how tough the tarnish is. After about 15 minutes, wipe away a little of the ketchup and check whether the brass looks bright and shiny. If the tarnish is completely gone, you can begin rinsing off the ketchup. However, if the object still looks tarnished, let it sit a little longer.^{[8]
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- Check the piece every 15 minutes or so until you're happy with how the brass looks.
5
Wipe away the ketchup with a damp, soapy cloth. Wet a soft, clean cloth and add a couple of drops of mild dish soap. Lather the soap and wring out any excess water, then use the cloth to lightly scrub away the ketchup from your brass object.^{[9]
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- For big jobs, you might need to rinse out the cloth and add more soap whenever the cloth gets completely covered in ketchup.
- Be sure to completely wipe the ketchup away, or else it could leave a sticky residue.
6
Buff the item dry with a microfiber cloth. Use a soft cloth to wipe the brass completely dry. Then, use a dry corner of the cloth and rub the brass in a circular motion to restore its shine. If you need to, use several dry cloths to ensure the brass doesn't have any moisture left on the surface—otherwise, it might tarnish again.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Susan Stocker
Cleaning Professional
Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.}
- Try rubbing a little mineral oil or linseed oil onto the surface of the brass to help slow the tarnishing process in the future!

Expert Q&A
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Question

Can I really use ketchup to polish brass?

Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.

Susan Stocker

Green Cleaning Expert

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

I know it sounds absolutely absurd, but yes, this will work. Just make sure that you're doing this with something that's actually made of brass, and not fake brass, or plated brass. If you use ketchup on a surface that isn't 100% pure brass, you may end up ruining it.

Warnings

Do not use anything abrasive to clean your brass objects, including steel wool or metal brushes, as they can scratch the surface of the item.^{[13]
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If your brass item has a lacquer finish, or a thin, clear coating, it should only be cleaned with soap and water.^{[14]
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If a magnet sticks to your brass object, it's brass-coated, and you should only use soap and water to clean it.^{[15]
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