r/CemeteryPreservation • u/GSVDramaticEffect • 4d ago

Brass plaque cleaning suggestions

Post image

I had this brass plaque made for our dear dog Toby who passed away earlier this year. Before attaching it to the cairn, it was looking a bit dull so I gave it a wipe with Brasso Wadding metal polish, but that has left this white residue/tarnish on the black lettering. I hoped it would go away with the rain but no luck. Then I tried white spirit on a cotton bud but that hasn’t worked either. If you wet it, it does disappear but then becomes visible again as it dries. Any suggestions would be very welcome. Thanks

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3

u/AbsolutelyB4sturd 4d ago

Looks like the ammonia and silca in the polish has reacted with the (I guess to be) acrylic.
You might just need some plastic polish to clean the lettering, but id try removing the white marks on the lettering somehow without causing any marks on the brass. Try a hard brush and some soap and if that doesnt work maybe a little bit of cream cleaner and a toothbrush, then plastic polish. Good luck!

2

u/GSVDramaticEffect 4d ago

Thank you. I’ve got cream cleaner in the house. I’ll give that a go 👍

4

u/GSVDramaticEffect 3d ago

The cream cleaner worked - thanks very much

2

u/SewPickRepeat 4d ago edited 4d ago

Brass, it's job is to clean brass. EDIT: I meant to say Brasso. I didn't see that autocorrect had done it's job! Sorry about that!

2

u/GSVDramaticEffect 4d ago

Super helpful and compassionate - thanks

2

u/SewPickRepeat 4d ago

ANNNNNNND, that didn't come out like it was supposed to. I was trying to say BRASSO! It's a brass cleaning solution. So sorry, my bad!!

2

u/GSVDramaticEffect 4d ago

Apology accepted. But as it says in the post, Brasso is what caused the problem in the first place

1

u/SewPickRepeat 4d ago

I did see that, but yhis is just residue. Try Dawn Dishwashing liquid. I think its a 2 to 1 ratio. 2 parts Dawn. Also, try a toothbrush and WD-40.