How to Clean Chrome, Brass, Copper and Silver

Many 'brass' handles and 'copper' light fittings are actually plated, lacquered or coated. Lacquered metal has a clear protective coat and should only be cleaned with mild soapy water – polishing it wears through the lacquer and leaves patches. Plating is thin and can be rubbed away by abrasive polishes.

A magnet test helps: solid brass and copper aren't magnetic, so if a magnet sticks, it's plated steel. If a piece doesn't tarnish at all over months, it's probably lacquered.

Chrome is a thin plating, usually over brass, and scratches easily. Clean taps, shower heads and towel rails with a microfibre cloth and warm soapy water, then rinse and buff dry. For water spots and light limescale, wipe with diluted white vinegar or a limescale remover safe for chrome, rinse and dry. Heavy limescale is covered in our limescale guide.

Avoid abrasive cream cleaners, scourers and bleach on chrome, and don't leave limescale remover sitting for longer than the label says – it can damage the plating.

Unlacquered solid brass tarnishes to a dull brown over time. For light tarnish, mix equal parts white vinegar and salt with enough flour to make a paste, rub it on with a soft cloth, leave it for ten minutes, then rinse thoroughly with warm water and buff dry. Lemon juice with bicarbonate of soda works in a similar way. For heavier tarnish, a proprietary metal polish gives the best shine.

Some people prefer the aged look on door knockers and period fittings. If so, a simple wash and dry is all that's needed. Clean around brass door furniture carefully to avoid getting polish on the door itself.

Copper tarnishes quickly to a dull brown and eventually green. A paste of lemon juice and salt, or ketchup (which is acidic), rubbed on with a soft cloth and rinsed off removes most tarnish. A copper polish gives a longer-lasting result. Wash copper cookware with mild soap and dry it immediately; don't use dishwasher tablets or abrasive scourers.

Copper pans lined with tin or stainless steel should only be polished on the outside.

For light tarnish on cutlery and small items, line a bowl with kitchen foil, add the silver, sprinkle over bicarbonate of soda and a little salt, then pour on hot water. The tarnish transfers to the foil in a few minutes. Rinse and buff dry. Don't use this method on antique silver, pieces with stones or hollow handles glued together, or heavily oxidised decorative finishes you want to keep.

A silver polishing cloth is the gentlest option for valuable items. Store silver in tarnish-resistant bags or cloth, away from rubber and newspaper, which speed up tarnishing.

These are the most common ways metal finishes get damaged:

A regular cleaner will usually clean and buff chrome taps and fittings each visit, which is a big part of why a bathroom looks freshly cleaned. Polishing brass door furniture, copper pans and silver is normally outside a standard clean, but some cleaners will do it as an extra if you provide the products. In a deep clean, descaling taps and shower heads is standard.