Recently, I went to one of my favorite blogs, Inspired by Charm, authored by Michael Wurm Jr.  His post in the DIY section on August 27, titled How to Polish Brass, caught my eye. Michael points out that brass and gold are again popular for home decor, and he explained a fast and easy way to clean brass. I immediately thought of some lovely brass pieces we virtually gave away at a recent garage sale, and was suddenly glad that three pieces had gone unsold.

This experience provides yet another example of why it’s difficult for people to clear out cupboards, closets, and garages: We fear that as soon as we get rid of something, we will wish we hadn’t.  My mother had given us several brass pieces to garage sale for her, since she was tired of cleaning them the traditional way. Although I was a little sad to see my parents’ brass collection go, I also hadn’t wanted the chore of polishing them.

Now, after reading Michael’s blog post, I bought the inexpensive product he recommended and gave it a try. He was right … It was easy, and the picture above shows what I accomplished in a couple of minutes. I couldn’t help but remember the hours my parents, especially my Dad, had spent cleaning brass. Since Mom had saved a few pieces, including two large bells, I quickly shared Michael’s advice with her.

This afternoon she called to say the brass bells were shining, and she couldn’t believe how easy the job was. Later she texted to say her kitchen sink, faucet, and taps were also now shining like mirrors, and she was happily polishing her way through the house.

Thanks to Inspired by Charm, I can easily keep our three remaining pieces of brass clean and polished. If you would like to read details of how to shine brass quickly and easily, do check out Michael’s posting.