How to Clean Brass Door knockers?

Some people like to install brass door knocker on the door, because they believe that small door knocker has a certain effect of avoiding evil spirits. It will also be found that some brass door knockers will change from yellow to green over time. What on earth is the reason for this?

 

 

1. Why Do Brass Door Knockers Turn Green

First of all, it should be talked about why the‘door knocker’will turn green from the chemical point of view. Brass is one of the most common materials to make front door knockers. Brass here is not a natural element. It is an alloy of copper, zinc and other elements. It is easier to machine, mold and polish than other materials. Brass is soft and easy to be scratched. Due to its high copper content, it is also easy to discolor and oxidize.

 

If the brass door knocker turns green, it can be considered that there is copper rust on it (It is similar to iron rust, but not generally said so). The main component of copper rust is basic copper carbonate. Because this material is generally malachite green color, it is also known as copper green. In other words, the door knockers of copper materials get rusty after a long time and a layer of basic copper carbonate is formed on the surface, which is green copper rust. Because copper will have reaction with oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapor in the air and then it will form basic copper carbonate.

 

 

2. Cleaning of Brass Door Knocker

(1) Check Whether It Is Painted

Many door knocker manufacturers protect brass door knocker products with clear lacquer. The entire product has an almost invisible barrier coating in this way. The paint seal protects brass from atmospheric effects. Therefore, make sure whether the brass hand door knocker has been painted before cleaning.

 

(2) Unpainted Treatment

Check it carefully. If there are stains on the whole brass ring door knocker, it is likely that it has not been painted. If this is the case, take out some brass cleaner to clean and apply some elbow grease. Brass usually restores its original luster after cleaning. But if the outer layer of the door knocker does not be protected after it is finished, the original luster will still fade quickly.

 

(3) Treatment after Painting

If there is no obvious stain, or only a few scratches or damage on it, then naturally paint plays a protective role.

 

Clear paint surfaces should not be cleaned with abrasives or brass polishes as this can scratch or even remove the paint. Paint surface can only be cleaned with mild detergent and soft cloth in warm water. Soak the brass door knocker in a mixture of water and detergent, then wipe it gently with a soft cloth. If necessary, high quality car wax can be applied after cleaning to help protect and repair the cleaned surface. It also helps to hide any small scratches and damage that may be present.

 

If the paint surface is damaged, it is better to soak the brass anchor door knocker with paint thinner or acetone to remove the paint layer on the surface and then repaint it. If whether the paint is good or bad can not be distinguished, it is better to send the door knocker to a professional for repainting.

 

 

2. Brass Corroded by Sulfide

Copper metal is relatively stable and its corrosion resistance is very high. It is all right as long as the conventional method is applied. However, although the copper door is naturally antiseptic, it is easy to produce chemical changes when it encounters a large amount of sulfur and sulfide. Therefore, it should be reminded that if brass eagle door knocker is applied outdoors, such as villa gate, it should be wrapped inside the outer frame of the door, so as to avoid rain and snow and prevent sulfide corrosion in precipitation.

 

If the polished brass door knocker is removed and replaced and the door is not wanted to be scratched, also go to ask for help from a professional.