brass door knocker cleaning

In normal use your brass door knocker should not require much attention.  It should just hang on your door looking good for many many years to come.

Occasionally a cleaning may be necessary.

Care should be taken if you attempt to clean your brass door knocker. Like the rest of your brass door hardware it will scratch easily. Most door hardware made of brass is lacquer coated to protect the brass from the elements. It is this lacquer coating that prevents the oxygen in the air from causing the brass to tarnish or oxidize.

Aggressive cleaning can damage this lacquer coating or even remove it entirely. Your brass hardware will tarnish rapidly without its lacquer coating to protect it.

The best cleaning method is to simply spray it off with a hose. This should also clean off the door it is mounted on.

If further cleaning is really necessary use only mild detergents and very soft cloth wipes. Gently wipe any dirt away with horizontal strokes across the door knocker.

If the lacquer is damaged it can usually be removed by soaking the door knocker in lacquer thinner. After the lacquer is removed you will need to polish the surface to get any dirt or tarnish off. You will have to be very careful to not damage any engraving that may be on the door knocker.

The problem you will face is finding a suitable lacquer to refinish the door knocker. Most spray products found in the discount stores and hardware stores will provide disappointing results.

In most cases a brass door knocker that has been purchased from us can be refinished in our studio for a very small handling and shipping charge if this is process is ever necessary.