How to maintain your Fortyfour Miles pieces:

All our copper and brass pieces are uncoated, which means that by nature, they will oxidize to various degrees over time when exposed to the air. This is what causes your pieces to darken in colour as time passes. Many people enjoy the various changes in colour that their pieces will undergo, however, they can be easily cleaned at home to restore them to their original condition.

 

How to Clean Copper:

  • A solution of white vinegar + salt: Simply dipping the piece into the solution for a short time usually does the trick. Rinse and dry the piece thoroughly afterwards. For stubborn tarnish, you may need to leave the piece in for longer than a few seconds, or rub it between your fingers with the solution. Make sure to rinse and dry your piece thoroughly afterwards to avoid water marks.

 

  • Ketchup: Rub the piece with ketchup to remove the tarnish and restore it to a rose gold colour. You may also leave the piece to soak in the ketchup for a while if the tarnish seems extra stubborn. Make sure to properly rinse and dry the piece to avoid watermarks.

 

  • Toothpaste: Use regular white toothpaste to clean your copper pieces. Just rub the paste on with a cotton ball or your fingers, and your piece should be good as new. Make sure to rinse and dry your piece thoroughly afterwards to avoid water marks.

 

How to Clean Brass:

  • Cleaning cloths: We may provide you with a small cleaning cloth upon purchase of a brass piece. Gently rub your piece with this cloth to clean it. Once the cloth turns fully black it will become less effective. (We use the Sunshine cloth brand. These also work for copper)

                                                                                                        

  • Vinegar + Salt Solution: Simply dipping the piece into the solution for a short time usually does the trick. Rinse and dry the piece thoroughly afterwards. For stubborn tarnish, you may need to leave the piece in for longer than a few seconds, or rub it between your fingers with the solution. Make sure to rinse and dry your piece thoroughly afterwards to avoid water marks.

 

  • Toothpaste: Use regular white toothpaste to clean your brass pieces. Just rub the paste on with a cotton ball or your fingers, and your piece should be good as new. Make sure to rinse and dry your piece thoroughly afterwards to avoid water marks.

 

  • Lime juice: Rubbing your brass pieces with lime juice is also an easy and effective way to clean them at home. Just remember to rinse and dry your pieces afterwards.

  • Ketchup: This works wonders on brass to restore it to its original shine and colour. Just rub the piece in ketchup, or even leave it to soak for a bit if the tarnish is stubborn. Remember to rinse your piece and dry it properly to avoid water marks.

 

  

Stainless steel & Aluminum:

Your stainless steel and aluminum pieces will not tarnish and therefore won’t need the type of maintenance that your brass and copper pieces will require.

With aluminum however, we recommend not exposing it to saltwater, but if by chance this happens, ensure you rinse and dry the piece as soon as possible to avoid marks.

Also, please note that aluminum is quite a bit softer than copper and brass, and is therefore more subject to scuff marks, but in general it is more low maintenance.

 

 

Extra notes:

  • Saltwater exposure is okay for brass and copper pieces, but I wouldn’t recommend having them in saltwater every day over extended periods of time.

  • If exposed to saltwater, ensure your pieces are rinsed with fresh water and dried to avoid any undue damage.

  • Freshwater is fine for copper and brass, but try to dry your pieces off to avoid watermarks that may form when left to airdry.

  • Do not soak your pieces in water for extended periods of time.

  • Moisture may accelerate the tarnishing process, however the cleaning process is easy enough that it won’t be a huge problem.