Brass naturally develops a patina, which over the course of time adds dimension, character, and beauty with age. An easy way to get the look is to avoid polishing and let oxygen & your natural body chemistry create a ‘living’ finish. If you’d like to maintain the original shine & brightness, follow the steps below to polish your jewelry from time to time.

GOOD TO KNOW
Almost all jewelry on the market is made as an alloy containing varying amounts of copper. This is why some who wear rose gold, silver, or brass jewelry may experience ‘greening’ where the jewelry comes into contact with the skin. This is not a reflection of low jewelry quality, but a chemical reaction happening between the natural oils in your skin and the copper in your jewelry. Whether you will experience this with brass or any jewelry containing copper depends on the pH balance of your body. The higher your pH (more acidic) the more frequently you may need to clean your jewelry. The good news is it’s a perfectly harmless reaction and fades away. It can also change depending on hormones or diet.

CLEANING
The easiest way to clean brass is using a (cleaning) polishing cloth. Not every polishing cloth will work for cleaning brass however. You need one (available here) that’s impregnated with a cleaner to remove surface oxides. You can safely use this cleaning polishing cloth to clean all of your jewelry (gold, silver, etc) as well.
As a step 2, you can preserve your newly polished jewelry with a wax sealer (available here). A very small amount goes a long way! By creating a durable, water-resistant barrier this museum quality wax will help extend and preserve your jewelry's bright finish.

Another option for cleaning your brass is using lemon and baking soda. In a small bowl, take half of a lemon and mix with a teaspoon of baking soda to form a paste. Apply the mixture to your jewelry and with a cloth- gently rub in one direction to clean. You can repeat this until the jewelry brightens to your liking. Afterward, simply rinse off the paste and pat dry.
You may find that your everyday rings don’t need polishing because of constant washing and rubbing of your hands. Just make sure to dry them. :)

STORAGE
The most important thing to remember with storing jewelry is sealing out moisture. You can store your jewelry in it’s original plastic (compostable!) packaging that you receive it in. You can also store your brass in a jewelry box that seals out dust particles and moisture.

Every piece of brass jewelry we share is designed to live on as heirloom jewelry. Brass is extremely durable and can be passed down generation after generation. These care tips will help your special piece last a lifetime.

SERVICES
All orders include a one-time, complimentary polishing and cleaning available upon request (not including shipment fees).
Submit cleaning requests via email to care@Mahnal.com including images.