How to Restore Brass Hardware

In this post, learn my super easy hack for removing paint from old hardware, plus how to buff it back to its original shine and beauty.

I am SO excited to be writing this post today because I am pretty jazzed about the results of my latest DIY project – restoring old painted brass hardware. A few months back, I found an absolute gem of antique dresser on Facebook Marketplace. There was just one problem – it was painted the most obnoxious lime green and the beautifully intricate brass hardware was coated in thick, royal blue paint. My eyes hurt just looking at this color combo lol.

But I know that with a little love, fresh paint, and elbow grease this beauty could be brought back to her former glory and would make the most perfect dresser for me in our master bedroom. I knew painting the dresser would be straightforward and an easy way to completely makeover the piece. But that paint coated hardware…I honestly questioned whether I’d be able to restore that to its original brass and worried I may just have to paint it with some metallic paint to achieve the look I was going for.

But to my surprise and utter DELIGHT, I was able to completely restore the hardware back to it’s former glory. Are you ready for this before and after??

how to remove paint from brass hardware

The first step in this process is to strip off all the paint. I didn’t know if this would be possible or if I could do it without having to use harsh chemical strippers. But are you ready for this hack?? You can use just WATER (yes water!) to remove the paint. Here’s what you do:

1. Add all hardware to a crockpot or slow cooker (highly recommend using a crockpot liner so you don’t have paint soaking in the same pot you cook food in)
2. Fill with water, enough to completely submerge the hardware
3. Set to cook on high for 10 hours
4. Remove hardware – the paint should peel off easily!
5. If your hardware has a lot of details & cracks (mine did) use these brushes with some hot water to remove the rest

how to remove tarnish and restore brass hardware

Okay so this is where the magic really happens. Removing the paint is incredibly satisfying but underneath I was left with dark brown, dull brass. Enter Bar Keeper’s Friend – this stuff works miracles on old brass to completely bring it back to life!

1. Wet hardware
2. Squirt on a generous amount of Bar Keeper’s Friend (I prefer the soft cleanser but it comes in powder form as well. I like to wear rubber gloves for this part)
3. Using those same brushes, scrub vigorously until the tarnish loosens
4. Rinse with water and enjoy your stunning like-new brass hardware!

That’s it! Such an easy way to restore brass hardware that required way less elbow grease than I was expecting. If you have any brass hardware that needs some love (especially if it’s been painted over!) I hope you’ll give this a try. I definitely have some other hardware on pieces around my house that I can’t wait to bring back to life using this method!

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