How to remove minerals from an old teapot?

[Aaron Fude]

Hi,

This is the inside of a very large old brass Russian samovar

What you see is a very thick layer of minerals, possibly 100 years old. How does one go about removing it?

(Also, I made the mistake of filling it with water is my bathtub and letting it overrun. Now the outside is covered with mineral-ly streaks that seem to be completely embedded in the brass. Any way of getting those out?)

Thanks!

Aaron

[dpb]

Aaron Fude wrote: ...

...

Start by soaking in hot vinegar...also could try the CLR lime removal product which might be a little faster. After that, need more aggressive acids, but w/o knowing the underlying metal better, caution is the better course.

Time and these will _eventually_ dissolve the mineral solids...

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[New & Improved - N/F John]