I have a bathroom with a mid-priced Sears brass-finished faucet set and shower rod. All are badly stained under their protective finishes. I'm assuming that my very hard, heavily chlorinated water is a factor in the discoloration.
What's the best way (if any) to go about restoring the finish? I'm about to put my house on the market, and would like these cosmetic problems not to be an issue.
Thanks -
The problem is most of the big box store "brass" stuff is usually just poorly brass plated (or even just a brass colored coating).
About the only thing you can do (aside from just replacing the stuff) is to strip off the coating and try to polish the brass. If it is typical quality you will find there is nothing there to polish. If it is really brass then you polish it and recoat with a clear finish.
I tried that once - took days, and didn't work. It's much cheaper and faster to get new fixtures. For some things, like pantry door hinges, etc., you can just scrub and spray paint to clean them up, but for faucets and doorknobs it's best to just replace. That said, if they are actually antique real brass, then by all means, restore them. If they're big box new stuff, then get more new, shiny stuff.
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