Tole lamp bases can be rubbed with mineral oil containing turpentine. Pewter requires a mild polish using silver polish. Bronze lamps, statues, book ends, etc can be dusted or washed with mild soapsuds. Merely wipe lacquered bronze with a damp cloth.

LACQUERED BRASS is never polished. Just dust it or wash it in mild lukewarm suds, rinse it with lukewarm water, and wipe it dry. If the water is too hot it may remove the lacquer. Should lacquered brass become dingy and the finish begin to peel, remove the lacquer with acetone (from a drugstore) and polish.

BRASS WITH AN ANTIQUE FINISH is simply rubbed with a little lemon oil (paraffin oil used for furniture), then with a dry cloth.

A CUT LEMON DIPPED IN SALT, or hot vinegar and salt, will clean brass the old fashioned way. This method can be adapted to miniature brasses. Provided that they have no ornamentation and no wooden handles or knobs, you can get rid of most of the corrosion by boiling them for a few minutes in water containing a little vinegar and salt. Wash them with hot suds afterwards, rinse and dry them, then finish them with brass polish.

GOOD POLISHES FOR COPPER is to be found in your grocery store. Follow exactly the directions given on the container. With some, tarnish returns quickly if the copper is not washed thoroughly after polishing.

TO MIX YOUR OWN COPPER POLISH: make a paste of equal parts of salt, flour, and vinegar. Rub the copper with this mixture until it is clean, or let the paste remain on it for a while, then wash it with hot soapsuds, rinse, and polish. For a final polish use whiting or rottenstone, mixed to a paste with olive oil.

LACQUERED COPPER is dusted or washed, if necessary, with lukewarm water and a mild soap or detergent. Rinse it with lukewarm water and wipe it dry.

TOLE LAMP BASES (AND TRAYS), when they look dull, can be rubbed lightly with mineral oil containing a little turpentine. Mineral oil is the same as paraffin oil and essentially the same as lemon oil furniture polish. Use one part of turpentine to about ten part of oil. Wipe the article carefully clean with a soft cloth. (Tole is painted metal.)

PEWTER IS A SOFT METAL and requires a mild polish. Use silver polish or a mixture of your own. For a dull gloss on pewter lamps and ornaments use rottenstone or whiting mixed to a paste with olive oil. Apply the paste with a soft cloth and rub the metal until it is clean. Wash it afterwards, rinse, and wipe dry. For a bright finish use whiting mixed with denatured alcohol. Rub it on with a soft cloth and let the coating dry. Then polish the pewter by rubbing it with a clean soft cloth. Wash and rinse thoroughly after polishing and wipe the pewter dry. Stubborn spots can usually be removed from pewter with very fine (No. 00) steel wool, dipped in olive oil. The oil is to keep the steel wool from scratching. After removing the spots, polish the pewter again, as already described.

BRONZE LAMPS, STATUES, BOOK ENDS, etc., that need more than dusting, can be washed with one of the following: mild soapsuds, hot vinegar or hot buttermilk. Rinse immediately and thoroughly and wipe the bronze dry. If you want to brighten the bronze, rub it with dry rottenstone or whiting. Rinse to remove all of the powder and wipe it dry.

LACQUERED BRONZE is merely wiped with a damp cloth. Sometimes lamp stands are made of steel which has been given a bronze finish. When this begins to wear away, or spots of corrosion appear, a new coat of bronze lacquer is needed.

Try some simple homemade agent to clean the brass. What is the best way to clean the tole lamp base and other metals? Find some ideas on the best ways to clean the metals. Lacquered brass and lacquered copper can be dusted and washed in the lukewarm suds and wipe it dry.