On Diwali, everyone is busy intensifying the grace of their interiors with metallic masterpieces. Although they are a charming inclusion to any home decor, with time they become dull and lose their lustre. There are few chemical-free, economical and easy techniques to revive the original attractiveness and shine of these metal showpieces which will help you collect numerous compliments from your guests for your distinct touch of ethnicity to your home interiors.

Though there are chemical-laden metal cleaners easily available in the market, try using some of these natural ingredients right there in your kitchen to clean and give a new-like look to your metallic centrepieces and jewellery at home.

Here are a few easy ways to clean metal showpieces and jewellery:

For brass items

Take lemon juice in a bowl. Dip a soft cotton cloth in it and rub on tarnished brass showpieces. Keep rubbing until clean while applying lemon juice frequently. Buff dry.

Dissolve two teaspoons of sea salt in one cup of white vinegar. Add two teaspoons of all-purpose-flour. Mix all ingredients well to make a fine paste. Rub this paste on tarnished brass showpieces. Leave for 10 minutes. Rinse with tap water and buff dry.

Heat one cup of water. Add two tablespoons each of sea salt and white vinegar into it. Mix well. Rub this mixture on your old brass items. Rinse with tap water and buff dry.

For un-lacquered copper items

Take a lemon. Cut it in two halves. Dip the cut side into a good amount of salt. Scrub the copper items with it in a circular motion. Keep scrubbing until all the tarnish vanishes. Keep squeezing the lemon juice on the tarnished copper while scrubbing with salt-laden lemon. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Dry with a soft cloth.

Note: Do not apply these ingredients on lacquered copper items. It may ruin their protective finish.

For bronze items

Mix one tablespoon of baking soda into two tablespoons of lemon juice. Mix well and make a fine paste. The paste will bubble initially but will settle down quickly. Take a piece of soft cotton cloth. Soak it in this paste and rub on tarnished bronze items. Rub until they are clean. Rinse in tap water. Buff dry.

Silver items and jewellery pieces

Boil two cups of water. Line a big borosil glass dish with an aluminium foil. Add boiling water and two teaspoons each of baking soda and sea salt into it. Slowly add one cup of white vinegar. Mix well. Place your silver items into this hot solution making sure that none of the items is overlapping and every item is touching the surface of the aluminium foil. Soak for a few minutes. Remove with the help of tongs. Buff them dry. All the tarnish will go away.

For gold jewellery

Take warm water in a bowl. Water should not be boiling hot. Add any mild detergent or dish cleaning soap into it. Mix well to make a solution. Soak your gold jewellery pieces in this solution for 20 minutes. Rub gently with a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean the dirt from nooks and crannies. Do not rub hard. Rinse with water. Spread them on a cotton cloth to air dry.

Note: Do not use this method to clean stone-studded jewellery. It may ruin them.

Most of these metallic items are taken out every year for Diwali decoration. These alluring metallic pieces will add an artistic inspiration to your house. Just spare little time and effort to clean them and provide them with their original shine. The revived lustre will definitely enhance the attractiveness of your old showpieces in Diwali decorations.