How to clean a samovar: 20 best remedies and methods at home, polishing

April 29, 2014

Every owner of a samovar has encountered the fact that over time the polished body loses its usual shine, and traces of use appear on the samovar - soot and scale. In ancient times, brick dust or river sand was most often used. However, they left scratches on the metal, but in this way you can really bring the surface of the product to a shine. Crushed chalk, tooth powder and baking soda were also used. But is it worth modern samovar owners to use this method of cleaning, because irreparable damage can be caused to the surface of the unit. And if the item is antique, then the cost of repair and restoration will be several times higher than the price of modern cleaning products.

The effectiveness of cleaning largely depends on what product you use. We wrote in detail about the choice of products in the article: WHAT TO CLEAN A SAMOVAR

Preparation

Samovars are mainly made from the following materials:

brass;
copper;
stainless steel;
cupronickel;
nickel;
aluminum;
faience.

Expensive samovar models are available with chrome or gold plating. When choosing a cleaning product, it is important to consider the material of manufacture. This is explained by the fact that metals react differently with different chemicals.

This recommendation also applies to the choice of folk remedies for removing scale and soot.

How long ago was it made?

The choice of cleaner depends on the date of manufacture of the kitchen appliance. If a copper samovar was created a long time ago, then it is recommended to remove the plaque from such a product from the inside: the patina covering the outer walls gives the effect of antiquity. In addition, older appliances require more aggressive cleaning agents that can penetrate deep into the material.

Material of manufacture

As mentioned above, samovars are made from different materials, each of which has its own requirements, both for care and for cleaning products.

Disassembly

Complete disassembly will be required if there is a need to restore individual components of the samovar. To clean, you need to remove the top cover to gain access to the inner walls, as well as the key, handles, crown and stand.

Materials from which samovars are made

Samovars have been produced since time immemorial. The main material was copper - red, green and yellow. This is primarily due to the valuable qualities of copper: it is not difficult to process, it can be easily melted, minted and engraved, it is slightly corrosive, although in a humid environment it quickly acquires a dark patina.

Later, pure copper was replaced by its alloys - tombac and brass. Such products have become much cheaper and much stronger. Brass was sometimes coated with a silver composition due to the fact that copper quickly patinated - covered with a greenish coating.

An interesting alloy is yellow copper, the so-called “samovar gold”. It contains zinc, lead, and tin, which resemble precious metal in appearance.

In the middle of the last century, the choice of material for samovars expanded significantly. They began to produce products from porcelain, stainless steel, aluminum, nickel, and chromium. Nickel samovars are objects made of brass with a nickel plated finish. It is this that gives a beautiful mirror color and makes the product “precious”. Lead and cast iron are the most durable materials, but they very rarely act together. Typically, certain parts are made from them, and the body itself is made of brass and silver.

Porcelain analogues are the most aesthetic, their main function is decorative.

How to clean the outside at home?

Before cleaning the samovar, it is recommended to soak the handles and other removed components in a soda solution (a tablespoon per 0.5 liter of water). This preparation will make it easier to remove plaque in hard-to-reach places.

Brass

Brass samovars have been made for a long time. The presence of this material indicates that the kitchen utensils may be antiques. Therefore, care must be taken during cleaning.

What can't be used?

Brass does not tolerate vigorous cleaning. After such treatment, irremovable defects remain on the surface of the walls.

Abrasives

Abrasive materials (sand, hard bristle brushes, etc.) leave behind deep scratches that cannot be sanded out. Moreover, such defects appear immediately after the start of cleaning.

Products based on citric, orthophosphate, hydrochloric, acetic acid

Brass is an alloy containing copper. The use of products containing these acids leads to leaching of this material. As a result, the samovar acquires a pink tint.

How to clean?

Before you start cleaning, you need to make sure that the samovar is actually made of brass. This metal has a yellowish tint, while the color of copper is closer to red. Also, the material does not react to magnets. Removing plaque from brass is mainly carried out using oxalic acid. In this way, the metal is processed in several stages.

Degreasing brass surface

Before cleaning, the brass samovar must be degreased. For this purpose, solutions made from laundry soap or dishwashing detergent are used.

Uses of oxalic acid

Oxalic acid is found in products used to clean plumbing fixtures. To remove dirt from a brass samovar, you will need to apply this substance to the metal and wait 5 minutes.

Flushing

At the second stage of cleaning brass, the samovar must be placed under running water, removing the applied material.

Soda coating

If oxalic acid has coped with the task, then the brass takes on a copper tint. Otherwise, after washing, the samovar must be treated with soda, cleaning the walls and hard-to-reach places.

Repeated flushing

After treating with soda, brass must be rinsed again under running water.

Rubbing with a lint-free cloth

To ensure that the metal shines after cleaning, the treated surfaces must be rubbed with a cloth.

If old contamination

To remove old stains from brass you will need:

Mix a liter of water and 25 grams of oxalic acid.
Dampen a soft sponge in the solution and treat the metal.
Leave for an hour and wash the samovar in warm water and soap.

It is recommended to wear gloves and a mask when working with this solution. If there are traces of oxidation on the brass, then a mixture of 100 milliliters of vinegar, a tablespoon of salt and two liters of water is used to remove contaminants. This composition must be put on fire and wait until it boils. Then the samovar should be placed in the mixture and kept for three hours over low heat. At the end of the procedure, the metal must be washed and dried.

How to use ammonia?

Ammonia also copes with old stains. This product should be applied to a cotton pad (cloth) and wiped over the brass in a circular motion.

There is no need to rinse the samovar after processing.

Copper

Copper is one of the materials that does not tolerate abrasive substances. Products containing large and hard particles cannot be used to remove plaque from this metal.

Vinegar dough

A mixture of flour (half a glass), coarse salt (a tablespoon) and vinegar (200 milliliters) helps to clean an old samovar. Use this mixture to wipe the copper walls and then polish them with newspaper or a soft cloth.

Lemon

To remove plaque, simply wipe the surface of the samovar with a slice of lemon and then rinse under running water. You can also use a mixture of one citrus juice and a tablespoon of coarse salt. This mixture should be applied to the brass, wait 10 minutes and rinse with water.

Tomato paste or ketchup

Tomato paste (ketchup) should be applied evenly to the copper surface, wait 10 minutes and rinse with water.

Table vinegar

9% table vinegar is used to remove green plaque. This substance must be applied to a cloth, which then must be used to wipe the contaminated surfaces.

Chalk and ammonia solution

To prepare such a solution you will need 5 tablespoons of ammonia and 2 tablespoons of chalk. You then need to add ammonia to the resulting mixture and rub the samovar with the composition. Next, leave the treated surface for 10 minutes. After this, you need to remove the mixture with a toothbrush and rinse the metal.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is less easy to clean. To remove plaque from this metal, more aggressive substances will be required.

Ammonia

A mixture of three tablespoons of water, a teaspoon of ammonia and tooth powder helps remove plaque from stainless steel. Then you need to moisten a cotton swab in the resulting mass and wipe the samovar. After processing, the metal should be washed under water.

Care products for a stainless steel hob or sink

Stainless steel can be cleaned with appropriate household chemicals. The main thing is that such products do not contain abrasive particles.

Mustard powder

To prepare an effective mixture, you will need to mix mustard powder with a small amount of water to form a mushy mass. You need to wipe the samovar with this mixture, then clean it with a toothbrush and rinse under water.

Raw potatoes

To remove stains from a stainless steel samovar, simply wipe the contaminated areas with a slice of raw potato and rinse.

Vinegar and tampon

To remove old stains, it is recommended to treat surfaces with undiluted table bite. In severe cases, after the procedure, the samovar should be left for 15-20 minutes and then rinsed under running water.

Mighty GOI paste

Rub this paste onto the stained areas using a soft cloth. After the procedure, the remaining product can be removed with gasoline or alcohol.

Cupronickel

To clean cupronickel samovars, it is recommended to use universal dishwashing detergents that do not contain abrasive particles and chlorine. Also, a mixture of water and tooth powder (chalk) or ammonia is suitable for removing stains from this material.

Nickel

A nickel-plated samovar is cleaned with substances containing small abrasive particles:

silica gel;
chalk;
diatomite

To clean heavily soiled surfaces, use a mixture of 50 milliliters of water, 30 milliliters of ammonia and 15 grams of tooth powder. To add shine to nickel, it is recommended to use a special paste designed for this metal.

Chrome surface

Chrome-plated samovars are also able to withstand the effects of abrasive compounds. But it is not recommended to intensively rub surfaces with such means.

Soft abrasives

Crushed chalk or diatomaceous earth are suitable for cleaning chrome-plated samovars. After the procedure, it is recommended to treat the surfaces with special pastes to give the material shine.

Ammonia diluted in tooth powder

If there are old stains on the chrome surface, such plaque should be removed with a mixture of 15 grams of tooth powder and 30 milliliters of ammonia. To avoid damaging the metal, this composition must be diluted with 50 milliliters of water.

Aluminum

Aluminum, like other soft metals, does not tolerate contact with abrasive particles. To remove plaque from this material, it is recommended to use rags, cotton swabs or toothbrushes.

Borax

A mixture of three teaspoons of borax and one teaspoon of ammonia helps remove contaminants from aluminum. This composition then needs to be added to 500 milliliters of water. The resulting product should be used to clean the walls and then rinse. After this, you need to boil water in the samovar.

Ammonia

Ammonia should be mixed with tooth powder in equal proportions and filled with water. This composition is then treated with contaminated surfaces and wiped dry with a napkin.

Water

It is possible to remove traces of dirt from aluminum with water, provided that these stains are not old. In other cases, the liquid is used only for the final processing of the samovar.

Faience and porcelain

To clean earthenware, use a paste of baking soda and a small amount of water. Dishwashing detergent will also work. Soap and concentrated salt solutions help to cope with dirt on earthenware. Old stains are removed using ammonia. When processing porcelain, you should be careful and clean the surfaces only with soft sponges, without applying pressure.

Gilding

A solution of 15 milliliters of 8 percent “javel water” and egg white helps to clean a gold-plated samovar. This mass should be applied to the walls, wait a minute and rinse off.

Removing varnish

In some cases, damage to the varnish causes the material underneath to become darker and lose its color. It is removed in a variety of ways, the choice is made depending on the characteristics of the alloy. You can remove the topcoat as follows:

The varnish is removed with hot water. When the surface is exposed to high temperatures, the metal begins to expand; after cooling, the varnish comes off.
The product to be treated can be placed in boiling water, but for no more than 3 minutes.
If home methods do not help with removing varnish, it is recommended to purchase special solvents. They are found on sale in special stores.
If the varnish layer is too thick, remove it with an abrasive material. The movement should be made in one direction and without strong pressure. This recommendation is due to the fact that too much mechanical stress can lead to deep scratches.

After removing the varnish, the brass is cleaned of plaque and dirt. For this, various special means and folk methods can be used.

Effective descaling methods

Scale is a constant “companion” of samovars and teapots. To remove such plaque, both folk remedies and household chemicals are suitable.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies can remove both fresh and old traces of scale. After treating the inner walls, it is recommended to boil and drain the water, after which the samovar can be used for its intended purpose.

Organic acids

Succinic acid helps in the fight against scale; fill the samovar 2/3 full and heat it to 70 degrees. Then you need to prepare a mixture of 50 grams of this raw material and a liter of water. This composition must be poured into the samovar and left for 3 hours. Citric acid can remove scale. To clean the plaque you will need 50 grams of this raw material and cold water. After this, the mixture is boiled and drained.

Table vinegar

To remove old traces of plaque, you must first boil the soda solution (2 tablespoons per liter of water), and then the vinegar solution.

Special means

To clean the samovar, products designed to remove scale from a kettle are suitable. There is a wide range of such products on the market.

What does a samovar consist of?

As a rule, any samovar consists of several parts:

wall - the base, the body into which water is poured;
jug – container for the heating system. Previously, there were coals in the lower part, which lifted warm air up the
built-in pipe, today there is an electric spiral;
cap - a valve for closing the jug;
lid - to prevent moisture evaporation and premature cooling of water;
burner - stand for teapot;
vent – a hole in the lid to allow excess steam to escape;
handle – for ease of use and a decorative accessory;
burdock - a plate that secures the faucet;
faucet - an element that provides water supply and performs an additional aesthetic function;
key – element for adjusting water pressure;
neck – the lower component of the samovar;
pallet - bottom, providing greater stability.

How to clean severe darkening?

Severe darkening can be cleaned using a variety of materials. The combination of lemon juice and a pinch of boiled salt is highly effective. Among the features of this method, we note the following points:

Before cleaning, the surface is washed with clean water and then wiped with a dry cloth.
If the surface layer is varnish, you will have to remove it. This is due to the fact that during long-term use of brass, plaque can form under the varnish.
After preparing the product, you can begin cleaning. Lemon juice is mixed with table salt, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the resulting mixture.

Polished brass

A surface can only be cleaned until it shines using a combination of several methods. An example is that after applying the mixture, the surface is cleaned and treated with soft sandpaper. It is not recommended to use an abrasive that is too coarse, as this leads to deep scratches.

What to do if there is no result?

If, after cleaning with improvised materials, the result does not live up to expectations, then you can remove the coating and reapply the brass. The procedure is carried out taking into account the following recommendations:

To begin with, prepare the place where the work will be carried out. To do this, the base is covered with film.
The surface layer is removed using a special liquid. It is worth considering that such liquids can be easily flammable.
The second step is to polish the brass. To do this, a special polish must be used, which is rubbed into the surface. Polishing can be carried out after cleaning using various materials.
After this, the surface is varnished. The substance should be applied evenly; a brush or cotton swabs can be used for this.

After completing the previous operation, the surface is wiped with almost any cloth. In order to eliminate the possibility of fingerprints appearing on the surface, work should be carried out with cotton gloves. By infrequently wiping the surface and removing dust, you can eliminate the possibility of rapid plaque formation.

In conclusion, we note that each case is unique in its own way. That is why you need to carefully select the most suitable cleaning method.

For example, products with complex shapes are often treated with a brush; in some cases, the use of acid is prohibited, as it can damage the brass.

Precautionary measures

When carrying out the work in question, it is recommended to pay attention to several recommendations. Let's call the main ones:

A waterproof film is placed in the treatment area.
When working you need to use special clothing.
It is recommended to carry out cleaning with gloves. This is due not only to the fact that the substance can have a negative effect on the skin, but nails can cause scratches.
It is necessary to carefully study the scope of application of the chosen product, whether it is recommended to use it in a particular case.
It is recommended that before starting work, you determine what substances are included in the alloy. If the brass contains impurities, the cleaning procedure may be slightly different.

Experts do not recommend cleaning old items. Restoration should be carried out exclusively by a professional, since if a mistake is made, the surface may be damaged.