How to clean a belt buckle

Surprisingly, any conversation about everyday life in the army and service brings a silent smile from former soldiers. Although many conscripts view the army as a way of aimlessly spending time, after such a school of life usually only good memories remain.

Military service is not only the direct fulfillment of military duty, but also self-education, revaluation of values, faithful friendship and holy traditions.

Let's look at how and what to clean a belt plaque while serving in the army, what proven methods and methods are available, and detailed instructions for use.

Some nuances of demobilization rituals

The army is very strict about the state of uniforms, so servicemen while away their free time with a needle and thread in their hands. But the most memorable procedure is cleaning the military belt plaque. The absence of darkening on the metal surface, characteristic of the oxidation process, is considered a sign of excellent condition of the belt, which is checked daily. But the soldier’s badge, cleaned to a shine, has already become a kind of attribute, especially for those who are about to demobilize.

Woe to that soldier who, during his entire service, was unable to properly prepare his military uniform and demobilization album for arriving home in all its glory, and in this series of preparation activities he must clean the badge in the most spectacular way. This tradition dates back to the Soviet army. Currently, there is no such concept, since the belt is represented by an ordinary belt, and in some variants of the form it is generally replaced by garters.

Thus, all soldiers are required to maintain the elements of their uniform in proper form, and cleaning the belt goes from an obligation to a tradition, and before demobilization it is one of the main preparatory procedures.

Initially there is a layer of paint on the buckle. Reservists are surprised to see that today many demobilized people still have this paint intact.

Wisdom from modern times

Apart from the listed products, the soldier of the Soviet army had nothing at hand, therefore the list of three cleaning products was considered as a huge variety for activity. A modern military man, if desired, will choose the most affordable or convenient way to clean a belt buckle or other metal decor.

Hydrogen peroxide must be mixed in equal quantities with plain water, and then ammonia must be added to the resulting solution. The prepared environment is considered quite aggressive, but you will still have to soak the metal for several hours. After such a “bath”, the top layer is cleaned with a brush and then washed with clean water.
Folk wisdom in the use of citric acid also came to military craft. The acid packet should be diluted in water. Having placed the plaque there, bring the water to a boil and continue this process for about 10 minutes.
For those who do not have any funds at hand, potatoes will come to the rescue. Or rather, it is not the potato itself, but its decoction that can clean metal. The algorithm is similar to the previous case. The product needs to be boiled for several minutes.

Finally, the most modern cleaning method should not be overlooked. Considering the large number of dismissals, the presence of some money from the soldier, the lack of wise experience, the service of a jeweler is noted as a way to clean the plaque.

He will do all the work quickly and not very expensively. But the whole process loses its flavor and ritual status, although these concepts most likely disappear along with the disappearing symbol of the five-pointed star.

I have conscription service behind me, and then contract service. Now retired.

How do they clean plaques in the army?

There is no special time, desire, or even opportunity to use sophisticated methods of cleaning plaques in the army using folk remedies or expensive specialized chemicals, so you can clean the plaque either with what they give you or with what is at hand.

The leader in popularity - also because the army usually gives it out for free - is GOI paste, developed back in the 40s, which is based on abrasive chromium oxide powder. The paste is very dense and green in color. It is used not only for cleaning plaques, but also for polishing any other metal surfaces, depending on the size of the abrasive.

Also popular is the “Asidol M” product, which is now often used by numismatists to clean found coins. This product is already whitish in color, is a petroleum product and works rather by corroding the oxide layer than by scraping it off with an abrasive.

Well, the most popular material at hand is tooth powder or toothpaste, which also contain abrasive particles. True, polishing with paste will take a little more time: the abrasive in it is very fine, so now it will take longer and harder.

To thoroughly clean the space inside the star, the army usually uses a used toothbrush or even a needle for particularly difficult places.

Traditional methods

The skills acquired in the army are firmly integrated into the civilian life of a reservist. In particular, knowledge of how to process and polish metal will allow you to care for the decor on a regular belt, bag or backpack. The main reason why metal surfaces are cleaned is the resulting layer of oxide that appears when the metal interacts with oxygen. Traditional methods of dealing with this raid came to us precisely from the Soviet army.

How to clean GOI paste

If you have GOI paste on hand, it’s better to take it. It is specifically designed for this. However, to obtain the desired result, you must act according to certain rules.

So how do you use the paste? First of all, you need to inspect the plaque for scratches. If there are any, the paste may simply get stuck in them, creating green streaks. Then it will have to be removed with a needle or something else.

If there is no severe damage, you just need to take a rag and apply the paste to it. After this, all that remains is to polish the plaque for a couple of minutes to get an excellent result. It’s worth noting right away that GOI paste gives a shine that lasts a long time.

In addition, it is sometimes sold in the form of ready-made felt circles with the product applied. This is convenient, but it is more expensive and is not available everywhere.

Cleaning the plaque with toothpaste or powder

Try cleaning your army badge with toothpaste or powder. Polishing with this product allows you to not only remove the dark oxide layer of the buckle, but also polish it well. To do this, rinse your toothbrush, apply a little paste to it and rub the surface of the product in a circular motion. After this, rinse the buckle in cool water and then wipe it with a soft cloth.

To clean the buckle, do not use aggressive acids - the product will oxidize and turn black.

Alternatively, you can apply a small amount of toothpaste to the buckle, wait 5-7 minutes, and then polish it using felt or a piece of an old overcoat.

What is Asidol and what is it for?

This is a cleaning agent that is used to clean various metal products (most often nickel and copper). But this cleaning agent is prohibited from cleaning products made of aluminum and painted to resemble other metals. This product is a white liquid.

The composition of the purchased drug includes such chemical components as:

carboxylic acid;
mineral oils;
sodium salts of naphthenic acids;
surface active elements;
abrasives that do not harm the human body;
ammonia;
wax of synthetic origin.

This type of household chemicals is popular among soldiers undergoing military service and among the military; This product is used to clean the plaque on a military belt. This product was made at the beginning of the last century. There are several variants of asidol, which are classified according to their intended use.

Paste marked 4 is used in cases where it is necessary to rub out a scratch on the metal and give the surface of the product a matte tint. This type of paste is used to clean the fireplace grate. Paste marked 3 processes a thinner metal product. To make the product shine like a mirror, use paste marked 1 and 2.

This product is used mainly for polishing items made of non-ferrous metals, for cleaning chrome-plated and nickel-plated items, and is suitable for removing dirt and darkening of jewelry made of precious metals.

Coin cleaner Asidol M is used by collectors of various coins. Only this paste is capable of cleaning and maintaining the collection in good condition without causing harm; it allows you to polish even minor scratches, but only on coins made of silver-colored metal.

How to make asidol with your own hands?

An effective remedy is a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, water and ammonia. Peroxide and water are taken in a 1:1 ratio, and ammonia is added in a small amount. Use the resulting mixture to lubricate the contaminated object and leave it overnight, after which you must wipe it dry with felt.

A mixture of acetone, ammonia and heated acetic acid is often used. But these products are dangerous to use and after prolonged contact with a metal product they can damage it. In order to clean silver jewelry, a decoction of potatoes is suitable. You need to immerse the product in a hot broth for half an hour, then rinse and wipe dry.

How to clean a soldier's badge

If you are not in the army and you don’t have GOI paste on hand, you will have to find other ways to give the plaque its original appearance.

"Asidol." Usually it is applied to the same felt and used like GOI paste, but at the moment “Asidol”, the Russian standard, cannot be found during the day, and “Asidol M” can be correctly applied in a slightly different way: apply the paste in a thin layer on the plaque, wait about a minute , polish, immediately washing off the paste, with lint-free m: felt, felt, or even lint-free wipes for cleaning. After this treatment, the surface becomes noble-matte, but the cleanliness, judging by the reviews, does not last as long as we would like.
Toothpaste and tooth powder. The principle with them is the same as with GOI paste, but in the absence of felt on hand, you can use an ordinary toothbrush.
A paste of soda and vinegar can also help get rid of plaque; it will immediately work due to the abrasive action and the corrosive properties of vinegar.
You can wipe the plaque with acetone or ammonia. The main thing is not to leave the alloy under their influence for a very long time, otherwise the product may deteriorate.
If the oxide layer is virtually absent, but the plaque lacks freshness and shine, you can clean the buckle with ordinary alcohol or peroxide. Naturally, you won’t be able to polish the plaque with them, but they will work as an express remedy.
You can also write down the recipe for the solution: mix water and peroxide 1:1, add a little ammonia to the consistency and soak the plaque in the solution for about 10 hours. Wipe it, wash it - and it will be like new!
In addition, help can be found in household chemicals. Suitable products for washing sinks, both in the form of cream and powder, or water to add shine to the stove.
They say that boiling the plaque in potato broth or a saturated solution of citric acid for about an hour helps.
If you really don’t mind the expense, then you can use liquid to clean precious metals, or even take the product to a jewelry workshop, where the plaque will certainly be cleaned perfectly.

In fact, any product with an abrasive will help you properly polish the plaque and give it shine.

It’s better to use specifically industrial products: if you want to use, for example, an abrasive made from sugar, salt or sand, scratches on the plaque cannot be avoided.

How to polish a plaque to a mirror shine – Yacht Club Ost-West

paste GOI
Asidol paste
toothpaste or tooth powder
hydrogen peroxide
ammonia
Jewelry remover
potato broth
lemon acid
Toothbrush
needle
piece of cloth

Military service is not only the direct fulfillment of military duty, but also self-education, revaluation of values, faithful friendship and holy traditions.

Is it possible to clean a regular belt buckle using these methods?

But it's not just soldiers in the military who have to clean plaques on belts: what happens if you try one of these methods on your belt buckle?

If the buckle is made entirely of metal, then any of these products will really help remove the oxide layer and restore its former shine. But most belt buckles are now simply chrome-plated or coated with multi-colored enamel. It is impossible to clean such products using the above methods due to the risk of scratches and damage to the enamel, and it is unlikely to be necessary: enamel and chrome will not become victims of oxide deposits. At most, ordinary dirt can accumulate on them.

Now that you are fully armed, cleaning an army badge will seem like a trifle, and you certainly won’t be sent to the outfit because of a dull piece of brass that smells green.

How to choose a quality buckle

When buying an expensive belt from a well-known manufacturer, you can be sure that the buckle will be made of high quality and will last a long time. Both men and women want to look impressive, and a good belt in addition to quality clothes indicates a sense of style. There are a large number of different belts on the market with a variety of buckles, and sometimes it can be quite difficult to make the right choice.

First, you should choose a belt with a buckle that will match your overall style. A glamorous option will not suit a business suit, and a too serious classic will not suit a youth style. The combination of an expensive suit with a cheap belt and a tarnished buckle on it also looks strange.

Home remedies will help restore the shine to your buckle. Buckles on belts can be of various designs; it is important that it is convenient to fasten and unfasten the buckle without putting in too much effort. In most cases, preference is given to the usual, open buckle. In addition, there are also closed types, but many are afraid to purchase them, fearing that such structures quickly fail. However, if the belt and buckle are expensive and of high quality, there will be no problems with this.

Application of Asidol-M

"Asidol-M" is a more modern means for cleaning metals and alloys. It is made from waste treated with sulfuric acid after purifying petroleum distillates with alkali. This drug has a pungent odor due to the active additives present in the composition, so it is better to use the product in a ventilated area. Before starting work, you must put on gloves on your hands.

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Not really

Before processing, shake the bottle with the product.
We apply “Asidol-M” directly to the product that is intended for cleaning (unlike GOI paste, which must be applied to a cloth, dry or moistened with gasoline). The product must be dry. This also applies to GOI paste, but especially Asidol-M.
We wait 1 minute until the active substances in the preparation act, dissolving contaminants and oxide film.
Polish with a clean cloth or soft brush. Wipe dry.

Properties, functions

It is mainly used for the restoration of copper and nickel, but is absolutely not suitable for painted metal objects, aluminum, and its alloys. Produced in Russia.

Asidol is a white oily liquid with a characteristic pungent odor. It is obtained by treating oil waste (oil, kerosene, solar) with sulfuric acid. When working with the substance, the smell quickly evaporates, filling the entire room, which is due to the presence of active additives. The composition also contains:

There are several labels for the product. Each number indicates the intended use of the product. “Asidol” with the number 4 is used when you need to rub out a scratch on metal and give the surface a matte finish (this type is ideal for cleaning fireplace grates). Thinner metal products are treated with the substance number 3. To add shine, markings 1 or 2 are suitable.