Old Style Mix of Water, Ammonia Cleans Brass

QUESTION: Is it possible to clean brass with regular ammonia? I seem to recall my grandmother using some kind of ammonia mixture for that purpose.

ANSWER: Mix equal parts of household ammonia and water. Soak the brass object in the mixture for about an hour, then take it out and rub it vigorously with a clean cloth.

Brass is likely to tarnish after a period of time unless it is coated with lacquer or a paste wax.

This is especially true of brass that comes into contact with human skin, such as a doorknob. The ammonia-water mixture may not work if the brass is heavily tarnished. If it is, try two parts of vinegar with one part of lemon juice and use the same procedure as above, including the coating with lacquer or paste wax.

Power Flush Requires Strong Water Pressure

Q: We are thinking of having a new lavatory put into our master bedroom in the space now occupied by a large walk-in closet.

Can we use a toilet that has a power flush, such as is found in most business establishments?

A: You apparently mean a bathroom rather than a lavatory, which is merely a sink, although the word is sometimes mistakenly used to refer to a bathroom. As for a power flush mechanism, it requires very strong water pressure, not always available in residential areas.

You will have to ask a local plumber if such pressure can be used in your locality. Your town authorities also can advise you whether the pressure is available and if local codes permit that type of installation.

Preventing Table Top Damage with Coaster

Q: Our old coffee table has never been finished. I want to apply lacquer to the top--the kind that comes in a spray can. Since coffee and other hot beverages will be used on the table, will the lacquer withstand the heat?

A: Yes, but only to a degree. The best way to keep the top from getting damaged is to put some kind of coaster under a container of beverage, whether it is hot or cold.

The technique of using varnish, lacquer, shellac, stain, bleach, remover, etc., are detailed in Andy Lang’s booklet, “Wood Finishing in the Home,” which can be obtained by sending $1 and a long, stamped, self-addressed envelope to Know-How, P.O. Box 477, Huntington, N.Y. 11743.