Cleaning and Polishing Brass Lamp Bases

Test first: if a magnet sticks, it is brass-plated steel and aggressive polishing will strip it. Lacquered brass only needs mild soap. Unlacquered brass can be polished, but on antiques an even patina is usually worth more than a mirror finish.

What we see on the bench

Nearly every lamp that comes through our Thornton shop tells the same story in a different way: the object outlived its wiring. Cord insulation dries out, socket contacts flatten, switch springs weaken, and the failure shows up as flicker long before it shows up as a dead lamp. Catching it at the flicker stage keeps a repair small.

When to call a professional

Stop using any lamp that smells hot, trips a breaker, or has visible copper. If the fixture is hardwired, mounted overhead, or older than 1960, have it inspected rather than patched. We give free estimates and will tell you when a repair is not worth the money.

Ask us about your lamp →