Unlacqured vs. Lacquered Brass
Lacquered brass is finished with a clear coating that prevents tarnish, while the unlacquered iteration leaves the metal (an alloy of copper and zinc) exposed to the elements. Over time, unlacquered brass takes on a patina—it’s a living finish that shows its evolution. Lacquered brass, on the other hand, will stay brighter, shinier, and more yellow-toned over the course of its lifetime.
Unlacquered Brass Hardware & Fixtures
For day-to-day care, dish soap and water will remove debris from food or smudges from dirty hands, and a soft cloth like microfiber or a paper towel will buff it to a shine. But acidic kitchen substances, like lemons or tomatoes, or bathroom staples, like toothpaste, can increase the rate of the tarnishing process. In these instances, you’ll need brass polish (rub some onto a soft cloth, wipe in an upwards motion, rinse with water, and dry) to keep your faucetry looking its best. Brass is going to change eventually, no matter what you do, but you can keep it looking like the day you bought it [longer] by polishing it frequently.
Lacquered Brass Hardware & Fixtures
Lacquered brass is never polished. Just dust it or wash it in mild lukewarm suds, rinse it with lukewarm water, and wipe it dry. If the water is too hot it may remove the lacquer.
Polished Nickel Hardware & Fixtures
Tackle hard water stains or mineral deposits on your polished nickel surfaces by mixing 1/4 cup of white vinegar with 1/4 cup of water. Wet a clean cloth with the diluted vinegar solution then lay the cloth over the stained area. Allow the cloth to remain on the hard water stains for five minutes then wipe off.
Wrought Iron Doors
*Most important thing about iron doors is if you see rust, you need to have it repaired and painted ASAP
Cleaning Information
1. Start by using a mild cleanser and a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth. For a DIY cleaner, mix together liquid soap or a vegetable-based soap with a touch of water. Soak the cloth in the soap mixtures and gently wipe down your doors. The rust on your doors should start to come off with ease.
2. Once you cleaned your door with your soap mixture, make sure you rinse it off thoroughly with a hose. Any remaining soap can leave unwanted residue on your custom wrought iron doors.
3. When you are wiping down your iron doors, make sure that you don’t leave any excess water to dry, for this will cause more rust to form. Chemicals and hard minerals that are found in tap water can stain and damage your doors.
4. Once your doors have been properly cleaned, use a cloth or sponge to completely dry off your doors. By drying off any remaining water, you are ensuring that your custom wrought iron doors will remain stain and damage free.
5. Depending on the area you live in, you may have to take a few extra precautions to ensure that your iron doors maintain their beauty year-round. For example, if you live near the coast, you should properly oil the hinges of your iron door on a monthly basis. Salt water air can corrode doors if they aren’t taken care of and maintained on a regular basis.
Painted Walls & Ceilings
To clean your painted walls and ceilings we recommend Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Be careful not to scrub or push too hard as that will cause the paint to peel off or will damage the finish.
Wood Floors
Regular Maintenance
Sweep or vacuum on a frequent basis to prevent sand or abrasive dust build up because that can scratch the floors finish. The vacuum head must be brush or felt, and a wand attachment is preferable.
Blot up any food, drink, or liquid spills immediately. Under no circumstances allow liquid to remain on the surface longer than 30 minutes.
For more thorough cleaning, use a wood floor cleaning solution approved by the NWFA. We recommend using a Natural Soap Solution that is specifically formulated for oil finished wood flooring. Follow the product instructions. Do not use any household cleaners, polish waxes or any abrasive materials or scouring agents on the floors.
Utilize floor protectors, wide bearing and non-staining glides or casters on all moveable furniture, tables or other objects that sit directly on hardwood flooring.
Use walk-off or high quality mats to protect the floor from abrasive material. Avoid using latex or rubber backed rugs. Also, if you have wood flooring in your kitchen, a throw rug with a soft or felt backing should be placed in front of the sink area to catch spills and splashes.
Rearrange rugs and furniture periodically so the floor ages evenly. UV sunlight will change the color of different wood species to varying degrees.
Avoid walking on floors with sharp, “stiletto” style high-heel shoes. Keep pet nails trimmed and filed in order to minimize indentation. All wood floors will indent.
Relative humidity should be maintained between 35% and 55% to minimize expansion and contraction of hardwood flooring.
When, due to excessive wear or use, the floor requires refinishing, it is suggested to use a qualified, licensed professional refinisher.
Wood Floors – Soap Instruction
INSTRUCTIONS
Using lukewarm water, mix the WOCA Soap at a normal solution of 1:40, and at a solution of 1:20 for dirtier floors. Never clean oak floors with a solution of more than 1:40.
Soap Mixing Solutions: Using lukewarm water, 1 gallon of water to (3 ounces) of Soap
2 gallons of water to (6 ounces) of Soap PRE-APPLICATION NOTES
If the soap solution is not properly mixed, footprints may show on a soaped floor even after drying. This is caused by using too much soap. To remove excess Soap, clean with WOCA Wood Cleaner.
Use a good quality mop, such as the WOCA Swep Mop, which has no loose ends.
Remember that a wood floor should be DAMP mopped.
STEP 1
Thoroughly sweep and or vacuum the wood floor.
STEP 2
Using 2 buckets, mix the WOCA Soap that is shaken well with lukewarm water in one bucket and only lukewarm water in the second bucket as the rinse.
STEP 3
Begin by cleaning an area of about 4’ x 8’ at a time. Soak the mop in the soap bucket then wring it out over the soap bucket. Mop the area side to side spreading the solutions over the area. If a spot is overly soiled, let an extra amount of soap soak the area for a couple of minutes then come back with a dish scrubbing brush.
STEP 4
Rinse the mop well. Ring out over the rinse bucket. Do not apply the rinsed mop to the floor.
STEP 5
Repeat Steps 1 – 4 until the floor is completely clean. Any spots that have water after 5 minutes be wiped up with the mop.
Spray Bottle Instructions Mixing: 2 Teaspoons and water per 30 – 32oz spray bottle, shake well. Step 1 Shake very well and spray the cleaner onto the surface.
Step 2 Let the solution dissolve stain and dirt, wipe surface dry with a cotton cloth, and let dry.
* It is not unusual to see a “haze” on darker floors after soaping. Simply put a cotton cloth under a dust mop or floor buffer and quickly polish away the “haze”.