• Aluminium
• Barbecue
• Baths
• Blinds
• Brass & Copper
• Cane Furniture
• Canvas
• Carpets
• Cast Iron Cookware
• Chrome
• Clothing (Stains & Smells)
• Dusters
• Enamelware
• Fireplaces
• Floors
• Furniture
• Gilt Frames
• Glassware
• Irons
• Kettles
• Linen
• Mahogany
• Marble
• Mirrors
• Silver

Cleaning Vintage Enamel

With vintage enamel, it’s best to wash everything down with water and a mild dish soap before doing anything major. This will get rid of any surface dirt and debris and allow you to better identify the problem areas.

Scratches (and rust surrounding the pitted areas) that do not go away with soap and water alone can be addressed with a paste mix of lemon juice and baking soda and spread it evenly on the surface with a paintbrush. Leave the mixture on the surface for roughly 30 minutes, then agitated it with the rough side of a sponge as it is rinsed off in the sink.

If the rust stains are being stubborn and needed a little extra help try Bon Ami. Bon Ami dates back to 1886 and is a very mild abrasive that’s good for cleaning almost anything without dulling or scratching the surface, so it was perfect for this.

Then to get that final shiney surface get yourself some Barkeeper’s Friend sprinkle it lightly over the surface, added some water and use the soft side of a sponge to spread around the mixture and let it sit for about 10 minutes. When you come back lightly scrub the scratches and the remaining rust disappeared. Then just a final rinse, dry & polish.