Can You Clean Brass in an Ultrasonic Cleaner?

Ultrasonic cleaning is one of the most effective methods you can use to restore the shine to your brass items. 

• First, the tiny, high-frequency bubbles produced by an ultrasonic cleaner will remove dirt, grime, tarnish, and even light corrosion from brass surfaces. 
• Second, ultrasonic cleaning is great because it reaches all the grooves, crevices, and intricate patterns where ordinary scrubbing cannot reach. 

However, not all brass is the same, and an ultrasonic cleaner can be delicate to use. So, if you are cleaning brass items in your ultrasonic cleaner, the process has to differ a little depending on the size and nature of the items. Let’s break it down.

How to Clean Brass in an Ultrasonic Cleaner

Cleaning brass in an ultrasonic cleaner does not is not very different from cleaning other materials like metals or even rubber. 

The only difference with cleaning brass in an ultrasonic cleaner is that you need to know the right ultrasonic cleaning solution to use, set the ultrasonic to the right temperature, and remember to rinse the items immediately after the cleaning is done. 

Here is the overall process of cleaning brass in an ultrasonic cleaner, including all the key steps to make sure your brass items come out sparkling without damage:

1. Choose a brass-safe solution

The first step for cleaning brass in an ultrasonic cleaner is to ensure you have the right ultrasonic cleaning solution. Depending on the intensity of the cleaning needed, you can choose between two options:

• The first is an ultrasonic cleaning solution made specifically for brass or other non-ferrous metals.
• You can also make a mild DIY solution: mix a few drops of dish soap in warm water, or add a bit of citric acid or vinegar for light tarnish. 

Keep in mind, though, that while the DIY solution works great for light corrosion, it may not be as effective if your brass items are significantly or heavily corroded. Also, avoid ammonia or harsh acids unless you’re experienced, because they can damage the metal.

2. Set the Right Temperature

Once you have the right solution, the next step is to ensure that your ultrasonic cleaner is set to the right temperature. For cleaning brass, make sure you keep the ultrasonic cleaner between 120–140°F (50–60°C). 

Higher temperatures can accelerate cleaning speed, but may damage delicate pieces or plating.

3. Set The Right Time

Another important tip for cleaning brass in an ultrasonic cleaner is to ensure that you time it right. Run cycles for 3–10 minutes, depending on how dirty the brass is, but not more than that.

Also, check your items halfway through to make sure they aren’t over-cleaned or dulled, which is what will happen if the items are in there for too long.

4. Rinse and Dry

After cleaning, rinse the brass items thoroughly with clean water to remove any remaining solution. Then, proceed to dry immediately with a soft cloth to prevent new oxidation.

If you want a mirror-like shine, follow up with a gentle brass polish or cream.

Cleaning Different Types of Brass in an Ultrasonic Cleaner

While the process of cleaning brass in an ultrasonic cleaner is generally the same, not all brass reacts the same way in an ultrasonic cleaner. 

So, there are always extra precautions to take depending on what brass items you have in the ultrasonic cleaner. Here’s how the process varies for cleaning brass hardware, brass jewellery, and heavily corroded brass:

1. Brass Hardware

When cleaning brass hardware in an ultrasonic cleaner, use a brass-safe cleaning solution (avoid ammonia), keep the temperature around 120–140°F (50–60°C), and limit cleaning time to a few minutes to prevent dulling. 

• When cleaning brass hardware pieces in an ultrasonic cleaner, you need a tray or a mesh basket to keep them together.
• Brass hardware items, like handles, hinges, or knobs, may be larger, heavier, or have other moving parts attached to them. The mesh basket or tray ensures the pieces are organized, and they stay together.
• Pre-soaking is also sometimes useful for cleaning brass hardware, especially if the items are greasy or grimy.

Ultrasonic Cleaning Tips for Brass Hardware

• Disassemble the hardware (if possible) to clean thoroughly.
• Avoid mixing with other metals in the bath.
• Rinse/dry the items immediately after cleaning is done.
• If the hardware is lacquered, remove the lacquer first or skip ultrasonic cleaning to avoid damage.

For cleaning brass hardware, a standard countertop ultrasonic cleaner works, but if you are cleaning larger pieces, you can either use a larger ultrasonic cleaner or clean in multiple batches.

This 360W Knob Ultrasonic Cleaner is one of the larger models from Creworks. With a 15L capacity, it has enough space for brass hardware of almost all sizes. It comes with a digital time and 300W heater. You also get gentle degas modes for more effective cleaning.

2. Brass Jewelry 

Brass jewelry can be cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner, but it needs a gentler approach than hardware or other solid brass items.  The process is similar to cleaning other brass, but jewelry needs milder solutions, lower temperatures, and shorter cycles to avoid damage.
Here are some important tips to keep in mind:

• Use a mild solution only: Just warm water with a drop of gentle dish soap is usually enough. Don't use skip acids, vinegar, or strong metal cleaners.
• Clean for a Shorter Time: Limit cleaning to 1–3 minutes to avoid dulling delicate finishes or loosening glued stones.
• Clean at a Lower temperature: Keep water at or below 120°F (49°C) to protect any adhesives, plating, or delicate parts.
• Do not Clean if Glued: Do not use ultrasonic cleaning for pearls, turquoise, coral, or anything glued in. 

For cleaning brass jewellery, a smaller ultrasonic cleaner with a delicate or jewelry setting is ideal. Follow the steps above, and always rinse and pat dry gently to restore shine without risking damage. Consider this 60W Knob Ultrasonic Cleaner from Creworks. It comes with a digital timer and 1a 00W heater for ultrasonic cleaning.

3. Cleaning Heavily Corroded Brass in An Ultrasonic Cleaner

Ultrasonic cleaning alone usually isn’t enough for deep corrosion or pitting.  However, if some pre-treatment has already been done, an ultrasonic cleaner can still play an important part when it comes to cleaning heavily corroded brass. Here’s why and how to approach it safely:

1. Pre-clean manually

• Gently brush off any loose dirt or crusted corrosion with a soft toothbrush or brass brush.
• You can soak the item briefly in a mild acid solution (like vinegar diluted 1:1 with water) or use a commercial brass deoxidizer to loosen corrosion.
• Rinse thoroughly after the pre-treatment to remove any acid residue.

2. Set the Ultrasonic Cleaner Up

• Fill the tank with a brass-safe solution (avoid ammonia).
• Set the temperature to 130–140°F (54–60°C).
• Run for 10–15 minutes, checking progress halfway through.

Rinse and dry completely

• Rinse in clean water to remove all solution traces.
• Dry and buff with a soft cloth or microfiber towel.

Other Ways to Clean Brass

Cleaning Brass: Ultrasonic Cleaning vs Other Methods

Ultrasonic cleaning stands out because it:

• Reaches every crevice and groove with minimal scrubbing.
• Provides a uniform, clean, and restores shine quickly.
• Works well for light to moderate tarnish, and as a final step after pre-treating heavy corrosion.

However:

• For delicate, plated, or glued items, it requires caution.
• For heavily corroded or pitted brass, pre-treatment is needed before ultrasonic cleaning can be effective.
• Manual polishing or chemical soaking can sometimes be safer for small or highly delicate items.

Bottom line

Yes, you can clean brass in an ultrasonic cleaner -and for many items, it’s the easiest and most thorough way to restore shine, especially for intricate or hard-to-reach surfaces. 

The key is understanding what kind of brass you have, how corroded it is, and choosing the right cleaning solution, temperature, and cycle length. 

For heavily corroded pieces or antiques, combine manual or chemical pre-treatment with ultrasonic cleaning, or consider professional restoration.

With the right approach, your brass (whether it’s hardware, jewelry, or collectible pieces) can look bright and polished again without a ton of elbow grease.

You may also be interested in how to clean old coins without damaging them with an ultrasonic cleaner.