How to clean medals?

[Spitfire]

Hi all. The other day I got hold of a few british WWII medals.
One of them - the 1939-1945 Star - is quite "dirty"/aged. Anybody got any tricks how to get it clean?
My guesse is, that it is made of bronze - but I am not too sure.
Thanks.

 

[Tommy Katkins]

Brasso if you can get it in your country...ior, if you're reckless Coca Cola will clean most metals...

best of luck, TK

 

[Spitfire]

Thanks, Tommy - Both Brasso and Coca Cola are available in my country

 

[Lucky Strike]

Tomato ketchup for a more gentle approach.

 

[Cicero]

With lukewarm water and a little bit soap.
U can use a cloth or a soft tootbrush and gently clean the medals.
After that, make it very dry, you can even use a hair drier from a distance to make it perfectly dry.
If preferred you can use some oil (lineseed oil) for storing and preserving the metal/iron parts.

 

[Micawber]

Worth a read.

 

[Spitfire]

Just did the "Brasso-thing" - It worked great. Thank you all.

 

[Solid Citizen]

Medal Cleaning MY 2 Cents

Can't speak for WWII Brit medals but on sterling silver Victorian Brit medals the mantra DO NOT clean & remove existing patina. Never do what you can't UNDO!

Solid Citizen

 

[Spitfire]

Solid Citizen - you are so right.
The patina is everything. The brasso thing I did only cleaned some of the "higher parts" of the medal, which gave it a very nice look - together with the old faded ribbon.
I will try to get som pics posted.

 

[Solid Citizen]

MR. CAINE

Spitfire,

Like your avatar of Michael Caine from "Battle of Britain". Hard to believe it was like 43 years ago that his carrer took off in "ZULU"

Solid Citizen

 

[Spitfire]

fftopic:
Thanks. Yes truely a great, great actor. Getting better and better with the years.

 

[Miss Brill]

I wouldn't clean them, but you could use plain toothpaste, not a gel, or anything fancy. I think it can be used to clean most anything & does not scratch if you have a gentle touch. I use it to clean sterling pieces.