How to Clean Chrome Surface

Thanks to its excellent shine, it is no wonder that chromium has become an attractive item in the market. However, the softness of this metal makes it susceptible to damage if exposed to corrosive chemicals. Dirt and grime are often very visible on a shiny chrome surface, so it is important that it is cleaned regularly. Fortunately, you can tackle many stains with a simple soap and water mixture or a chromium-appropriate cleaning product for tough cases. When cleaning chromium, you should complete the process with a polishing step.

Table of Contents

Clean chromium with soap and water

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Get a bucket of water. As with anything, you’ll clean the chromium more easily if you use warm water. Fill 2/3 of a bucket with warm or hot water. If you only need to wash a small object, you don’t need a bucket of water, just wet the towel with soapy water.

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Put soap in the water. Once you have a bucket of warm water, add soap to the water until it bubbles up. The type of soap to use will depend on the chromium item. Although any non-abrasive soap can be used to clean chromium, you should choose one that is safe for the surrounding materials as well. For example, you should use a special car wash when washing your car. ^{[1] X Trusted Source Consumer Reports Go to Source} Household cleaners can also be used to wash chromium.

If in doubt, you should check the label of the cleaning product you intend to use. The label usually has instructions on what materials can and cannot be used.

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Scrub the chrome surface with a rag or non-abrasive sponge. ^{[2] X Research Source} Dip a rag or sponge in soapy water. Gently rub the chrome surface using a smooth circular motion. Concentrate on washing one part at a time before moving on to another. To prevent water stains on the chrome surface, dry it with another rag when the partial cleaning is complete.

If the water is too hot, you should only dip one end of the rag into the water. When the soapy water is almost dry, you can dip it again.

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Scrub the nooks and crannies with an old toothbrush. ^{[3] X Research Source} Some chromium items, such as car rims, have hard-to-reach areas that require a different treatment. For most such cases, you can use an old toothbrush dipped in soapy water and scrub the nooks and crannies to remove dirt.

When using an old toothbrush, make sure most of the bristles are still intact. Scrubbing chromium with a worn-out toothbrush is not effective and may scratch the chromium when scrubbing vigorously.

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Wipe the chrome surface dry when cleaning is complete. Chrome surfaces will leave ugly water stains if not dried immediately. After cleaning the chrome surface, dry it with a clean cloth. Wipe gently with a circular motion to prevent water stains.

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Use aluminum foil to rub the chromium surface. Aluminum can be used to polish chromium because it is a softer metal than chromium. Aluminum foil is commonly available in many kitchens. Tear off a piece of aluminum foil and rub it over the chromium surface after cleaning the sand is a great at-home method to restore the chrome’s shiny surface.

Clean chromium with cleaning solution

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Choose a cleaning solution. Chromium is a relatively soft metal, so mild cleaning solutions are the best choice for cleaning chromium. Most of the dirt on chromium surfaces can be cleaned with just water and soap. Here are some common cleaning solutions to clean chromium:

Baby oil
Ethanp or polishing oil
Cocacola
Lemon and baking soda
You can also use a chromium-safe cleaning spray. Household cleaning products like Vim Bathroom spray are great for cleaning chromium.

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Use the mildest cleaning product first. ^{[4] X Research Source} If you have multiple cleaning products to choose from, use the mildest solution first. In general, you don’t need much to remove stains from chromium surfaces. Due to chromium’s fragility, stronger solutions should only be used if milder ones don’t work.

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Moisten the towel with the cleaning solution. Similar to using soap and water, lightly dip the edge of the towel into the solution. If you use spray water, you can spray it directly on a towel to clean it. This will allow you to control the amount of detergent you need to use.

Paper towels can also be used in place of cloth towels, although you may need to wipe them over and over again to clean large surfaces.

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Gently rub the chrome surface with a circular motion. ^{[5] X Research Source} After moistening the towel with detergent, rub the chromium surface with gentle, circular motions. Even with soap, some stains need a more vigorous scrub to clean. You can apply a little more force without fear of damaging the chromium.

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Rinse and dry the chromium after cleaning. After using the cleaner, moisten the towel with hot water and give it a quick wipe once to remove the detergent. Next, use another dry towel to dry the surface of the item with a circular motion.

If not dried, water will form streaks on the chromium surface.

Polished chromium

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Polish the chromium surface with aluminum oxide. Aluminum oxide polishing products will remove tiny particles from the surface of chromium, leaving chromium smooth and shiny. Pour the polish into the towel and rub in a circular motion.

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Clean rust with steel wool. In bad cases, there may be a layer of rust on the chromium surface. Detergent usually will not remove the rust layer right away. You will need to use a mechanical material such as steel wool for handling. Try to use steel wool to scrub as much rust as possible. While the chrome surface can never be perfect once it has been rusted, you can improve its appearance once the rust has been removed.

A new surface polishing step with a rust brush will further improve the chrome’s beauty.

Advice

If possible, you should separate the chromium part from the surrounding materials (such as a car) and place it on a table for easy cleaning.
Treat each area in turn before moving on to the next. That way you won’t miss any points.

Warning

Do not scrub too vigorously or for too long.
Chromium is a rather fragile metal. You should avoid using harsh chemicals and industrial cleaners when cleaning. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Steps

Clean chromium with soap and water

Clean chromium with cleaning solution

Polished chromium

Advice

Warning

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