Home Hardware Q and A: All About Oil Rubbed Bronze

Do you love the rich and warm chocolatey color of oil rubbed bronze home hardware? There are a few things you should know about this beautiful finish that can have quite a bit of variety.

Q: I used to have some oil rubbed bronze sink faucets and knobs in my old house and I loved them. I recently started shopping for some oil rubbed bronze home hardware, and some of it looks so much different than the ones I had before. Are there different kinds of oil rubbed bronze?

A: The look of certain finishes can be very different from one brand to another. Oil rubbed bronze is a great example of this, especially because there are several different methods for achieving the look of oil rubbed bronze. Most oil rubbed bronze pieces you find today are made simply by coating the outer surface with a rich, dark brown paint. A manufacturer might also used a chemical to darken the outermost layer of hardware.

If the house you lived in before was old, it might be that the oil rubbed bronze there was also old, and achieved the aged or worn look in some spots naturally, over time. This look is very hard to replicate, and it's true that oil rubbed bronze will look a little different from piece to piece, even if they're all from the same brand!

Natural or authentic oil rubbed bronze, also referred to as a "living" finish, is slowly and constantly being changed with use and wear. The more it's touched over the years, the more it will achieve the lighter, rubbed off spots to show the copper underneath. Most manufacturers use a non-living finish to get the oil rubbed bronze look, which means it won't rub off with time, or there are spots that are already worn to make it look as if the door knob or faucet knob has been used for many years.

My advice is to stick with the oil rubbed bronze home hardware from one brand. If you are using oil rubbed bronze cabinet knobs from RKI and you want to use backplates with them, you will need to use the oil rubbed bronze back plates from RKI If you don't, you could risk the backplates being a much darker or lighter shade, and it won't look right at all.

The same goes if you're trying to match the oil rubbed bronze faucets and knobs with the cabinet hardware and towel bars. You should definitely purchase them from the same brand. The brands Hickory Hardware, RKI and Amerock are just a few of them many brands that have extensive oil rubbed bronze collections.

How to Clean Home Hardware Finishes

Home hardware adds style, color and luster to our homes, and just like the hardwood floors and the upholstery, we have to take care of them and keep them clean. The best thing about cleaning home hardware, is the materials that work for each type of finish are probably already in your kitchen cabinets!

Not all metals and finishes can be treated the same way, so we've broken down the different common finishes for cabinet knobs, pulls, hooks, faucets and everything else, so you can keep your home hardware looking beautiful for many years to come.

Here is a list of the things you will need:

• Lint-free cloths.
• Vinegar
• Dawn dish soap, or another similar soap.
• Glass cleaner
• Ketchup

Bronze

Bronze cabinet knobs and pulls can be wiped free of grime weekly or every few weeks with a damp, lint-free cloth. As for sink faucets and other things that come in contact a lot with water and corrosive substances like tooth paste, bleach and other chemicals, you will need to wipe them down every couple of days. This will help them retain their original finish.

Chrome

Chrome will last for many years, but it will start to look dull and dirty after a while due to corrosion. First, try gently scrubbing it with a dish soap like Dawn and a soft wash cloth. If that doesn't do the trick, vinegar will. You want to start as mild as possible because you want to stay shiny and free of scratches. Dry and polish with a micro fiber cloth .

Brass

The hot soapy water and cloth should also work to get rid of regular old grime build up. For tougher dirt, the gentle acid found in ketchup or tomato paste with a micro fiber cloth and some elbow grease will get the job done. Don't forget to dry and polish.

Nickel

Try wiping off dirt with a dry soft cloth. If that doesn't work, use the soap and hot water and scrub in circular motions. For a quick cleaning, spray your nickel cabinet knobs with a regular glass cleaner, and polish it off to make sure no spots or streaks are left behind. As a general rule, don't use any harsh cleaners such as oven cleaners.

Stainless Steel

Use a wash cloth and vinegar water to scrub it clean. Vinegar is effective in getting rid of dirt as well as bacteria and molds. Don't scrub across the grain of the steel, always scrub along with it. Polish it dry with a clean dry lint-free cloth.