How to Properly Clean Polished Chrome, Matte Black, and Brushed Nickel Fixtures

Cleaning A Brushed Nickel Finish

A brushed nickel finish is an excellent design choice for any area of the home, particularly the bathroom. Bathroom sinks and tubs are areas of heavy wear and tear, and are notoriously difficult to keep looking clean. Dried toothpaste residue, small hairs leftover from shaving, water marks, and soap scum, all join forces daily to dull the appearance of your bathroom faucets. Keeping a hard-working faucet with a chrome finish looking shiny can prove burdensome. Opting for a brushed nickel finish in the bathroom is a great idea, because it can hide stains, smudges, and buildup much better. 

Taking proper care of a brushed nickel finish is a bit more involved than a chrome finish, so here’s our recommendations for cleaning these faucet finishes:

1. Be sure to avoid using acid, alcohol, or solvent-based cleaners. These types of cleaners can ruin or discolor the more delicate surface of the brushed nickel finish. Vinegar is a popular faucet cleaning solution, but should be avoided on brushed nickel. Also, do not use abrasive cleaners, such as bleach powder or tools like scrubbing brushes.
2. Simply wet a microfiber cloth with warm water and begin by gently wiping away any easy to remove impurities. Rinse and wring out the cloth thoroughly, repeating the action of gently wiping away what you can with just warm water. 
3. For hard water, soap scum, or grease build up, add a very small amount of dishwasher detergent to the damp cloth. Dishwasher detergent can help wash away grease and grime, while still protecting the more delicate brushed nickel finish. 
4. Use a dry, lint-free microfiber cloth to fully dry the fixture. Then, examine the fixture for any areas that still appear dirty or have streaks, and repeat the above steps until the fixture is restored to its original beauty. Finish by treating with a suitable wax treatment if desired.

TIP: If you come across particularly stubborn hard water deposits, wet the microfiber cloth with warm to hot water, and wrap it around the problem area. Let this sit for about 10 minutes. The moisture and heat should loosen the deposits enough to then gently and carefully (to avoid scratching) be wiped away.

Cleaning A Matte Black Finish

Matte black is an extremely popular finish for use in both the kitchen and bath. It can easily elevate the design appeal of any space. It is also the most easily and frequently damaged finish, due to its velvety-smooth and soft surface. It’s common for matte black finishes to get scratched up, or even discolored, during the process of trying to descale hard water buildup. The process of cleaning a matte black fixture is very different from cleaning a more resilient stainless steel or polished chrome finish. The process is similar to cleaning brushed nickel (detailed above), but there are a few key differences. Here’s our recommendation: 

1. Be sure to avoid using acid, alcohol, or solvent based cleaners. These types of cleaners can damage or discolor a matte black finish. Scratching is the most common damage that occurs when cleaning matte black, so do not use abrasive cleaners, such as bleach powder or tools like rough-bristled scrubbing brushes. These will strip the finish from the fixture. 
2. Wet a new, lint-free microfiber cloth with warm water and begin by gently wiping away any easy to remove impurities. Rinse and wring out the cloth thoroughly, repeating the action of gently wiping away what you can with just warm water. Avoid aggressively rubbing with the cloth, as this can also strip the finish.
3. For hard water, soap scum, or grease build up that didn’t come away with water alone, fill a small bowl or bucket with water, adding in just a few drops of regular, liquid dish soap. Gently wipe the problem areas down with the soapy water, and let the solution sit for 5-10 minutes. Rinse the fixture thoroughly using the microfiber cloth and water. Repeat as many times as necessary to remove impurities. 
4. Wring out the lint-free microfiber cloth well so that it is closer to dry than damp. Then, wipe the full fixture down to help it dry without any water droplet marks. Repeat the above steps if necessary.

TIP: These same techniques can be used to protect oil rubbed bronze and Moroccan bronze finishes as well (view these finishes on our Americana Collection Two-Handle Kitchen Bridge Faucet to get an idea of what they look like).

Cleaning A Polished Chrome Finish

Other styles of finishes have gained a lot of popularity in recent years, but the reigning champion of faucet finishes remains the classic and timeless polished chrome. Because it is the most common finish used in both bathroom and kitchen faucets, it’s likely that you already have a technique dialed in to clean it. Even if you do, polished chrome is infamously difficult to keep looking shiny and new. Luckily, it isn’t as easily damaged during the cleaning process. We’ve come up with a few easy tricks to ensure you can get it to look as new as the day you installed it:

1. Use a microfiber cloth and warm water to wipe away any surface impurities on the fixture. Repeat this step as many times as necessary, rinsing and wringing out the cloth as you go. 
2. For hard water, soap scum, or grease build up that didn’t come away with water alone, fill a small bowl or bucket with water, adding in just a few drops of regular, liquid dish soap. Gently wipe the problem areas down with the soapy water, and let the solution sit for 5-10 minutes. Rinse the fixture thoroughly using the microfiber cloth and water. Repeat as many times as necessary to remove impurities.
3. Fill a small bowl with one part white vinegar and three parts water. Use a fresh microfiber cloth to thoroughly wipe down the fixture. The white vinegar can help restore shine to the finish, and also descale any remaining buildup. For tougher buildup, wrap the damp cloth and solution around the problem area of the faucet and let sit. Remove and rinse after a few minutes. 
4. The final and most important step is to completely dry the fixture with a fresh and dry microfiber cloth. Letting it air dry might cause droplet stains or streaks to remain on the finish. 

TIP: A polished chrome finish is more resilient than a finish like matte black, but you should still take care not to use abrasive cleaning tools or powerful chemical cleaners. Over time, these methods can strip the finish of its original luster.

Extend the Longevity of Your Fixtures

Maintaining the like-new look of your bath, shower, and sink faucets doesn’t have to turn into a headache. Being equipped with the proper arsenal of tools, cleaning products, and special techniques will ensure both ease and results when you set out on the task of restoring the appearance of those dingy faucets. To avoid any unsightly damage to your finishes, keep this guide in mind the next time you set out to clean.