Hardware Clean Up

So, I never realized that the free piece we got off craigslist several months ago could take me as long as it did to get cleaned up/painted.  First, I tackled the hardware.  It was brass hardware that had basically turned almost black over time.

The piece before I started taking it apart...

Before:

Just like I did with the red desk, I used a mixture of vinegar and table salt to clean the brass up.  I don't know how much of each I used, but I basically filled a 9x13 glass pan with enough vinegar to cover the hardware and then I put a decent amount of salt in....maybe 1/8 cup?   I let it soak for a while, but it still wasn't looking as bright and shiny as I wanted it to.  I decided, since this piece was free and not 'precious' to me, I would use an SOS pad to help me get some of the grime/tarnish off of the hardware.

After - sorry for the bad night time shot...it really is amazing how normal household products can have such amazing results!