“I could spend my whole life Goodwill hunting…”

Ok, so I know this has nothing to do with jewelry but treasure hunting is my favorite thing to do.  And although I usually only look for jewelry when I “treasure hunt, ” I spotted an amazing brass urn.  I am slightly obsessed with things that feature lion heads and this was brass–exactly what decorates my bedroom.  This item was found on my first ever trip to a local Goodwill.  As luck would have it, everything was half off!  Score!  A $3 find is always the best…take a look at this DIY.

Most people probably would take one look at this and walk away because of the incredible tarnish it was covered in.  I saw it, loved it, and immediately declared it as my little project.  Here is how I cleaned it up:

1. Take an old wash cloth and cut it in half. One half will be used with the cleaning solution, the other will stay dry and act as a buffer.

2. Buy some brass polish at a local store–I bought mine from Bed Bath & Beyond.

3. Scrub the tarnished brass using the one half of the cloth dedicated to cleaning only, using dime-sized amounts at a time. Then buff using the dry cloth. Repeat this as many times until you see a shiny, bright surface underneath. Be patient!

* I left a few spots, especially around the lion’s face, with some tarnish remnants–it is somewhat impossible to get all the tarnish off 100%. I think it gives the decor some character anyway.