Metal Experts: Best Way to Clean Oxidation From Chrome Plating?

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

I've got some hardware here that has a thin chrome plating over unknown base metal. Not brass, that much I know. It's NOS hardware that was wrapped in plastic on a cardboard base or backing, which got wet at some point and caused oxidation to grow on areas of the plating.

This is the sorta whitish-green power almost like you'd see on battery terminals, but much thinner and only in spotty areas. Some places have already lost their plating.

Not looking to reinvent the wheel or spend a lot of time on it. Simply want to clean up and salvage what I can. Seems there was something like vinegar or ammonia you could soak it in or wipe on that removes the crud without eating off the plating. Maybe it was...WD-40!?

[N4zed]

This seems to work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7OdX42NjWQ

Ken
N4zed

[WZ5Q]

This seems to work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7OdX42NjWQ

Ken
N4zed

Wow, although the video was informative, the comments underneath it were extremely offensive.

I have always used SOS pads with good luck.

[W7TFO]

I'd go with Diet Coke and steel wool.  Wear thick gloves.

73DG

ps...Don't drink it!

[N4zed]

Just don't forget the aluminum foil part.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Thanks guys. I think I'll pass on the Coke approach. Seems you could do the same thing with Windex or anything else and a scrubbing pad.

I've had good luck using 4 and 5 aught steel wool pads for polishing in the past, but the plating is unusually thin in this case and either the base metal or application process are lacking. I think any real effort would simply rub the chrome off, not unlike those cheapy plastic radio panel bezels some manufacturers used.

Probably the best approach is to experiment a bit with a couple pieces using vinegar, or baking soda and water, or ammonia etc until I find something that works. Fortunately I do know enough not to make chlorine gas in the kitchen sink. 

[KA0HCP]

Flitz and Simichrome are my favorites for high quality cleaning/polishing.

[KX5JT]

The diet coke works because of it's phosphoric acid content.  Diet so you don't get the sticky sugars.  Does wonders on D-104's.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

The issue I had was a thinner-than-normal layer of chrome plating on the hardware, so working it with anything abrasive was a last ditch option.

Ended up I tossed some of the stuff in a plastic container with a mixture of pure ammonia and water (maybe 80/20) and let it soak for just a few minutes. It turned the oxidation into a milky substance that wiped off easily, then I buffed a bit with four aught steel wool which is pretty fine stuff.

Turns out the areas I thought the plating was gone were fine, just a hard layer on them. Some pieces still had damage like surface bubbling, but overall it came out alright.

Many thanks for the tips.