You have experienced that sensation when you enter your house and that something is going wrong. Not right, but not that right either. It is not always the paint color or the furniture set up that is making you feel frustrated sometimes it is those tiny things that you never really give a second thought before they are worn out.
I mean the handles in the doors, your cabinet knobs, the handles in your drawers, and all those other metal pieces that you touch dozens of times a day without even thinking about them. One day they were splendid and shiny, and now? They are wearing sort of shabbier, dirt, dullness. Maybe even a bit sad.
So what happened? We can get into the reasons as to why your hardware decor is getting old faster than you would prefer and more so, what you can do about it.
The Truth About Those Daily Touches
The point is as follows: those hands of yours are little chemistry laboratories. Whenever you get a door handle or open a drawer, you are leaving behind oils, sweat, lotions and all kinds of stuff that you have touched during the day on the metal. And I do hate to tell you, but human skin is acidic to a small degree. This acid gradually removes the finish that the hardware has on it.
Consider your most frequented door handle, most likely it is the one to the bathroom or bedroom. It is touched upon many times a day. That’s a lot of contact, and metal finishes aren’t invincible. The continuous touching erodes the protective coating little by little revealing the base metal. This can be normally seen on plated finishes like brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronzes or polished brass.
The Invisible Enemy: Air Quality and Humidity
The quality of the air in your house is even more of a factor than you may imagine. One thing that you may notice was the fact that metal objects do not wear as well in a humid climate or towards the seas. This is because when there is moisture in the air, it becomes a source of oxidation, which rusts iron.
Even when you are not at the beach, daily tasks such as food preparation, showers, and even inhalation make your house air moist. Metal hardware especially does not perform well in bathrooms and kitchens. Hot shower steam as well as cooking vapours has not only water but also chemicals and minerals that can react with metal finishes.
And do not even mention cruel washing products. The lemon-smelling cleaner that you like? It may be slowly eating off the finish of your hardware. A lot of domestic detergents have acids or abrasives that in the long run can dull and destroy metal surfaces.
The Thin Finish Problem
This is an unpleasant fact: not every hardware is equal. That builder-grade door knob that your house had? It is likely of extremely thin finish, which was intended to stop the eye on the day of installation, rather than decades.
The cheaper hardware is frequently plated with less expensive techniques or thin finishes of lacquer which begin to corrode in one or two years. It is not readily apparent, but slowly the finish begins to appear patchy, discoloured or it may wear right through in contact areas.
The base metal matters too. In case it has a coating of a low-cost alloy on top, you will see that it is going to wear out at a very rapid rate compared to high-quality iron or solid brass.
The Sunshine Situation
Natural lighting is wonderful for your mood and your electric bill but not always great for your hardware finishes. The UV rays may make some finishes fade or discolour after some time, especially on the exterior doors or windows which are directly exposed to the sun.
You may be able to observe that the handle of your sun-drenched front door is not the same as that of your house. That is UV damage, to the point that it is gradually deteriorating the molecular structure of the finish.
The Maintenance We All Skip
And to tell the truth – when did you last wash your door knobs? I mean really cleaned them, not just given them a quick wipe when you noticed a smudge? The hardware should be maintained on a regular basis to ensure that it always looks good.
The dust, dirt, and grimes settle in the cracks and crevices forming a dull film rendering everything old and weary. This accumulation without periodical cleaning using the appropriate products promotes the aging process.
What You Can Do About It
The good news? You do not need to use outdated and aging hardware forever. Frequent light washing with a soft cloth and mild soap might perform miracles. Don’t use aggressive cleaners, and make sure your hardware is completely dry to avoid wet stains and rust.
In the case of damaged hardware that is already damaged, you can make a choice. Specialized polishes can be used to restore some finishes but this is normally a temporary solution. In most instances, the best option is to just buy the hardware with better-quality hardware which has been made to last.
To choose out new hardware, look for well-built items that have superior finishes. Living finishes such as unlacquered brass actually age to a beautiful patina and not just seen as being worn out. It is the difference between the graceful aging and the mere appearance of old age.
Think of the place that your hardware lives in as well. Hardware in the bathrooms and kitchen must be particularly hard and not easily affected by moisture and chemicals. And when you have busy locations, spend a lot of money on hardwares which survive the wear and tear as well.
The Simple Truth
Your hardware is a hard-working machine on a daily basis. With the oil of your hands to the moisture in your house, cleaning agents, the sunshine, and those finishes that used to be so shiny are beginning to look a little brashy at the edges, no wonder.
However, here is the point: your hardware is not only functional, but it is a piece of jewellery in your home. Those simple elements are likely to have a larger impact on your space than you may realise. New, gorgeous equipment can totally change the appearance and the feel of the room.
At Spira Brass we take a special care about the finishing and its durability whether on brass, iron or any material we use best techniques to make the finish durable and premium. Our brass range comes with a lacquered coating a layer which makes it corrosion resistant and long lasting. Handforged our hot dipped, Blacksmith range is salt tested comes with zinc coating before black powder coating and our Ironmongery collection also comes with a protective layer which makes them weatherproof and suitable for both interior and exterior use.
Our collections are meant to last for generations forged to impress you with their design and quality so that our products can stand many steps ahead when it comes to quality and design because they are tested made of high-grade metals.
We believe buying hardware should be one time investment that’s why at Spira Brass we take care of all your problems so that you don’t have to worry about regular hassle of cleaning or maintaining them or wasting time on searching replacement of your hardware’s after a while.
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