The Right Way to Maintain Your Foot Rails

Bars, kitchen islands and even tables for card games now boast of added functionality unlike in the past. Its added feature today is the foot rail that provides a comfortable resting place for the feet. With this fixture in place, people using those areas can enjoy their time and not worry about getting tired their feet.

The foot rails are those long tubing that you see attached at the bottom and front part of a bar counter or kitchen island. It can be made from different types of material such as wood, stainless steel and brass. They not only serve an important purpose but they also improve the beauty of your home bar or island counter of your kitchen.

But as in any fixture in the home, maintenance is crucial for the foot rail. This is to prevent it from getting scratches, dirt, dust and stains. Additionally, polishing is vital especially for the stainless steel and brass rails to maintain their glow.

Brass

For your brass foot rails, applying brass polish and lacquer will help prevent tarnishing going forward. Keep in mind that this material is prone to corrosion. This occurs due to the condition of the environment including chemicals, salt air, pollutants and ultraviolet rays and when this happens, the lacquer may disintegrate.

Experts recommend applying a non-abrasive automobile wax on the tubing’s surface at least two to three times each year. This is to prevent tarnishing.

Also keep the material away from paints and other chemicals that can affect the brass’ condition. Another option should you see signs of tarnishing is to apply a lacquer remover and apply a new coat of polish on the brass. After that, you can add a polymer car wax cleaner, wipe it clean and apply a coat of polyurethane sealer before buffing the material using a clean and soft cloth or rag.

An ideal way of cleaning your brass foot rail is to use a mixture of water and mild soap. Wet your rag with the solution and wipe the rail. Do not use abrasive cleaners as much as possible as they can result in scratches.

Stainless steel

For your stainless steel foot rail, you can either use a soap and water or detergent and ammonia along with a sponge to keep it clean. Never use scouring pads with metal or metal scrapers.

If you see stains and some discoloration, you can use a stainless steel cleaner or just a mild cleanser. You can choose from several types such as the alkaline, alkaline chlorinated or non-chloride cleaners. A toothbrush with soft bristles can be utilized.

If rust exists, mix nitric acid and warm water with a one is to nine ratio. The right to mix this is to add the acid into the water and not the other way around. Leave the mixture for about half an hour to keep the corrosion from spreading. Rinse afterward and let dry.

Follow these steps on a regular basis and you’ll make your foot rails more durable and attractive for a long time.