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Craft and Hobby

How to Start Cleaning and Polishing

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SKILL LEVEL

Looking to put a shine on things? Whether you want to touch up your jewelry, give an old bike new life or simply clean the limescale in your kitchen, your Dremel tool and accessories are here to help. In this beginner’s guide to cleaning and polishing, you’ll learn everything you need from identifying the exact material and dirt you are about to clean to adding that final shine, you’ll become an expert in no time!

by Dremel B

2 PROJECTS

Tags

cleaning and polishing , cleaning , crafting

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Supplies Needed For This Project

TOOL

Dremel 3000 Corded Rotary Tool

Model # 3000

TOOL

Dremel 2050 Stylo+ Corded Rotary Tool

Model # 2050

TOOL

Dremel 8220 Cordless Rotary Tool

Model # 8220

ACCESSORY

Dremel 535-02 Brass Brush

Model # 535-02

ACCESSORY

Dremel 536-02 Brass Brush

Model # 536-02

ACCESSORY

Dremel 442 Carbon Steel Brush

Model # 442

ACCESSORY

443-02 1/8" Carbon Steel Brushes

Model # 443-02

ACCESSORY

428 3/4" Carbon Steel Brush

Model # 428

Rotary

A550 Shield Rotary Attachment

Model # A550

Tools & Accessories

Materials

  • 1

    Face Mask

  • 1

    Safety Glasses

  • 1

    Polishing Compound

Let's Get Started

To reduce the risk of injury user must read instruction manuals for all tools used in this project. Wear eye and respiratory protection. Use clamps to support work piece whenever practical.

STEP 1

Know Your Metal

Different metals require different cleaning and polishing techniques. To determine the metal type, start with the most obvious features: color and shine. Weight and sound can also help identify your metal. For instance, gold is heavier than brass. You can also identify brass by tapping it, if it sounds like a bell you got brass! Use a magnet to help determine whether your metal is ferrous (magnetic) or non-ferrous. Even the sparks a metal makes when you hold it against a grindstone provide you with useful information: carbon steel gives off bright-white sparks, whereas stainless steel sparks are a mix of white and straw colors.

STEP 2

Using a Dremel Versus Conventional Cleaning Products

Cleaning is often a chore, but it doesn’t have to be! By using a Dremel tool instead of conventional cleaning tools, cleaning is faster, easier, and more fun. Try matching a Dremel tool’s RPM while cleaning with your hands! Furthermore, the tiny hairs on a Dremel brush can reach the narrowest of grooves and ridges, to clean even the hardest to reach areas.

STEP 3

Choose the Right Cleaning and Polishing Accessories

The right accessories make all the difference when cleaning or polishing, so you’ll want to ensure you chose the right one for your project. Here’s how to decide: 1. Choose the material To clean hard materials, such as plastic or steel, use one of the stronger nylon or carbon steel brushes. To prevent marks on delicate materials, such as bronze or gold, a softer brass brush is the way to go. To bring out the shine, we recommend the white polishing accessories. 2. Choose your project’s purpose Not every cleaning project is the same. Which is why there are separate accessories for removing rust, degreasing, descaling, and even polishing.

STEP 4

Use a Polishing Compound

For that good-as-new finish, don’t forget to use a polishing compound. Ideal for removing dull, oxidized film or small imperfections from metals and plastics, this solid paste can be used in combination with all cloth or felt polishing accessories and nylon bristle brushes. All you have to do is hold your chosen accessory in the compound – while rotating – until evenly spread, or rotate it by hand. Use sparingly – a little compound goes a long way! Now you can start polishing, but remember to use the recommended RPM and replace your accessory when necessary

STEP 5

How to Polish Silver and Other Valuables

The more you love an object, the more you’ll want to keep it shining bright. With a Dremel, polishing precious items, such as silver jewelry, is safe, efficient and easy. Just choose the right polishing tools (see tip 3), don’t press down too hard on the object’s surface [LINK How to Avoid] and go slow on the RPMs. Start at 5,000 RPM for a soft polish, and then turn it up slowly as needed. For the best results, we recommended staying below 15,000 RPM. A brass brush (535, or 536) will remove any scratches, while a polishing wheel will do the polishing for you. Finish by buffing with a polishing cloth, and you’re done!

STEP 6

How to Remove Rust

Rusty spots on bikes, furniture or kitchen appliances can be a real eyesore. But rest assured, removing rust is easy. All you need is your Dremel, a carbon steel brush (442, 443 or 428) and a pair of safety glasses to protect your eyes from rust particles. Covering surrounding surfaces is a good idea too, or try our Shield Rotary Attachment (A550). Avoid putting too much pressure on your tool as this only pushes away the hairs of the brush, risking damage to your object. So be gentle and let your Dremel do all the hard work.

STEP 7

How to Bring Out the Shine

When it comes to cleaning and polishing, knowing when to stop can be difficult. Bits of dust, dirt and grease get dislodged in the process and may cover up all your progress. To bring out the shine, use a buff or cloth to wipe away these grimy particles at regular intervals. This way, you can keep a close eye on your progress and you’ll know exactly when to give it a rest: when your object is evenly polished with a pretty sheen.

STEP 8

How to Attach Polishing Accessories

You can’t clean things with a dirty cloth! For the best results, change your polishing accessories, such as polishing tips or wheels, regularly – once they have absorbed as much dirt, dust and grease as they possibly can. Don’t worry, it’s easy! Unplug your tool first, and then unscrew it from the mandrel by pressing the ‘lock’ button while turning the accessory anticlockwise. Take a clean point or wheel, press the ‘lock’ button again and then screw on the accessory clockwise this time. Make sure that you use the right accessory with the right mandrel.

STEP 9

How to Use Your Dremel for Everyday Cleaning

A Dremel tool comes in handy in the most unexpected places, making difficult cleaning jobs effortless. With the right accessories (see tip 3) you can remove limescale and mineral build-up from around your taps and sink, degrease your oven rack and clean those hard-to-reach parts of your stove. No more endless scrubbing required; simply run the spinning tool over the problem areas until most of the grime has been removed. Give it a quick wipe, and then attach a polishing wheel to finish the job with some sparkle and shine.

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