Brasso

Brasso is a long-established metal-polish brand whose products are designed to clean and brighten tarnished metal surfaces. Its traditional applications include brass, copper, chrome and stainless steel, with formulations sold as liquid polish and, in some markets and periods, as polish-impregnated wadding under the Duraglit name. The brand is associated with fine abrasive cleaning, solvent action and the highly recognizable packaging and advertising of British household-product marketing. The brand originated in Britain around 1905 after W. H. Slack, a senior traveller for Reckitt & Sons, encountered a comparable metal-cleaning product while visiting the company's Australian branch. Reckitt's chemists subsequently examined samples from Australian and American producers. By 1920, Reckitt was selling a liquid polish under the Brasso trademark. Early commercial customers included railways, hospitals, hotels and large retail establishments, before the product became more broadly available to households and other consumers. Brasso's early commercial development was affected by the transport classification of its hydrocarbon-containing formula. In Britain, the product had a flash point of approximately 72 degrees Fahrenheit, or 22 degrees Celsius, under the Abel Close test. Railway companies therefore treated it as a dangerous good and charged the associated transport rates. Reckitt's challenged that classification in an attempt to reduce distribution costs, but the Railway and Canal Commissioners ruled in 1913 that the railways could continue treating Brasso as a dangerous substance for railway transportation. Over the following decades, Brasso became a familiar British household product and largely displaced older paste-style metal polishes. Its formula and packaging changed relatively little for much of its history, making older Brasso cans recognizable examples of classic British commercial design and objects of collecting interest. The brand's traditional presentation and association with restoring the appearance of metal have helped it retain a distinct identity in the household-cleaning category. Product specifications have varied by market. Australian liquid Brasso has been described as containing hydrocarbon solvents, ammonia and silica-based abrasive material. North American safety information has described a different formulation involving isopropyl alcohol, ammonia, silica and a small amount of oxalic acid. The United States product was reformulated in 2008 to comply with volatile-organic-compound requirements, and its traditional metal container was replaced with a plastic package. The impregnated-wadding format was no longer produced in the United States for many years, although wadding products have historically remained associated with Brasso and Duraglit in other markets. In 2010, Brasso expanded beyond conventional metal care with Brasso Gadgetcare, a non-abrasive gel marketed for screens and other electronic surfaces, including televisions, laptops, computers, smartphones and personal digital assistants. The product was sold in a small bottle with a microfiber cloth. Brasso has also been used informally by consumers for polishing or restoring plastics, optical discs, acrylic watch crystals, Bakelite and some finished wood surfaces, although these uses are distinct from the brand's core intended application and may carry a risk of surface damage. Because the product is abrasive, repeated use can remove a small amount of the underlying material; conservation organizations such as the National Trust have recommended alternative approaches for some historic or sensitive objects.

Brasso developed in Britain in the early twentieth century within the Reckitt business. Around 1905, Reckitt & Sons traveller W. H. Slack encountered a metal-polish product during a visit to the company's Australian branch. Samples from producers in Australia and the United States were examined by Reckitt chemists, providing the basis for the company's own product development. By 1920, Reckitt was selling a liquid polish under the Brasso trademark. The first customers were primarily institutional and commercial users, including railway companies, hospitals, hotels and large shops. The product's hydrocarbon content created an important logistical issue. Its flash point was approximately 72 degrees Fahrenheit, or 22 degrees Celsius, when measured using the Abel Close test. British railway companies consequently classified Brasso as a dangerous good and applied higher transport charges. Reckitt's sought a different classification to lower distribution costs, but the matter went before the Railway and Canal Commissioners in 1913. Following a two-day hearing, the commissioners upheld the railway position, leaving Brasso subject to dangerous-substance treatment for rail transport. Brasso later moved from institutional distribution into widespread household availability. Its popularity increased as it became an alternative to older paste-style metal polishes. The brand's liquid format, recognizable containers and promise of restoring shine made it a durable part of British household cleaning culture. Its packaging changed little over a long period, and vintage cans became associated with classic British advertising and design collecting. The product has never been completely uniform across countries. Different national formulas have used combinations of hydrocarbon solvents, ammonia, silica or other abrasive materials, alcohols and acids. In the United States, the product was reformulated in 2008 to meet volatile-organic-compound requirements. The American version also moved from a metal bottle to a plastic one, and the impregnated-wadding format was no longer produced there for many years. In Britain and other markets, Brasso and the related Duraglit wadding format continued to represent the brand's historic two-format proposition. Brasso's principal technical function is the removal of tarnish and surface discoloration from metals such as brass, copper, chrome and stainless steel. Its fine abrasive component and solvent system can improve appearance, but the abrasive action also means that repeated polishing may gradually wear the surface. For this reason, conservation guidance has sometimes favored less aggressive alternatives for historic or delicate objects. The brand also acquired a range of unofficial or secondary uses. Consumers have used it to reduce scratches on CDs, DVDs and some plastic surfaces, polish acrylic watch crystals, restore Bakelite and remove certain marks from finished wood. It has also been used by some firearm owners as a copper-fouling remover. These applications extend beyond the core product positioning and require care because compatibility depends on the material and finish. In 2010, Brasso introduced Gadgetcare, a non-abrasive gel for screens and electronic equipment. This represented a temporary or limited broadening of the brand from traditional metal maintenance into device care. Nevertheless, Brasso's central identity remains that of a heritage metal-polish brand associated with household restoration, institutional maintenance and long-running British consumer-product design.

• 2010

  Gadgetcare introduced

  [1]Brassoen.wikipedia.org

  Brasso launched a non-abrasive gel and microfiber-cloth kit for screens, computers, smartphones and related electronic devices.

• 2008

  United States formula and packaging update

  [1]Brassoen.wikipedia.org

  The United States product was reformulated to comply with volatile-organic-compound law and moved from a metal bottle to plastic packaging.

• 1920

  Liquid Brasso sold under the trademark

  [1]Brassoen.wikipedia.org

  Reckitt was selling liquid Brasso to institutional and commercial customers including railways, hospitals, hotels and large shops.

• 1913

  Railway transport classification dispute

  [1]Brassoen.wikipedia.org

  The Railway and Canal Commissioners ruled that Brasso could continue to be treated as a dangerous substance for railway transport because of its low flash point.

• 1905

  Brasso concept developed within Reckitt

  [1]Brassoen.wikipedia.org

  Around this time, Reckitt & Sons became aware of a comparable metal-polish product through its Australian branch, leading to investigation and development work by Reckitt chemists.

A heritage household-care brand focused on restoring shine to tarnished metal through solvent and fine-abrasive polishing products, with limited extensions into non-abrasive electronics and screen care.

• Metal polish · 1920

  Brasso Liquid Metal Polish

  The brand's core liquid product is intended to remove tarnish and restore shine on metals including brass, copper, chrome and stainless steel. Market-specific formulas have used hydrocarbon solvents, ammonia and fine abrasive materials, with composition changing over time to address regulatory requirements. The product's abrasive action can gradually wear a surface if used excessively.

• Polishing wadding

  Brasso Impregnated Wadding

  Impregnated wadding is a solid or semi-solid alternative to liquid polish. The material carries the cleaning and polishing ingredients and can be rubbed over tarnished metal surfaces. This format has been closely associated with the historic Brasso proposition and with Duraglit, although availability has differed by country and the format was discontinued in the United States for many years.

• Polishing wadding

  Duraglit

  Duraglit is the name associated with Brasso's impregnated polishing-wadding format. It is designed for cleaning and brightening metal surfaces without requiring a separate liquid application. The product represents one of the brand's longstanding format extensions and is particularly linked with markets where wadding remained available.

• Electronics and screen cleaner · 2010

  Brasso Gadgetcare

  Gadgetcare was introduced as a non-abrasive gel for LCD television screens, laptop screens, computers, smartphones, personal digital assistants and similar devices. It was sold in a small bottle with a microfiber cloth. The product broadened Brasso's cleaning proposition beyond metal, although it is separate from the traditional metal-polish range.

• 2010

  Expansion into electronics careProduct launch

  Background

  Brasso sought an application beyond traditional metal polishing as consumer ownership of screens and electronic devices expanded.

  Action taken

  The brand introduced Gadgetcare, a non-abrasive screen and electronics-cleaning gel packaged with a microfiber cloth.

  Aftermath

  Gadgetcare provided a documented extension of the brand into device care, while Brasso's primary identity remained metal polish.

  Source

• 2008

  United States compliance reformulationStrategy

  Background

  The United States version needed to comply with volatile-organic-compound requirements.

  Action taken

  The formula was changed and the product container was changed from metal to plastic.

  Aftermath

  The United States product differed from the legacy formulation and packaging associated with Brasso in other markets.

  Source

• 1913

  Appeal against dangerous-goods railway classificationOther

  Background

  Brasso's hydrocarbon-based formula had a flash point of approximately 22 degrees Celsius, leading British railway companies to classify it as a dangerous substance and charge higher transport rates.

  Action taken

  Reckitt appealed for the product to be reclassified, but the Railway and Canal Commissioners upheld the railways' position after a two-day hearing.

  Aftermath

  Brasso remained subject to the dangerous-goods classification for railway transport, preserving the higher distribution-cost treatment described in the historical account.

  Source

• 2010

  Brasso launched Gadgetcare for electronic screens and devices[1]Brassoen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Brasso introduced Gadgetcare, a non-abrasive gel intended for LCD televisions, laptop screens, computers, smartphones and similar devices. It was packaged with a microfiber cloth.

• 2008

  Brasso formula changed in the United States to meet volatile-organic-compound requirements[1]Brassoen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation · Other

  The United States version of Brasso was reformulated to comply with volatile-organic-compound regulations, and the traditional metal container was replaced with a plastic package.

1. 1Brassoen.wikipedia.org