We are always very pleased when people want to make our STOLPERSTEINE shine again, because the brass surface of the Stolpersteine oxidizes over time and thus practically forms a protective layer. Where there is no public traffic to 'polish the memory blank', discoloration from light brown to almost black occurs. The changes can vary quite a bit (the alloys fluctuate in composition). There are different methods for cleaning; we recommend common metal or special brass cleaning agents from the drugstore. For this you need a little water and a simple kitchen sponge. Tools with very hard surfaces such as wire brushes or other hard objects should not be used, as this can permanently damage the brass plates.
When using the milky metal cleaning agents, you should apply a small amount to a cloth and not directly to the brass surface. This avoids white cleaning agent edges on the surrounding pavement, which only decompose very slowly.
After you have rubbed the brass plate with the cleaning milk, let the agent dry for about a minute and then you can polish the brass. If the cleaning result does not yet meet your expectations, repeat the process.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who regularly clean the Stolpersteine!