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How to Clean an Antique Bird Cage

An antique bird cage is a work of art and a true collector's treasure. Antique bird cages come in a variety of styles and some types are very rare. Most are made of brass, iron, or wood. Since antique bird cages are often expensive and delicate, you want to take extra care not to damage the piece during a cleaning. Rare and intricate pieces should only be cleaned by an expert. If your cage has severely tarnished brass, rusting iron, porous wood, or soiled wicker, you should have an expert restore your piece,If the cage is only slightly dirty or tarnished, you can attempt to clean it yourself. Sometimes dusting with a soft cloth and brush will sufficiently clean the cage. When you need more than a dusting, a mild soap may be necessary. This guide will help you safely clean brass, iron, wicker, and wood antique bird cages.

Things You'll Need

Mild soap designed for antiques and artifacts
Soft brush
Dull paring knife
4 soft cloths
Distilled water
2 pails
A towel

Instructions

How to Clean an Antique Bird Cage
- 1
  Place the cage on a towel. Use a soft brush with gentle bristles to carefully clean away any dust or debris from the cage.
- 2
  Take a clean soft cloth and lightly wipe away any remaining dust not removed by the brush.
- 3
  Prepare the mild soap solution with distilled water, following the soap manufacturer's instructions, in a pail.
- 4
  Dip a clean soft cloth in the soap mixture until wet. Remove the cloth and wring out the excess water over the pail. The cloth should be damp, not dripping water.
- 5
  Gently wipe the entire cage with the damp cloth. You may need to re-wet the cloth with the soap mixture occassionally. Remember the cloth should never be dripping wet. Repeat until clean to satifaction. Be extra careful cleaning wicker which can easily break. Wood cages should be cleaned with as little water as possible. If tarnish is present on a brass cage, you will need to carefully apply pressure as you clean the affected area. It may take awhile to remove the tarnish. Do not submerge an antique cage in water.
- 6
  If dirt spots are not responding to the soap and water, take a dull paring knife and gently scrape away the debris. Be careful not to scrape the cage.
- 7
  Fill a second pail with distilled water.
- 8
  Wet a clean soft cloth with the distilled water. Wipe away the soap residue. Repeat until all the soap is removed. Remember not to submerge the cage in water.
- 9
  Carefully wipe the cage with a fresh soft cloth until dry. You can apply more pressure as you dry a brass cage to create shine. Be gentle when drying fragile wicker and wood cages. The cage should now be clean and beautiful.

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