How to Give a Banister Back Its Shine

Wood

• 1

  Sand the wooden banister by hand using progressively finer grit sandpaper to get a smooth finish. Start with 80-grit sandpaper to move any residue and leftover old finish.

• 2

  Re-sand it with a finer sandpaper, such as 100-grit, and give it one more good sanding with 180-grit, superfine sandpaper.

• 3

  Apply stain by dipping a sponge or rag into the stain and rubbing it on the banister until the entire piece of wood is wet with stain. Gently rub off excess with a soft rag. Allow it to dry for half an hour.

• 4

  Polish with wood polish such as lemon oil to bring up a natural shine.

Brass

• 5

  Make your own brass polish by mixing the juice of one lemon and baking soda or table salt. Squeeze the lemon into a small bowl and remove the seeds and any pulp. Add salt or baking soda to make a thick paste. If you have an exceptionally long banister, you may need to double the portions to get enough brass polish.

• 6

  Apply the paste with a soft cloth to the brass banister. Work the paste into the brass going with the grain of the metal to remove patina and dirt from the banister.

• 7

  Dip an old, soft toothbrush into the paste, and clean areas too small to reach with the cloth.

• 8

  Rinse off the brass with a cloth dampened in warm water.

• 9

  Reapply brass cleaner to any places you may have missed or that didn't come clean the first time. Rinse again when you're finished polishing.

• 10

  Dry the brass quickly to avoid leaving any water spots.

• 11

  Buff with a chamois or microfiber cloth to bring up a sparkling shine.

• 12

  Lightly coat the banister with the thinnest layer of olive oil to protect the finish. Buff it in well so there is no residue remaining on the banister.