Large chandeliers can really bring a rustic elegance to your home. My metal of choice when it comes to chandelier lighting has always been brass. Brass has long been associated with lighting because of it's durability and beautiful appearance. Brass has an extremely long life, mostly due to it's strength and corrosion resistance.

Brass goes great with a wood-heavy décor, which perfectly describes my home's appearance. One thing you want to keep in mind if you do have a brass chandelier is the occasional cleaning. A dirty brass chandelier can definitely take something away from it's appearance, so it is important to give it a cleaning every 6 to 12 months. If you need to clean your brass chandelier but don't know where to start, here are 4 easy steps.

1. Clean off all excess dust, dirt and grime.

Dirt, dust and grime are inevitable as far as chandeliers go. Much like any other piece of furniture, your light fixtures will collect dust from dead skin and fabrics. If a smoker lives in the house, that will also give your chandelier a layer of soot. Dusting your chandelier with a dry cloth is going to be the first step in the cleaning process. Make sure to use a relatively soft cloth, so not to ruin any glass or the finish on your brass chandelier.

2. Clean the chandelier.

Dusting is regular maintenance for your chandelier, but you should also scrub it occasionally. Some of the tougher dirt and grime won't come off with just a dry cloth. Twice a year or so, you should scrub your chandelier with soap and water. Make sure to get all the crevices, as a chandelier is rarely straight and sharp angled. After scrubbing your chandelier with soap and water, wait for it to dry before moving on to the next step.

3. Remove tarnish if necessary.

After your chandelier is completely clean and dry, take a close look at it to see if the tarnish needs to be removed. The tarnish on a brass chandelier not only gives it a spectacular appearance, but it protects the brass as well. You should know if your brass chandelier is solid brass or brass plated. You can use a magnet to check if you aren't sure; a magnet will stick to steel plated brass and won't adhere to solid brass.

If you do have to remove tarnish, use a Brillo pad on steel plated brass to remove rust. You can either paint it, finish it or get it replated. If you have a solid brass chandelier, I suggest using specific brass cleaner to remove the tarnish and give it a proper finish.

4. Coat your chandelier.

Once your steel plated or solid brass chandelier is dusted, cleaned, dried and tarnished, it is important to reseal it. Coat your chandelier with a clear lacquer that can be found at any hardware store. This locks the tarnish in and adds even more protection to your chandelier.