How to Clean Skeleton Keys

How to Clean Skeleton Keys
Written By
Aaron Ratliff
Aaron Ratliff
Published: Jan 17, 2011
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
1 minute read

Cleaning rust and other debris from these keys is necessary to ensure they continue to function properly. Using a few common household items, you can create an environmentally friendly cleaner that will restore the surface of your skeleton keys.

  1. Mix the juice of four lemons with 2 tbsp. of baking soda in a small bowl. The mixture should thicken and form into a paste.

  2. Place the skeleton keys into the mixture and allow them to sit for 20 minutes.

  3. Remove the keys from the paste mixture and use a stiff-bristle brush to rub the paste into the surface of the keys. Return the keys back to the bowl containing the paste for another 20 minutes.

  4. Remove the keys from the mixture and rinse with warm water until all of the cleaning mixture has been removed. Dry the keys thoroughly using a towel to prevent rust from forming on the surface of the keys.

Things You Will Need

  • Stiff-bristle brush
  • Bowl
  • 4 lemons
  • Baking soda

Photo Credits

key image by Valentin Mosichev from Fotolia.com

key image by Valentin Mosichev from Fotolia.com

Aaron Ratliff

Based in Asheville, N.C., Aaron Ratliff started writing as a journalist for his hometown radio station in 1997. He is currently a North Carolina licensed Emergency Medical Technician and a certified personal trainer. Ratliff is pursuing a…

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