If you own a hookah made of copper or brass, chances are it has gotten tarnished after a few weeks of using it. Copper and brass hookahs look wonderful when they are polished but they lose their luster when tarnished. This guide will walk you through how to properly clean and polish your tarnished hookah to bring back that shine we all love from copper and brass stems.

Why does my hookah tarnish? Tarnish is a thin layer of corrosion that forms over copper, brass, aluminum and other metals as their outermost layer undergoes a chemical reaction when exposed to air. A tarnished hookah stem will appear to have a dull gray or black coating over the metal. It is mostly visible on copper and brass hookahs. It’s especially noticeable with hookahs made of multiple metals such as Khalil Mamoon Trimetals. Tarnishing is completely normal and easy to remove by polishing the metal. Can I prevent this? The simple answer is no. Other than wrapping your hookahs in airtight bags, you will not be able to stop this natural metal chemical process.

What you need

Eagle One Nevr-Dull Metal Polish

2x Cloth towels

Dish soap (for deep cleans use baking soda and lemon juice)

Hookah stem cleaning brush

Optional: Rubber gloves if you have sensitive skin

Eagle One Nevr-Dull Wadding Polish

This is a non-abrasive product that will clean and polish metal. It works great, is easy to use and doesn’t require any mixing or special cloths which is why I recommend it for polishing hookah stems. You can buy it on Amazon for under $6. I’ve polished my hookah with it over a dozen times and still have half the can remaining.