How to clean and polish Bakelite radios, phones and jewellery

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Is it Bakelite?

   Rub a spot with a cotton bud dipped in Simple Green or warm water and sniff it. Bakelite gives off a faint chemical smell, and Simple Green turns the bud yellow on most colours.

2. 2

   Step 2: Clean it

   Wipe with a barely damp soapy cloth and dry. Use a soft toothbrush on grilles and lettering.

3. 3

   Step 3: Polish

   Rub on plastic or metal polish with a soft cloth in small circles. The dull grey layer will come off onto the cloth. Keep going until the cloth stays clean.

4. 4

   Step 4: Deal with scratches

   For deep scratches, wet sand very lightly with 1500 then 2000 grit, then polish. Stay away from painted lettering and logos.

5. 5

   Step 5: Protect

   Finish with a thin coat of microcrystalline wax and buff it to a shine.