Help removing white stains from lead flashings

[Ben1975]

I need some advice on removing stains from lead flashing.

Our house was only built a year ago. Builders put in flashing around the windows.

Now the lead has streaks running down it and it looks dreadful.

I've done quite a bit of research online and found that the flashings need to be cleaned and treated with patination oil (which I've now bought).

However, I'm not sure how to clean it. I've seen a number of suggestions - white spirit, vinegar, gentle rubbing with wire wool. None of which have worked for me. In fact, you can see from the fourth picture that its made it worse and there is now a big white smudge.

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• Ben1975
• 3 Sep 2012
• 1

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• Ben1975
• 3 Sep 2012
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• Ben1975
• 3 Sep 2012
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• Ben1975
• 3 Sep 2012
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Any ideas for what I need to do to get this sorted?

Many thanks

Ben

 

[crank39]

Yes quite!

 

[Ben1975]

Come on crank, I'm sure there is some advice just bursting to get out!

 

[crank39]

Can't see the pictures

 

[Ben1975]

Oops, sorry about that. Not sure why the pics were showing as private, I had set the security settings to public. How about this?

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• Ben1975
• 4 Sep 2012
• 1

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• Ben1975
• 4 Sep 2012
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• Ben1975
• 4 Sep 2012
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• Ben1975
• 4 Sep 2012
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[Pinnacle69]

wire wool and patination oil