How to clean chess pieces: wood, plastic, metal, glass and stone

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Chess pieces get handled more than almost anything else in the house, so they pick up dust, skin oils and the occasional sticky fingerprint. The right way to clean them depends almost entirely on what they’re made of. A method that’s fine for plastic can ruin a wooden finish.

This guide pulls together the care advice published by chess makers and retailers, material by material. For the board itself, see our wooden chess board care guide.

Quick reference

Material	Routine cleaning	For grime	Avoid
Wood	Dry microfibre cloth; soft brush for carving	Barely damp cloth, dry at once	Soaking, silicone or liquid polishes
Plastic (solid)	Damp cloth	Warm water and mild soap, dry thoroughly	Abrasive cleaners
Plastic (weighted, felted)	Damp cloth	Wipe with mild soapy cloth, keep felt dry	Soaking the felted base
Metal (brass, pewter)	Soft cloth	Mild soap and water; polish made for that metal	Harsh chemicals, heavy scrubbing
Glass	Microfibre cloth	Gentle glass cleaner on a lint-free cloth	Abrasives, knocks and drops
Marble and stone	Soft cloth	Warm water with a little mild or pH-neutral soap, dry well	Vinegar, lemon and other acids; abrasives

Before you start

Work on a towel. It cushions pieces and catches drips.
Clean one piece at a time and dry each straight away.
Test any product on the underside or a hidden spot first.
Check the maker’s own instructions. Some makers advise against products others recommend. World Chess, for instance, says not to use the 3M polish it suggests for its boards on its pieces.

Wooden pieces

Wood is the material most easily damaged by cleaning, so less is more.

Dust regularly with a soft, dry microfibre or linen cloth. House of Staunton suggests a soft-bristled brush, such as a small paintbrush, for knights and other carved detail.
For marks or sticky spots, use a cloth that’s only lightly damp (a drop of very mild detergent is fine) and dry the piece immediately. Never soak or submerge wooden pieces.
Wax occasionally, not often. Chess House recommends a small amount of paste wax about once a year, left to dry and then buffed lightly with a cotton cloth. House of Staunton advises refinishing with polish, wax or oil no more than twice a year.

Check the finish first. House of Staunton notes that gloss, satin and matte finishes need different treatment. Polishing a satin finish can make it shiny, and matte finishes shouldn’t be waxed or polished at all.

Avoid liquid polishes and silicone-based products, which Chess House says can damage the finish, and polishes containing alcohol. Chessbazaar goes further and says not to add wax or polish unless the manufacturer’s instructions call for it, since its factory finish is hard-wearing on its own.

Heat, humidity and direct sun cause more harm than dirt does; our board care guide covers storage.

See paste wax for wood or see microfibre cloths

Plastic pieces

Plastic is the easiest material to clean.

Solid plastic pieces can be washed in warm water with a little mild soap. The English Chess Company suggests a brief dip and a soft brush for grime, then a rinse. The Chess Store’s advice is similar: soapy water, a soft cloth, then dry thoroughly before storing or playing.
Avoid abrasive cleaners, which scratch the surface and dull a matte finish.

Weighted plastic pieces: keep the felt dry

Many club and tournament pieces are weighted. A Chess.com repair article describes the weights in the sets its author has opened as small lead weights fixed in a cavity in the base, with the felt glued over the top.

None of the care pages we checked addresses washing weighted pieces specifically, so we suggest a cautious approach: wipe the piece with a soapy, well-wrung cloth rather than dunking it, and keep the felted base out of the water. Soaking risks loosening the felt glue and getting water into the weight cavity, where it can’t easily dry. If the felt does come loose, The Chess Store suggests fabric glue and firm pressure.

If you’re unsure whether your set is weighted, our guide to weighted vs. unweighted pieces explains how to tell.

Metal pieces (brass, pewter and others)

Metal pieces tarnish over time. Brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, reacts with oxygen, sulfur and moisture in the air, and humidity speeds that up.

Routine: wipe with a soft cloth.
For grime: a few drops of mild dish soap in warm water, applied with a soft cloth (a cotton bud for crevices), then rinse and dry fully.
For tarnish: The Chess Store recommends a polish made for the specific metal, such as brass or pewter, used according to its instructions and buffed with a soft cloth.

Lacquered or plated pieces are a special case: aggressive polishing can strip the coating. Check the maker’s guidance before using any polish, and test on the base first. The English Chess Company advises caution with harsh chemicals on metal.

See brass polish or see pewter polish

Glass pieces

Glass sets show every fingerprint. House of Staunton suggests wiping pieces with a microfibre cloth after each use, and using a soft, lint-free cloth with a gentle glass cleaner when needed. Avoid abrasive cleaners, since scratches show up quickly on glass.

The bigger risk is breakage: glass can chip, crack or shatter if knocked or dropped. Clean pieces on a towel, one at a time, and store them in a padded case.

Marble, onyx and other stone

Stone is hard-wearing, but sensitive to chemicals.

Clean with a soft cloth, warm water and a small amount of gentle or pH-neutral soap, then dry thoroughly so water doesn’t leave marks (The Chess Store).
Never use vinegar, lemon or other acidic cleaners. This Old House explains that acids can dissolve and etch the top layer of marble, and citrus can dull the finish.
Avoid abrasive pads and harsh chemicals, which dull polished stone.

Felt pads

The felt (baize) on piece bases protects the board and quietens play.

Keep felt dry. Clean around it rather than wetting it.
Remove lint and grit gently with a soft brush or a dry cloth; grit trapped in felt can scratch a board.
Reattach loose felt with fabric glue, pressing firmly (The Chess Store).
Replace worn felt. Self-adhesive replacement felt is inexpensive.

See chess piece felt pads

What to avoid with any set

Dishwashers. None of the maker or retailer care pages we checked recommends a dishwasher for any material; they all describe hand cleaning. Heat, long soaks and detergent are exactly what the material-specific advice above warns against.
Soaking wooden pieces, or the felted bases of weighted pieces.
Harsh solvents and abrasives. Sellers warn against harsh chemicals on wood, metal and stone, and abrasive cleaners on plastic, glass and stone.
Playing with damp hands. Chessbazaar recommends keeping a hand towel nearby so you can dry sweaty or freshly washed hands before playing.

If a piece is beyond cleaning (a cracked knight, a missing pawn), see our guide to replacement chess pieces.