It is widely used in manufacturing musical instruments, coins, bolts, doorknobs, bearings, gears, locks, zippers, and electrical appliances. But brass can get easily oxidized when exposed to air, which can tarnish its surface. To protect brass from tarnishing, it is usually lacquered. Lacquer can prevent brass from tarnishing for several years. But still, brass products do tarnish over a period of time due to the accumulation of dirt, dust, and grease on their surface.