National Garage Sale Day

August 8, 2024

National Garage Sale Day is always the second Saturday in August. This year, that’s August 10th. The idea for National Garage Sale Day came from C. Daniel Rhodes of Hoover, Alabama, who in 2001 noticed that some of the same people were shopping at garage sales held on different weekends by his neighbors. He thought it would be more convenient for everyone if all the garage sales were on the same day. He was right.

The National Road on National Garage Sale Day

In Indiana, US 40 has become known as the garage sale trail.  “In 2003, the Indiana National Road Association started the national yard sale to promote tourism on the national road. The event started the first year with sales along Richmond to Indianapolis, working to promote towns, communities, businesses, and the people along US. 40.” — Indy Star — Main St. America revisited with annual yard sale.

Treasures Galore

What treasures have you found at a garage sale? One of my favorite finds was an old trombone. I play trombone, so it was an exciting find. Although it was dirty and grimy, a little BKF made it look like new. Did you know you could use BKF on brass? Yes, you can; it’s the best and easy to use. Wet the brass with a damp cloth or sponge, then apply BKF Powdered Cleanser or Soft Liquid Cleanser to the sponge and gently rub it on the brass. Next, let it sit for one minute, and then use a soft cloth to wipe it off. Rinse, dry, with a soft cloth (I use a microfiber) and repeat as needed.

Don’t just take my word for it!

“If your trombone or drum cymbals need a shine, Bar Keepers Friend will come to the rescue. Dampen the instrument with a wet cloth, then sprinkle on Powdered Bar Keepers Friend. Allow the product to sit for a few minutes, then wipe along the brass grain with a microfiber cloth. Wipe again with a clean damp cloth to remove the cleaner and make it “shine.” — Taste of Home

Pro Tip: Gently use a soft-bristled toothbrush to reach hard-to-access areas.

Not only is BKF great for brass instruments but also for brass antiques, trinkets, and other hardware. This video is an excellent example.

More Garage Sale Finds

• Here’s someone who found a set of chef knives and used BKF to shine them up. “Garage sale find. Chef knives. They were abused and neglected. Chips and knicked and covered in grease. Cleaned them up with Bar Keepers friend and had a local shop sharpen them.” — Reddit

• Here’s another about a Magnalite roaster,  “I found a wonderful, vintage Magnalite roaster, however, it is terribly stained and dirty with years of accumulated use(on the outside). Any tips on reviving it? Elbow grease, cleanser and scrubbing pads aren’t working!”

“Barkeepers Friend would work.”

“I agree with Bar Keepers Friend. I’ve used it on many garage sale finds, including glass, try it, you won’t be sorry  —  Reviving a garage sale find, cleaning an old roaster

Check out how BKF renews this cooper-bottomed pan at the 4:22 mark of this video.

What’s Your Garage Sale Find?

Whether it’s vintage antiques, old plates, cookware, or a trombone, Bar Keepers Friend can turn your garage sale find into a garage sale treasure. So, are you going on the trail this National Garage Sale Day? I think I’ll start on U.S. 40 in Plainfield, IN, and head west. How about you?

Do you have any stories about cleaning your garage sale find with BKF? If so, we’d love to hear about it. Please drop us a note on the Bar Keepers Friend Facebook Page.

About the Author 

Randy Clark is a speaker, coach, and author. He publishes a weekly blog at Randy Clark Leadership.com. Randy is passionate about social media, leadership development, and flower gardening. He’s a beer geek, and on weekends (after COVID-19), he can be found fronting the Rock & Roll band Under the Radar. He’s the proud father of two daughters; he has four amazing grandchildren and a wife who dedicates her time to helping others. Randy is the author of the Amazon bestseller The New Manager’s Workbook: A crash course in effective management.