People use elbow grease to refer to the strength and energy that you use when doing physical work like rubbing or polishing.
[informal]
It took a considerable amount of polish and elbow grease before the brass shone likenew.
elbow grease in British English
noun
facetious
vigorous physical labour, esp hard rubbing
elbow grease in American English
Informal
vigorous physical effort
elbow grease
the energy and strength you need for doing physical work such as cleaning something
Plenty of elbow grease soon moves all the dirt.
Examples of 'elbow grease' in a sentence
elbow grease
What would they know about elbow grease?
The Sun (2014)
This does take some serious elbow grease.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The only essential you seem to be lacking is a helping of elbow grease.
The Sun (2013)
It just takes a bit of elbow grease.
The Sun (2012)
Ditch cleaning chemicals and make with the elbow grease.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Save on elbow grease and put the tarnished item in a bowl on top of aluminium foil shiny side up.
The Sun (2010)
We can't have a dishwasher because of the noise and it all needs serious elbow grease!
The Sun (2015)
So it will take good old-fashioned elbow grease to get through this one.
The Sun (2008)
If the stains persist, apply a fine wire pad and elbow grease.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Apart from a little elbow grease, of course.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
So use some elbow grease.
The Sun (2006)
Of course they were all utterly hopeless at doing something practical that requires a bit of elbow grease and failed miserably in the first basic cleaning task.
The Sun (2009)
This operation requires a good deal of elbow grease, as well as something no-nonsense and aggressive in the way of cleaning sprays.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The cleaner the surface, the less likely it is that weeds will make their home there, so apply some elbow grease.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
A Northumberland brewery exemplifies the degree of commitment, patience and entrepreneurial elbow grease needed to make such an operation a going concern.