how do you clean a copper collendar

Download Article

Download Commodity

Copper makes beautiful jewelry, household items, and decor, and you lot likely want to keep your items looking their best. However, exposure to oxygen causes copper to develop a black patina over time and your pieces might become stained. Fortunately, you can restore the rose golden luster of your favorite copper pieces using products y'all likely have in your home. With a piddling elbow-grease, y'all may be able to get your precious pieces looking new again.

one
Combine equal parts vinegar and common salt to make a paste. Pour the common salt into a clean bowl, then slowly add the vinegar. Use a spoon to stir the ingredients together to brand a paste. Keep stirring until the paste appears consistent.^[1]
- The measurements don't demand to be exact.
- Vinegar may be enough to remove oxidization on your piece of copper.^[2]
2
Utilize the paste to a clean towel. Dip your clean towel into the paste to coat the towel. Get a generous amount of paste onto the towel so there'south enough to scrub the copper slice.^[3]
- You can utilise any type of clean towel. For instance, a dishcloth or paper towel will work smashing.
Advertisement
iii
Scrub your copper slice with the salt and vinegar. Apply the towel to rub the table salt and vinegar paste into the copper item. Rub the dark stains vigorously to help remove them. Apply a business firm, even pressure to pull upwards the stain.^[4]
- As yous clean the copper piece, dip the towel in the paste again as needed to utilise more paste.
- Merely use salt and water if you're cleaning a delicate surface.^[v]
4
Use a toothbrush to work the paste into dents. If your copper detail has dents or crevices that are stained, scrub these spots with a toothbrush. Use the vinegar and table salt paste to the toothbrush, then work the bristles into the grooves to help remove the dark spots.^[vi]
- Apply more paste to the toothbrush as needed to clean the copper.
- If you still run across marks on the surface, try lightly scrubbing the surface with fine-grit sandpaper.^[7]
v
Rinse off the paste and wipe your piece dry. Agree the copper item under warm running water to remove the excess paste. Use your fingers to gently wipe off the paste. Then, apply a make clean towel to wipe your copper item dry.^[viii]
- If there are any spots remaining on the copper, apply pressure with the fabric to remove them.
Advertisement

1
Combine vinegar, water, and table salt in a big pot. Measure out 1 cup (240 mL) of vinegar into a large pot, and so add together 1 tbsp (17 g) of table salt. Utilise a measuring loving cup add three cups (710 mL) of warm h2o to the pot. Then, stir the ingredients to combine them.^[ix]
- If y'all're cleaning a large copper slice, use a bigger pot and double the ingredients for the cleaning solution.
2
Submerge your copper slice in the solution. It's safest to put the copper into the pot before y'all kickoff humid the solution. Place the item into the pot and make certain the stains are covered past the cleaning solution. It's okay if part of the particular is not covered, as long as yous aren't trying to clean the exposed area. ^[x]
- It'south okay to clean more than 1 slice at a fourth dimension if they all fit into the pot. For instance, yous might clean two copper mugs at the same time or a scattering of copper jewelry pieces.
three
Bring the solution to a boil over loftier heat. Turn the burner on high heat to heat the pot. Monitor the pot as it heats to boiling. Subsequently it reaches boiling, adjust the rut to continue information technology at a rolling boil.^[11]
- Stay near the pot while information technology's heating to make sure information technology doesn't boil over.
4
Watch for the stains to fade from the copper. The vinegar and table salt volition draw out the stains or black patina. Check the water to see if the discoloration is leaching out of the copper and into the solution. Permit the item boil for up 15 minutes.^[12]
- If the detail looks clean before you get to 15 minutes, it'due south okay to plow off the pot early.
5
Plow off the heat so the copper piece can cool. Later on 15 minutes, turn off the burner and so that the solution and the copper particular will start to cool. Leave the pot to cool for thirty minutes to an hr.^[13]
- Don't try to handle the copper while it's still hot. The metal may burn your hand, then be careful.
6
Scrub the cooled copper piece with a dry material. Remove the copper detail from the solution and employ a soft, clean cloth to dry out it. Use firm pressure equally your rub the copper to buff it into a smooth.^[xiv]
- If you see any remaining stains, rub them vigorously with your material to endeavour to buff them out.
Advertisement

1
Cutting a lemon or lime in half. Hold a lemon or lime on a cut lath. So, use a precipitous knife to slice information technology in half. Go on both halves of the fruit to use equally a cleaner.^[fifteen]
- You can use either a lemon or a lime to make clean copper, but lemons are more commonly used.
ii
Dip 1 half of the lemon or lime in table salt. Cascade a pocket-size corporeality of common salt on a plate, and so press the fleshy part of the lemon or lime into the table salt. Use a sparse layer of salt over the fruit flesh.^[xvi]
- Get out some salt on the plate then you lot tin dip the fruit in more than table salt as needed.
Variation: If your slice is frail or small, mix enough lemon juice into the salt to brand a paste. Then, utilize a soft cloth to piece of work the paste into the copper piece. If the stains are deep, permit the lemon paste sit down on the copper piece for upwardly to 1 hour.^[17]
three
Scrub the lemon or lime over the copper. Use light pressure to press the fleshy function of the lemon or lime into the copper item. Vigorously rub the copper to remove the stains or patina. Pay special attention to areas that have dark stains.^[18]
- Dip the lemon or lime half in the salt as needed. If the outset lemon or lime one-half starts to squish before the item is clean, switch to the 2d one-half and resume scrubbing.
4

Rinse off the copper slice with warm water. Hold the copper item nether a stream of warm water until you don't run into anymore fruit flesh or salt. Turn the particular over in your easily as you lot rinse it so that information technology'due south thoroughly cleaned.^[19]
5
Wipe the copper piece with a dry out cloth. Use a soft, clean cloth to dry the copper particular. Employ a firm pressure level to lightly buff the piece.^[20]
- If you notice any remaining stains, vigorously rub those spots with your cloth to help bring them up.
Advertisement

one
Apply a dollop of ketchup to a make clean rag. Use a make clean dish cloth or paper towel. Squeeze the ketchup onto the cloth or dip the cloth in the ketchup.^[21]
- Keep the ketchup nearby so you tin can utilize more every bit necessary. For large pieces, you may use a lot of ketchup.
- The acids in the ketchup deliquesce copper stains.
Variation: If your copper pieces are small, encompass them with ketchup and leave them to sit down for thirty minutes.^[22]
2
Sprinkle salt onto the ketchup for added effectiveness. While using common salt is optional, information technology might the ketchup more effective. To use the salt, merely sprinkle a light layer on top of your ketchup. The ketchup and table salt will mix together as you scrub the copper.^[23]
- Add more than table salt each time you add additional ketchup.
3
Scrub the mixture into the copper, leaving a thin layer. Use your cloth and firm pressure to employ the ketchup-salt mixture over the surface of the copper. Vigorously rub the areas that are stained. Apply the ketchup in a sparse layer over the copper item.^[24]
- If you're treating a small stain, it'south okay to only apply the ketchup to that expanse. Withal, it'south also okay to treat a big item with ketchup.
4
Let the ketchup sit on the piece for 30 minutes for tough stains. You lot don't need to let the ketchup sit on small stains that are coming upward with scrubbing. However, leaving the ketchup in place for up to 30 minutes tin can depict out the stain more hands. Gear up a timer and wait for the ketchup to work.^[25]
- You tin can always effort scrubbing first and then permit the ketchup sit on the item if it's not coming clean.
v
Rinse off the ketchup-common salt mixture with warm water. Hold the copper particular nether running h2o to rinse it make clean. Use your fingers to scrub off whatever stuck-on ketchup. Go on rinsing until the water runs articulate and the item looks make clean.^[26]
- Employ a toothbrush to remove stuck-on ketchup spots.
vi

Dry the copper with a clean textile. Utilize a soft, clean cloth to dry the copper item. Apply a house pressure to the piece to lightly buff information technology. Additionally, vigorously rub any areas that still look stained.^[27]

Ad

Add New Question

Question

How do you remove oxidation from copper?

Kadi Dulude is the owner of Wizard of Homes, a New York Urban center based cleaning company. Kadi manages a squad of over 70 registered cleaning professionals, and her cleaning communication has been featured in Architectural Digest and New York Magazine.

House Cleaning Professional

Practiced Answer

Try using vinegar! Vinegar may be enough to remove oxidization on your piece of copper.
Question

How exercise you remove oxidation from copper?

Kadi Dulude is the owner of Wizard of Homes, a New York City based cleaning company. Kadi manages a squad of over 70 registered cleaning professionals, and her cleaning advice has been featured in Architectural Digest and New York Magazine.

House Cleaning Professional person

Adept Reply

If your copper detail got oxidized, try to moisture the copper surface and then scrub it with salt.
Question

How can I stop a copper bracelet from tarnishing?

Use several thin coats of lacquer.
Question

I tried these methods on my copper kettle, just it started removing the copper colour equally well, and it left some pinkish spots. How tin I make clean my kettle without removing the copper itself?

Solid copper will not bear in this manner. You are attempting to clean copper plate. This is very thin generally, so don't employ an annoying cleaner or harsh acids. A production such equally Tarnoff is probably your best bet. Otherwise, just employ a very light vinegar solution and lots and lots of very gentle rubbing.
Question

What are some good means to clean a valuable old coin?

I've heard that polishing certain antiques tin can reduce their value. The actual patina can help with the authenticity. And then, if y'all're planning on selling it, I'd be conscientious and get an skillful's opinion outset.
Question

I used the lemon/table salt method of cleaning some exposed copper pipage. Information technology worked beautifully at first, but one day after, the copper now has a boring dark finish. What went wrong?

To terminate the continued "erosion" by your lemon (or vinegar) mix on the metal, yous need to neutralize the copper surface. Commonly, "painting" a mix of a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda mixed with a liter of h2o so enthusiastically rinsing with water will do the job.
Question

How tin can I smoothen a copper pipe?

You can polish the copper by simply applying metallic polishers to a cotton material, and rubbing the copper until it becomes shiny. The methods here should besides work.
Question

Do you have any other suggestions if the common salt and vinegar doesn't remove the spots completely?

Thorlaug Borg

Community Answer

You lot could use a name-brand copper polish product. They are normally found at big supermarkets next to silver and contumely polish products.
Question

How do I shine a copper penny?

Coin cleaning with vinegar and table salt formula volition do a fine task on your copper coins. Simply put vinegar and salt in a container, put the penny in for 5 - 10 minutes, then rub information technology with a non-abrasive cloth. Rinse well with distilled water and air dry.
Question

What can I use to prevent copper from condign tarnished?

Use lather, vinegar, and water. Mix them together and pigment it on. Employ gloves and put the piece of copper on an outdoor table, or on a newspaper towel on an indoor tabular array.

Show more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to go a message when this question is answered.

Submit

VideoRead Video Transcript

It's normal for copper pieces to plough blackness over time considering of oxidation.

Decorative lacquered items should only be washed in soapy water and stale thoroughly. Polishing or scrubbing such copper items volition remove their protective coating.^[28]

Advertizing

Things You lot'll Need

Vinegar
Common salt
Fabric
Water

Large pot
Vinegar
Water
Salt
Cloth

Lemon or lime
Cut board
Knife
Table salt
Water
Cloth

Ketchup
Table salt
Cloth
Container (optional)
Water

Most This Article

Article Summary X

If you have a copper item that you demand to clean, cutting a lemon in half and clasp out all of the juice. Mix salt into the juice a picayune at a time until it forms a paste. Dip a soft cloth into the paste, then rub the cloth over your copper to remove any tarnish. When you've finished cleaning the copper, rinse information technology off with warm water and polish with beeswax to give the item a lasting shine. If you desire to learn how to use vinegar or ketchup to remove tarnish from copper, go on reading the article!

Did this summary assistance you?

Cheers to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,952,665 times.