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Today, cleaning copper is a very pressing issue, because products made from this metal can often be found in everyday life. Copper decorative items can add coziness and beauty to a home, but only if they are perfectly clean, because if they are darkened or green, they can completely ruin the impression. But don’t despair, because in this case there are many methods that help clean copper at home.

Copper is the best material for dishes

Before you begin cleaning copper products, you should use personal protective equipment, because many of the products used during cleaning can cause serious harm to health.

To ensure personal protection you will need:

• latex gloves;
• plastic glasses;
• means for respiratory protection (cotton-gauze bandage, respirator or medical mask).

Handy products for cleaning copper products

If necessary, you can clean a fairly large piece of home decor from green deposits - rub its entire surface with half a lemon, since its large size will not allow it to be placed in any container. Afterwards you need to wait a while, about five minutes, and rub the surface with a brush, and then rinse with water.

This method is excellent for cleaning copper chandeliers, lamps, and plumbing fixtures at home, because this way you can easily and simply get rid of traces of oxidation on the surface of products.

If it is necessary to clean copper utensils from any contamination, then you should be aware that copper that has turned green or gray can be quite toxic and therefore you should not eat food from such utensils. After all, this can cause serious harm to health. So if the dishes are still covered with a green coating, then it is better to leave them as a piece of home decor.

But before that you will have to clean it. To do this, you just need to place such dishes in hot water with baking soda added to the detergent, then you need to rub it, and then rinse it in clean water. This method will help you quickly and efficiently clean copper products without much time and effort.

If the required copper item is too dirty, you can clean it by placing it in a solution of vinegar with the addition of a small amount of salt and bringing this solution to a boil. After the product has cooled, you need to wipe it and rinse it with warm water, this way you can quickly clean the copper.

To clean polished copper products, you just need to moisten the surface in kerosene and then wipe it with chalk powder using a woolen rag. The cost of kerosene is about 30-50 rubles per liter, so this cleaning can be not only quite effective, but also economical.

You can also wipe a copper object with an ammonia solution (ammonia) and then rinse it thoroughly under running water; this method will effectively help remove green deposits and blackness.

How to restore a beautiful shine to copper products

Cleaning antique copper coins with soda

In order to give copper products a shine, they should be wiped with a solution of vinegar, flour and salt, then polish the surface with a soft cloth, and they will shine like new.

If, after cleaning copper, you need to give it a more marketable appearance, then you should apply an artificial patina to the product. Before you start, you need to prepare a solution, for this you will need:

• 1 liter of distilled water;
• 50 grams of vitriol (you can buy it at any gardening store);
• 5 grams of potassium permanganate.

After mixing all the components, the solution must be heated, but not brought to a boil, and the desired item must be lowered into it. The product should be turned over periodically, after it has received the desired color, you can remove it from the solution and dry it properly.

This effect disappears quite quickly, but it can be preserved. To do this, you need to cover the cleaned surface with a mixture of alcohol and benzene in equal proportions.

This method will help protect any copper product from the harmful effects of the environment and rapid fading.

Gentle cleaning products for copper products

If it is necessary to clean copper coins or antiques of great value from traces of oxidation, the process must be more careful so as not to cause damage or leave scratches. To do this, place the required item in a ten percent citric acid solution; it will easily remove green deposits and will not cause any harm to the metal.

To carefully clean copper items from patina, a very unusual method can help: you need to soak the contaminated item in kefir for a couple of hours, then rinse the item in running water. An alternative and no less unusual option is ketchup. Kefir and ketchup contain an acid, which interacts with the oxide, dissolving it. Of course, these methods may not be effective enough for the most severe contamination, but they will not cause any harm to the metal object.

A more effective result can be achieved by soaking copper products in a soap solution. To do this, grate a small amount of laundry or baby soap on a fine grater and pour boiling water over it. Then soak the copper product in this solution for several hours. This method can very carefully clean any metal object, but its main disadvantage is that all this can take a lot of time, depending on the degree of oxidation, the procedure must be repeated several times.

All of the above methods will help you effectively clean copper objects from various contaminants, traces of oxide, and plaque at home, without much harm to them.

Video: How to easily clean copper

Copper products are not only coins that are collected by numismatists, but also a variety of decorative items that have beauty and elegance. But over time, the metal becomes covered with oxides. Copper oxide is a brown or black deposit that appears on copper products when exposed to moisture. This coating gives coins and jewelry an unattractive appearance. For this reason, every owner of such products wonders how to clean copper with their own hands at home.

Cleaning copper with lemon

What not to do?

Before you start cleaning copper from dirt and oxides, you should know which cleaning agent should not be used for this purpose. This is a powder containing abrasive particles that can scratch the metal, after which it will be impossible to return it to its original appearance. The use of any acids (citric, sulfuric, hydrochloric) can also damage a copper product, especially if we are talking about a coin made of copper. Fragile copper decorative items should not be boiled or exposed to hot steam, otherwise they may break.

Facilities

You can clean copper at home using the following means:

1. Soap solution: this is the easiest product to make and is ideal for caring for copper if the product made from it is slightly dirty. It is enough to soak the copper product in warm soapy water for several hours, rinse it and wipe it dry.
2. Soap paste: If the item needs a more thorough cleaning, you can prepare a soap paste. This is easy to do: take a bar of soap and rub it on a fine grater, then add water to form a thick paste. This mass needs to be coated on a copper product. It is advisable to leave the pulp for several days - this approach will improve the cleaning result.
3. Lemon: you can take half of this fruit and carefully rub the cut side of the copper product. At the end of the procedure, the item should be gently cleaned with a brush.
4. Vinegar paste: cleaning copper with this product is very effective. To prepare the gruel, you need to take equal parts of salt and flour, then combine them with vinegar so that it looks like a dough. The mass is applied to a copper object and wait for it to dry. As soon as the mixture dries on the metal surface, it should be brushed off and the product itself should be rinsed thoroughly.
5. Ammonia (ammonium chloride): This remedy is excellent if the copper product is covered with a thick layer of patina. The powder must be poured into a deep vessel, and the copper object must be heated. After this, touch the ammonia powder with a hot product. Thus, you need to treat the entire surface of the product.
6. Ketchup: This food product is often used to clean copper products. You need to apply a thick layer of ketchup to the item and leave it for a few minutes. Afterwards, the product should be rinsed with water and wiped dry with a cloth.
7. Kefir: This drink contains an acid that effectively removes dirt from the surface of copper products. It is enough to saturate microfiber or cotton wool with kefir and start cleaning the copper object.
8. Olive oil: This product is suitable for cleaning small copper objects, such as coins. However, the owner of such products should prepare for the fact that cleaning may last a month, but the main advantage of this cleaning method is that the oil cannot harm the metal in any way. How to clean copper: you need to take a deep bowl and pour olive oil into it, then put copper items in it. After a few days, they are taken out and cleaned with a soft brush, after which they are immersed in oil again. Over the course of one to two months, this action is repeated 5-6 times.
9. Trilon-B: when answering the question of how to clean copper, this product should be mentioned. It is diluted in water in the following proportion - 1 part Trilon-B and 10 parts water. The item to be cleaned is immersed in the resulting solution and its condition is monitored. As soon as the desired result is achieved, the copper product must be removed and washed in running water.

Cleaning copper with ketchup

If a copper decor item has become tarnished, but has not yet become dirty, you can clean it with crumpled newspaper (this is how windows were cleaned in the past).

Many owners of copper products are wondering not only what can be used to clean copper from impurities, but also how to give it an ideal appearance. To do this, you need to prepare a product consisting of the following components:

• water - 1 liter;
• potassium permanganate - 5 grams;
• copper sulfate - 50 grams.

A solution is prepared from these components and heated over low heat to 80 degrees. Afterwards, a copper object is immersed in it for several hours. Cleaning is completed by rinsing the product with clean water. After drying, you can coat the metal with a layer of a mixture consisting of alcohol and benzene, taken in equal parts.

If a copper product has a high value from the point of view of history and culture, then it is recommended to entrust its care to a professional, since improper cleaning can lead to damage to a valuable item.

In the arsenal of a modern housewife, there are many different ways to maintain copper products in an attractive condition. The following methods are considered the most effective and common:

1. Take a metal container that will hold the copper item. Fill it with water, add a little of any detergent or cleaning product. Using a soft cloth or sponge, remove light dirt from the metal surface. Then immerse the product in clean water to rinse off any remaining detergent.
2. Freshly squeezed lemon juice works well even on old stains. Cut the lemon in half, rub it on the copper item, leave for a few minutes, and then rinse under running water.
3. Tomato paste or ketchup are also good options, how to clean copper at home. To carry out this procedure, squeeze the required amount of ketchup or paste into a container and lower the product into it. The copper item should be left in this product for 10 minutes and rinsed with warm water. After this treatment, the metal will look like new.
4. If your favorite copper piece has dark stains, try removing them with a vinegar solution. Fill a saucepan with water, dilute vinegar and salt in it. For 1 liter of water you will need 3 tbsp. l. vinegar and the same amount of salt. Dip the dish you are going to clean into the prepared solution, put the pan on the fire and bring the water to a boil, boil for 10 minutes and rinse with warm water.
5. Pastes based on chalk and ammonia also cope well with dirt. To prepare this cleaning product, you need to prepare a 25% ammonia solution, ground chalk and water. Mix these three components in a ratio of 5: 2: 10. Treat contaminated copper items with the prepared paste and leave them for 10-15 minutes. Then thoroughly scrub the entire surface of the metal with a brush with medium-hard bristles. Rinse the product under running water and wipe dry with a soft cloth.

Cleaning copper cookware

To safely clean products, all these methods can be used only after a preliminary test of the metal’s reaction to the cleaning agent. Testing is carried out in a small area; if no changes have occurred, the entire product can be cleaned.

Often plaques of various origins form on copper utensils. There are several options, how to clean copper at home to remove any plaque that has formed. They are presented in the table below.

If contaminants form on a metal such as copper, mechanical cleaning of objects can also be carried out. Typically, this method is used when it is necessary to remove dirt from coins and other items with small parts.

For mechanical cleaning you will need the following tools:

• incisors;
• needle;
• brush.

The use of these tools allows you to remove dirt even in the most difficult to reach places. Mechanical cleaning is carried out as follows:

1. Copper products are placed in distilled water for an hour. Such actions are necessary to remove the upper whitish coating.
2. At this stage of cleaning the item, it should be treated with synthetic resin to prevent mechanical damage to the surface during the procedure.
3. When using any of the above tools, contaminants are removed.

Cleaned copper products

If a copper product is of great value, do not rush, such work may require a lot of time and effort.

Mechanical cleaning can also be carried out using abrasives - salt and soda. When choosing this method, you need to apply a small amount of salt or soda to a sponge or cloth and carefully clean the dirty areas.

Previously, coins were made from copper. Today they are considered rarities and therefore are of particular value to collectors. This metal has a high tendency to form patina and various oxides, as a result of which its attractive appearance is lost and its value decreases. There are several effective ways to remove contaminants from this metal.

Cleaning coins in soapy water

This is a fairly simple and very common method. To return coins to a new look, you will need:

• soda – 5 tbsp;
• water – 500 g;
• pot;
• old toothbrush.

Prepare a soda solution

Cleansing process:

1. Prepare the solution - pour water into a saucepan, add baking soda and stir.
2. Place coins in the prepared solution. They must be covered with at least 2 cm of water on top, so you should not process a large number of copper products at once.
3. Place the pan on the fire and cook for half an hour.
4. Take out the coins, let them cool slightly and start cleaning the surface with a toothbrush. Pay special attention to problem areas.

Trilon-B

You can do without making your own means to clean copper from contaminants. Trilon-B is a special chemical composition designed to clean this metal and copes well with any contaminants.

Trilon-B does not have a destructive effect on metal, like some alkalis and acids. You can buy this substance at a jewelry store. It is sold in a jar; you do not need to remove it from the container to carry out the procedure for cleaning coins.

To care for coins, you will need non-metallic tweezers. Using this tool, the products are lowered into a jar containing Trilon-B, and after 10-15 minutes they are removed, washed with running water and dried. Several procedures may be required to remove a thick layer of oxides.

This fermented milk product contains acids that can carefully clean copper from oxides and dirt without damaging the patina. The cleansing process looks like this:

1. Place coins in a plastic or glass container.
2. All products are topped with kefir.
3. The coins are kept in kefir for at least an hour, taken out, washed and dried.

You can clean coins using kefir

When choosing this method of cleaning copper you will need:

• oil – sunflower or olive;
• detergent;
• pot;
• non-metallic tweezers.

Add sunflower or olive oil and bring to a boil

The procedure consists of the following steps:

1. Pour about 2-3 cm of oil into the pan.
2. Place the container on the fire and bring the oil to a boil.
3. When it boils, carefully lower the coins using tweezers.
4. The coins are kept over low heat in low boiling oil for 10-15 minutes, then carefully removed and traces of fat are removed with detergent.
5. Clean coins are dried with a dry cloth.

Over time, especially during use, copper products fade and lose their shine. You can return it using simple, cheap and accessible means at hand:

1. Flour, salt, vinegar. To give copper a dazzling shine and radiance, you will need flour, table salt, and vinegar essence. The components are mixed in equal proportions and the resulting mixture is rubbed onto the copper surface. After 15 minutes, wash off the product with water and wipe the items dry.
2. Newspaper. You can make copper products shine like new with the help of ordinary black and white newspaper. You need to roll it into a small ball and polish the tarnished metal.
3. Hydrochloric acid. You can also make copper sparkle using hydrochloric acid. To process metal in this way, you need to moisten a small piece of cloth in this product and wipe the product. This procedure must be carried out with rubber gloves and in a well-ventilated area.
4. Kerosene and chalk. Tarnished metal is moistened with kerosene and rubbed with crushed chalk on top using a clean cloth.

You can polish copper with a piece of regular newspaper.

Restoring patina

The process of removing contaminants from the copper surface may damage the patina. Don’t be upset, because there is a way to create an artificial layer of patina that will give the products an ancient, noble look.

For this procedure you will need:

• 1 liter of distilled water;
• 5 g potassium permanganate;
• 50 g of copper sulfate.

The process of creating a decorative patina looks like this:

1. All components are mixed and placed in a saucepan.
2. Place the container on the fire without bringing it to a boil; add copper objects to the solution.
3. The products need to be turned over periodically, and when the desired effect appears, they are removed from the container and dried naturally.

All methods for cleaning copper should be used as the metal becomes contaminated. You should not rub the product excessively; such actions will damage the noble patina.

Copper products have a unique, unique beauty and are often used not only as utensils in the kitchen, but also as decorative elements.

However, over time, copper usually turns green and develops dark spots.
How to restore copper to its original shine? Below are copper care tips on how to clean copper and restore its shine.

Our grandmothers still clean copper objects the old fashioned way: a small amount of liquid detergent is dissolved in very hot water. Add tooth powder (toothpaste) and rub the copper product with this mixture. Then rinse under running water and wipe dry with a soft cloth.

However clean copperYou can do it in several ways and mostly with the means you have at home.

How to clean copper with vinegar and salt?

Method 1. If you're wondering how to remove oxide from copper, a combination of salt and vinegar is just what you need!

Pour vinegar over the copper object and sprinkle it with salt.

Rub the surface with a cloth to remove tarnish and dirt.

Rinse the copper item under running water.

Polish the copper with a clean, dry, soft cloth.

Method 2. If you don't like scrubbing your copper surface, we suggest another method using salt and vinegar.

In a saucepan, dilute 1 tablespoon of salt and 0.5 cups of vinegar, then dilute with water so that it hides the copper product

Place on the fire and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until tarnish and dirt come off the copper.

Let the copper cool, then wash it with soap and hot water and dry it.

How to clean copper with lemon?

Using lemon you can easily clean copper pots or plates

Cut the lemon in half.

Blot the stained area with half a lemon. To enhance the effect, you can add a pinch of salt.

After completing the procedure, rinse the copper and polish with a soft cloth.

How to clean copper with lemon and salt?

You can make a copper cleaning paste using salt and lemon. And here's how to do it.
We will need freshly squeezed juice of one lemon and a lot of salt. Mix these two ingredients until a paste forms.

Rub the mixture onto the copper using a soft cloth.

When finished, rinse the copper in warm water and polish. Beeswax is best used as a polish.

How to clean copper with the “vinegar test”?

The "vinegar test" can be used to clean brass and copper without harming them. And here's how to do it.
Dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt in 1 glass of vinegar.

Gradually adding flour, knead the “dough” as for pancakes. This is the “vinegar dough”.

Apply the dough to the surface of the copper and leave it in this state for 15-60 minutes, depending on the degree of contamination.

Rinse with warm water and polish the copper. Your copper cookware will shine in a new way!

How to clean copper with ketchup?

Believe it or not, ketchup is a great way to remove oxide from copper. This method is best used for small contaminated areas.
Apply ketchup to the surface of the copper.

Leave the copper product like this for a few minutes.

Rinse with warm water and polish.

Interesting ways to clean copper cookware

A mixture of ammonia and chalk will help clean copper utensils.
You can also clean copper with this composition: add 3 parts to 6 parts water ammonia and 1 part chalk. Shake this liquid well. With a ragLubricate the product and then wipe it with a cloth until it shines.

Sawdust can help clean copper cookware
Can be appliedand this method: mix flour, fine sawdust and vinegar untilobtain the slurry and cover the dishes with it. When the mixture is dry, clean it offand wipe the dishes until they shine.

And some valuable tips:

Tip 1 . In addition to folk remedies, you can try professional cleaners, which you can buy in the store.

Tip 2 . Sing and polish your brass regularly. This will prevent oxidation stains from appearing.

To polish copper objects after cleaning, usepowdered chalk moistened with a mixture of water and ammonia (1:2)

If you just need To make a copper object shine, polish it with newspaper crumpled into a small ball- an old trick that was once used to clean windows.

Tip 3 . Decorative copper varnished Items should only be washed using water and soap suds. No amateur performances! Because the acid contained in vinegar, lemon and other products listed here can damage the coating.

Tip 4. Copper, like silver, oxidizes and darkens over time so thatdecorations do not stain clothes, cover them from the inside colorless nail polish.

PS. It is worth remembering that if you use copper cookware for cooking, you need to carefully monitor its condition. As with rust, if the copper turns a gray-green color, it is best not to use it, as toxic substances will enter the food and into your body.

Use it copper utensils, the inner surface of which is made of tin.

Now you know several waysHow can you clean copper: o) Use it!

Note to the owner:

Copper is a noble metal. It tends to darken, oxidize, and become covered with a green coating. The reasons may be different, but the metal product deteriorates in any case. There are many ways to clean copper at home that will help restore items to their former shine and neat appearance.

Types of contamination on copper products

If a green or black coating appears on a copper product, it’s time to clean it

Jewelry, dishes and antiques made of copper, as a result of prolonged use, as well as frequent contact with moisture, begin to lose their quality. Products that are exposed to frequent heating and are exposed to open air oxidize the most.

Household items in active use become black and stop shining. As a result, copper cookware, without proper cleaning, begins to release toxic substances that are harmful to health. Such items become unsuitable for cooking.

Tarnished copper jewelry can independently return to its original appearance. This happens due to changes in the external environment in which the products are stored or used.

Safe Copper Cleaning Products and Tools

The green coating is toxic, so you need to wear gloves, goggles and a protective bandage when working

To choose the right method for cleaning copper at home, you should determine whether the product has an oxide coating or is coated with varnish. To do this, apply a small amount of a mixture of soda and acetic acid to the darkened area. If the treated area quickly becomes lighter and begins to shine, it means that the product is not varnished and needs to be cleaned. If protection is present, it is enough to wash the copper object with warm soapy water.

Green deposits on copper release toxins, and cleaning products can be harmful to health, so when cleaning products, you should take care of your own safety. It is necessary to prepare rubber gloves, safety glasses and a cotton-gauze bandage.

The most gentle means

Ketchup contains acid, which gently removes plaque from copper

Valuable copper items, such as coins or antiques, must be cleaned very carefully, using products that do not scratch or mar the surface. Can be applied:

• 10% citric acid solution, which will help to carefully remove any plaque from the copper surface.
• Kefir or ketchup. Acidic foods dissolve plaque well. Place the contaminated item in any ingredient for several hours, then wash under running water.
• Soap solution. Pour boiling water over grated laundry or baby soap. Then place the copper item in it for several hours.

The last method takes a lot of time. They cannot remove heavy stains the first time. But it is gentle and will not damage a valuable product.

Chemicals for cleaning copper products

When cleaning copper from greenish deposits with chemicals, you should not use abrasive substances that can scratch the surface. It is better to purchase preparations intended for precious and non-ferrous metals, which are available in the form of gels and pastes.

Names of some copper cleaners:

• Unicum– a gel-like preparation with which you can restore the original appearance of the metal and restore its shine. Does not leave scratches and easily removes dirt.
• Centralin– a paste that cleans copper products in a short time, restores their shine and forms a protective moisture-repellent film.
• Delu Kupferfix polish– gently cleans the copper surface, protects against tarnishing and removes dirt.
• Sambol– gently and thoroughly cleans products. Removes dirt and oxidation without damaging the surface. Restores shine and protects against darkening.

Before using the drug, you should try it on a small surface of a copper product. If the metal does not react, continue cleaning.

Folk remedies for removing plaque from copper

You can make a “vinegar paste” from vinegar and flour, which cleans copper products well.

You can clean copper products with improvised substances, which are cheaper and safer for the body than chemicals. Here are some simple recipes:

• Dishwashing gel. Helps clean lightly soiled items. The product is treated with a soft sponge with a product applied to it. Then rinse under running water.
• Lemon. The copper surface is rubbed with half a citrus fruit. For greater effect, clean with a fleecy elastic brush.
• Vinegar and flour. You can restore the original shine using a product popularly called “vinegar dough.” Wheat flour and acetic acid are mixed in equal proportions. The mixture is applied to the product and left until completely dry. The resulting crust is easily wiped off, the surface is polished with a soft cloth.
• Ammonia. To remove green deposits and blackening, the product is treated with ammonia and thoroughly rinsed under running water.
• Salt and acetic acid. Dissolve 2 tbsp in a weak vinegar solution. l. salt. The item to be cleaned is placed in the container and boiled for 10 minutes. Then the product is immersed in clean water for a while, after which it is wiped dry with a soft cloth.

When using any of the methods, you must adhere to safety rules.

Step-by-step instructions for cleaning copper products

After removing the plaque, the copper object must be polished with goi paste

Whatever substance you choose to remove plaque, you need to follow a certain order in the work. To clean copper jewelry and other items made from this metal, you should:

1. Wash the product well with dish gel and dry it.
2. Apply cleaning agent to the surface to be treated.
3. Gently wipe the product with a soft microfiber cloth, sponge or toothbrush.
4. After complete removal of plaque or dirt, wash the item to be cleaned under running water.
5. To restore shine, you can wipe the product with lemon, then rinse.
6. Dry with a towel or soft cloth.

After all the manipulations, you need to polish the copper item using GOI paste, which resembles plasticine. Rub the surface with a piece of the product, wash the item and dry with a towel.

You can also use toothpowder to polish copper.

Prevention of green plaque formation

To prevent oxidation of copper objects, you need to store them in special cases, putting a piece of chalk in there. Copper products should not be exposed to direct sunlight. You also need to store them away from heating devices and radiators.

To prevent green tarnish from appearing on copper jewelry, you should wash and polish it with a cloth after each use. Do not leave items wet; it is better to wipe them dry immediately after washing.

By learning to clean copper from green deposits, you can extend the life of objects and devices. They, in turn, will create coziness in the room, and copper jewelry will delight you with its shine and warm, clean look.