Tools and Materials
Materials
- Copper Cleaner
- Dish Soap
Lemon Juice
Baking Soda
Vinegar
Product costs, availability and item numbers may vary online or by market.
How to Clean Copper
Unlike a lot of other cookware and common metal household items, copper tends to tarnish quite easily. How, then, do we restore that lovely luster?
What Is the Best Chemical to Clean Copper?
The most reliable and no-fuss answer is simply to purchase specialized metal cleaner and polish products designed specially to remove tarnishes. However, you can also use a number of popular DIY methods that call for inexpensive supplies easily found in most kitchens. These DIY copper cleaner options include combining lemon juice with baking soda, combining lemon with table salt, combining table salt with white vinegar, or even reaching for one of the most popular condiments in the grocery aisle: ketchup.
How Can You Clean Badly Tarnished Copper?
Prolonged exposure to oxygen tends to leave ugly blemishes on its once bright and beautiful surface, and dish soap alone is rarely a solution. You'll need to use a stronger copper cleaner to take care of these tarnishes.
Cleaning copper and polishing copper are technically two different — though closely related — tasks. Copper needs to be properly cleaned before you can give it the polish you want. Give your copper items a quick wash in the sink using normal water and dish soap first. Warm water is best, especially when combined with a soft sponge. This will prep the copper for a more extensive cleaning, and eventually, a polishing job.
For an ideal and consistent shine to your beautifully polished copper, you'll want to clean your copper products at least every six months or so.
Cleaning copper isn't as straightforward as other surfaces, so you might also have one of the questions below before you begin the process.
Chemicals for Cleaning Copper
The best chemicals to use as a copper cleaner are varied, but commonly include citric acid, acetic acid, acetone and hydrochloric acid. They may sound unfamiliar, but these chemical compounds can be easily found in most household supply cabinets. Check out the following examples:
- Citric acid is commonly derived from citrus fruits such as lemons, limes and oranges, hence the name. This is also why many DIY recipes for copper cleaner recommend the use of lemon juice in combination with various other common cabinet ingredients.
- Acetic acid is most widely available in the form of vinegar, which is usually at least 4% acetic acid.
- Acetone can be found most commonly in nail polish remover and has a distinctive scent. Acetone is generally one of the heavier-duty options for cleaning copper and should be reserved for cases of extreme tarnish. It can remove lacquer and coating from copper, too, so don't use it in these cases.
How Do You Polish Copper to a Mirror Finish?
In order to enjoy polished copper with a mirror-worthy reflection, you'll need to buy the appropriate polishing supplies. Much like copper cleaner, your most reliable store-bought options for copper polish are all available from top cleaning supply brands at Lowe's.
However, if you'd rather mix your own polish recipe from household ingredients, that's entirely doable as well. Many of the same DIY products used to clean copper can double as a polishing agent, at least in part. In particular, vinegar is a very popular ingredient in DIY copper polish recipes. For example, try mixing flour, salt and vinegar to create a thick paste. Rub it carefully onto the surface of your copper item, and use a microfiber cloth to polish it.
Microfiber towels and cleaning cloths are generally considered the best ways to dry off copper kitchen supplies, as letting your copper cookware drip dry on a normal dish rack can expose it to elements that lead to faster tarnishing.
How to Clean Tarnished Copper
Most of the supplies described above will get the job done if you're trying to rid your copper materials of some minor tarnish. That said, if the tarnish is significant, you may be best served by using the more heavy-duty options, such as acetone.
However, in the vast majority of cases, a simple solution of lemon juice and baking soda should suffice. Carefully stir the two ingredients together until they are fully combined. Then, apply the resulting mixture to the tarnished surface. Finally, buff the copper using a soft cloth, preferably one made of microfiber. Try this option before moving on to anything more extreme. If your desired results are achieved, there's no need for further action.
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions on cleaning products.
When cleaning copper, try to avoid scouring the surface too vigorously. Overenthusiastic scouring may intuitively seem like a great way to rid copper of particularly stubborn tarnish. However, in reality, putting a little too much elbow grease behind that scouring job can lead to a damaged surface, which may in fact worsen the original appearance of the copper.