Follow ThriftyFun
Home and Garden > Cleaning > Metal on March 19, 2005

How Do You Clean Copper?

Tips for cleaning copper. Post your ideas.

Feedback

Read feedback for this post below. Click here to post feedback.

By bob (Guest Post) 04/28/2007

lemon, salt & vinegar

By
03/20/2005

My grandmother always cleaned the bottom of her copper pans with a cut 1/2 lemon sprinkled with salt. Worked great.

By Annie (Guest Post) 03/19/2005

I use Worchestershire sauce and it works wonders
Rub it on and let it sit a minute or two and rinse off.

By
03/19/2005

I have always used a product called Twinkle. You can find it in the grocery store in the aisles with oven cleaner, etc. It comes with a sponge. I have used it to clean Revere Ware pots and pans, as has my mother, and she had her Revere Ware set for over 50 years (until she gave it to me.) Amway makes a metal cleaner that is fabulous!

By
03/19/2005

Most pieces of decorative, modern copper are protected by a factory-applied, baked-on lacquer. Only dusting and an occasional washing with lukewarm, soapy water are needed to keep lacquered objects shiny. Never polish them.

Lacquer must be removed from eating and cooking utensils before using. To remove lacquer, place the item in 2 gallons of boiling water to which 1 cup of washing soda has been added. The lacquer will peel off.

An alternate method to remove lacquer is to rub with a cloth saturated with acetone or alcohol.

This article was written by Anne Field, Extension Specialist, Emeritus, with references from Maryland Extension bulletin, Caring for Your Valuables: Brass, Copper, Pewter, Silver Tin.

MSU Extension

By
03/19/2005

Use full strength Ketchup to clean your copper. You'll be shocked how shiny it gets.

By Brenda Cole

Post Feedback

Add your voice to the conversation.

Follow ThriftyFun