The Different Ways in Cleaning Copper

Copper has a long history. This reddish brown and malleable metal is believed to have been mined for 5,000 years. Being one of the oldest metals that man has mined and worked, this nonferrous mineral has found many uses over the years, and continues to be one of the most used mineral today.

Copper is extensively used in construction, cookware, currency, medical applications, art, and even used as jewelry. Furthermore, the everyday uses of copper include doorknobs, other fixtures in the house, frying pans, copper pots, knives and some spoons and forks.

The importance of copper is evident in our everyday lives. Therefore, taking care of this ductile metal is a must. There are many ways on how to clean copper by doing the natural way. Whether you want to clean copper jewelry or big copper items, the home-made cleaning techniques are laid below for you to follow.

How to clean copper:


Cleaning copper jewelry using lemon juice and ketchup
Materials needed: warm water, lemon, salt, ketchup, toothbrush, polishing cloth
Steps:

1. Make a solution out of warm water, a few drops of lemon or lime juice, and a teaspoon of salt and mix it thoroughly.

2. Soak the copper jewelry you want to clean into the solution and leave it there for a few minutes.

3. Take out the jewelry and rinse it carefully. Repeat the process if there is still some tarnish left on the jewelry.

4. To remove tarnish on a piece of soft or delicate gemstones, utilize ketchup and a toothbrush. Ketchup is great for eliminating oxidation from copper. Although ketchup is not entirely safe on the stones, using ketchup and a brush can give you more control on the cleaning process. Only clean the copper and avoid touching the stones with the ketchup and rinse thoroughly afterward.

5. To finish cleaning the copper jewelry and to clean around gemstones, use a jewelry polishing cloth. The polishing cloth can also keep the luster bright on your piece between cleanings.

Cleaning copper by boiling
Materials needed: Salt, vinegar, pot, water, liquid dish soap, clean cloth
Steps:
1. Fill the pot with water. Make sure that the pot is large enough for your copper items.

2. Then add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup vinegar to the water.

3. Put the copper item that you want to clean in the cleaning solution.

4. Bring the water to boiling and let the copper material to boil in the water for several hours.

5. Remove from the heat when you are finished boiling and allow the copper item to cool.

6. Wash it with liquid dish soap, rinse thoroughly and dry the copper using a soft, clean cloth.

Cleaning copper using salt, vinegar and flour 
Materials needed: vinegar, salt, flour, clean cloth
1. Add 1 tablespoon of salt in 1 cup of vinegar.

2. Add flour and make a paste out of it. Mix the ingredients well.

3. Apply the paste to the copper and spread it over the tarnished areas.

4. Leave it for at least 15 minutes to one hour.

5. Finally, rinse the copper with warm water and polish it using a clean cloth.

More tips to remember:

• Place your copper jewelry in airtight bags when they are not being used. This will reduce the chances of tarnish to develop. 
• Never use silver polish on copper. This is because many silver polishes contain abrasives that can scratch the soft surface of copper. 
• Avoid placing copper on areas which have high heat and moisture because these are copper’s enemies. 

Some reports reveal that copper jewelry can bring many health benefits to the person wearing it. Among the health benefits are improving the skin, alleviating arthritis pain, lowering blood pressure, reducing risk of cardiovascular diseases and many more. Copper is also a popular, important mineral in the body as it helps improve metabolism and red cell production. As you can see, copper is more than just for cosmetic and display purposes. And since this metal is one of those we can’t live without, it is just appropriate that we put corresponding care for this versatile metal. And what better way to clean this natural mineral than to use natural, home-made solutions as well!

For more Metal Working Tips and Metal Abrasives Products, visit Smith and ARROW Australia.