How to clean copper?

Despite the fact that the main metal is iron, and the fact that synthetic materials are increasingly being used today, copper products are still widely used in everyday life. And even with the most careful use, any things will inevitably get dirty and lose their attractiveness. How to clean copper yourself, how to return to its original shine and beauty - a lot of people are interested in these issues.

Any copper object, even if it just stands at home and is not used in any way, gradually darkens and even becomes cloudy. A variety of things are made from copper and its alloys - utensils and coins, figurines and decorative ornaments, electronic components and radio components, jewelry and much more. It follows that there simply cannot be a single approach to pollution.

At home, almost everything will help to clean ordinary detergent. Just put the item in a container filled with hot water, and add the drug there, put a sponge or a rag of soft cloth. Using this sponge, gently wipe the product, and then transfer it to another pre-prepared container where clean water is poured. Such a simple treatment will remove most of the not too strong pollution.

Tomato ketchup also helps to wash copper things relatively easily. It is squeezed into a deep bowl, where a dirty thing is lowered. After ten minutes, you can thoroughly rinse it, and the cleaning is completed.The dark spot is easily eliminated by immersion in a weak solution of acetic acid (60 grams of edible salt is added to it for a greater effect). The container must be metal, because it has to be boiled on a gas stove for at least 10 minutes.

This treatment will convert the oxides to a soluble form. Wait until the removed item has cooled, then hold it a little in clean cold water, then wipe it dry with a soft cloth. Any of these methods can be applied only after you test the effect of funds on a small part of the product.

A ten percent solution of vinegar in water is able to quickly remove yellow plaque. When the dirt comes off, the mixture must be carefully drained, and the coins washed in warm water. Until they are washed, taking them with unprotected hands is not recommended! The red layer is removed with 5% ammonia - sometimes it takes several hours to keep copper circles in it, otherwise the original form will not be returned. As always, after cleaning with any compound, washing in water is mandatory.

Often there are greenish raids on coins. Citric acid is poured 1/10 in a glass of water, and then pure water is added to the top. Then, coins are carefully placed in a glass and they monitor the reaction. As soon as all the liquid turns green, the products are removed, thoroughly washed and slightly polished.

Sometimes it’s very easy to wash the coins - put them in warm soapy water and soak for a while, wipe with a sponge and dry on a clean cloth. Cleaning of copper coins with abrasives, potent preparations, concentrated acids and alkalis is unacceptable. Do not attempt to remove dirt by exposure to high temperatures., this can lead to melting of the product or to the loss of its strength.

If you need to tidy a bracelet or an antique product, special care must be taken. Bright green raids are removed with a ten percent solution of citric acid. Before cleaning, always inspect all stains and the product itself, carefully choose a method for solving the problem. If there is no ammonia at hand, a combination of 5 milliliters of turpentine and alcohol, one milliliter of water and one gram of oxalic acid is prepared. Shake the preparation thoroughly, grease the faded thing with a sponge, and after 5-10 minutes remove the rest of the mixture with a dry cloth.

If copper utensils are not completely free from green plaque, to cook food in it is categorically unacceptable! If the thing is large and you don’t have a container where you can put it, you need to thoroughly wipe the surface with half a lemon, then with a soft brush, and then rinse.

A copper cross or other small thing will easily clear the combination of lemon juice and salt. Squeeze the juice from the fruit in a bowl (deep plate), the consistency of the mixture should be like that of porridge. Take a portion of the product with a soft cloth, thoroughly wipe the subject until the dirt disappears. Do not forget to rinse and wipe the product dry after cleaning! If you don’t have time at all, just put ketchup on a plate and leave a dirty object in it for an hour.

If a copper tap is installed in the house, tomato paste will help to restore its pristine cleanliness. Apply it to the surface and let stand for about 30 minutes, then rinse and wipe dry.

To bring copper objects to shine will allow rubbing them with a mixture of any kind of flour, salt and vinegar (in equal proportions). After wiping, the item is rinsed under a tap and wiped until dry. However, you can do without solutions - just take a newspaper with a black and white font. A small lump of paper polishes a dull surface very quickly.

It is advisable to clean chemically pure copper sulfamic acidbut if there is even the slightest admixture, this substance will cause the product to blacken. After removing the dirt and thorough washing, drying will be required in a cool place. A combination of vinegar with salt and bran helps to remove dirt, it is simply applied to the surface and immediately wiped with a dry cloth.

Antiques or heavily contaminated items should be put in a solution of salt and vinegar, brought to a boil and immediately removed from heat. When the liquid has cooled, the products are washed with warm, clean water and dried. Very dirty surfaces are rubbed with a cloth impregnated with hydrochloric acid of low concentration.

Polished copper can be greased with kerosene, and then rubbed with crushed chalk.

A classic copper samovar can look very elegant and attractive. But only on condition that it is completely clean. Meanwhile, a dark film is inevitably formed on the surface of copper; it is created by contact with oxygen. A faulty device, which is suitable only for decorative purposes, must be filled with boiling water. If the samovar can still work, pour cold water there and bring to a boil.

And while the water heats up, prepare a five percent solution of vinegar, it will help make the outer part of the appliance shiny. It is necessary to clean the samovar from the outside exactly at that moment while it is hot. This technique is good in that it guarantees no scratches on the surface.

If there is no vinegar at home, it will be replaced by baking soda, it also relieves copper from oxide very well. A soft cloth is soaked in warm water and lightly sprinkled with soda, the product is wiped in a circle, gently, slowly and without pressure. Otherwise, stains and even scratches may appear.

Scaling on the inside of the appliance will not work. It is eliminated as follows:

• fill in water;
• add citric acid;
• boil;
• after cleaning, wash the samovar several times with water.

An insignificant layer of scale is removed with five grams of acid (in terms of ten liters of water), and if there is a lot of it, then 40 grams should be taken.

You will learn more about how to clean copper from the next video.