\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. You can also use these methods to clean your copper sink or as one of the ways to clean a copper pipe that is tarnished or has stains. This cleaner contains oxalic acid that cleans gunk from coins and brings out their original shine. White vinegar and water are two of the best basic ingredients for cleaning copper pennies. The apply the solution to . wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. When cooking greasy or oily foods, wipe the cookware with a paper towel before washing so less grease, oil, and fat go down the drain to form a clog. To restore pennies to their original luster, simply plop them into a solution of vinegar and salt, let them sit for a few minutes, then rinse them off and watch them shine like new. Real Experiences. Make a simple but powerful fruit fly trap by putting a small amount of apple cider vinegar in a small mason jar with a couple of drops of dish . wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Chalk it up to the excitement of having my own money for the first time, but when I was a kid, I loved cleaning dirty pennies collected in my piggy bank before cashing them in at the real bank. An old toothbrush works great. bottle of Goo Gone brand adhesive remover, Easily removes glue, tape residue, and adhesives, May have to let the coin soak for a while. If this does not bother, you and you simply want to restore the coin for yourself you can use a baking soda paste. Maybe youve even thought of buying some for yourself so you can shine your old coins right up! Use more salt as needed to make the solution stronger for particularly worn coins. Using the old, soft toothbrush scrub the face of the coin softly. Be patient. Real Helpful. For pennies of any possible value, do not clean them! If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. While regular soap and water remove the grime, it doesnt remove the tarnish. Allow them to sit in the liquid for about two hours and then flip them over. Add the coins, and rub each one until the surface looks shiny. Hold your coin under gently running tepid water for a few moments not too hot, and not too cold. Today, I collect and study U.S. coins made during the 20th century. 6. Squeeze enough ketchup or Tabasco sauce into a small container or bowl to cover your pennies and place the coins into the sauce, making sure they do not overlap. ", pennies?" If you don't wash them off, a blue-green sheen will develop on your pennies. Mix a teaspoon of salt into the liquid and stir till it dissolves. Rinse the coins under warm water to remove all of the baking soda from the crevices and buff the coins dry with a soft cloth. If youre attempting to clean a large amount of pennies, you may need to empty the dish and mix up some fresh solution periodically. Fill another container with warm water and add a couple of squirts of dish soap. Here's how to clean a penny with ketchup: Put a generous squeeze of ketchup into a small container, ideally ceramic, glass or plastic. You can also use lemon juice instead of vinegar. This recipe also makes an excellent homemade brass cleaning solution. This article has been viewed 69,924 times. Follow These Easy Steps to Clean Copper Naturally So it Looks Brand New, Why You Should Sprinkle Baking Soda Into Your Stainless Steel Sink, 7 Things You Should Throw Away (or Clean) in Your Homeand How to Know, How to Clean Copper Naturally So It Looks Brand-New, 5 TikTok Cleaning Hacks That Will Change Your Life, How to Make Your Glass Shower Doors Sparkle, 16 Surfaces That Are Trapping Bad Odors in Your HomeAnd How to Fix Them, 96 Surprising Ways to Clean With Household Items, 8 Things You Should Never Clean in a Dishwasher, How to Clean a Dishwasher for Sparkling Clean Dishes, You Can Use Cleaning Vinegar to Clean Almost EverythingExcept These 6 Things, How to Clean Water Stains From Fabric, Walls, and Carpet, Clean These 5 Things Before You Go on Vacationor Risk Coming Home to a Stinky House. Once the washer is filled, before the wash cycle starts, drop in a cup of vinegar. Stir the mixture to dissolve the salt. Consider adding salt to your vinegar/citric acid/soda. This recipe uses the mild acidic power of the vinegar along with salt to create a chemical reaction with the coins to remove copper oxide. In a suitably sized cup, bowl or basin, stir salt - approximately 1 tablespoon of salt per cup of vinegar - into white vinegar until it's dissolved. In some cases, these metal cleaners contain caustic chemicals that will permanently damage the coin. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). If you can't find this exact brand name, you can substitute baking soda. Give the pennies a good rinse, dry them in a towel, and they should be shining like new. When pennies are first minted they have a bright orange-red color. So, what ways shouldnt you clean your coins? Ordinary vinegar can be used to rid old coins of the gunk theyve gathered over time. Is My Penny Solid Copper or a Copper-Plated Zinc Cent? Fill a washtub with warm water and add a squirt or two of dish soap. It takes about 5 minutes for lemon juice to react to the penny. Wash your towels with hot water . Put the salt and vinegar in the bowl. Stay up to date with everything about U.S Coins, We dont spam! Remove from the bin, place on the soft cloth and allow to dry naturally. Scrub pocket change with baking soda and vinegar. You may not be able to erase every last trace of discoloration on very old pennies. Easy & Effective Ways to Clean Dirty Coins at Home, 10+ Ways to Clean Your Clipper Blades like a Pro Barber, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4N-iGvYrbM, https://sciencebob.com/clean-pennies-with-vinegar/, http://education.seattlepi.com/chemicals-rust-metal-rapidly-4952.html, https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/how_to_clean_coins/, https://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/copper_caper.html, https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/how-to-clean-coins/, https://www.slimwalletjunkie.com/blogs/news/17122425-what-to-do-with-coins-in-a-minimalist-wallet. By using our site, you agree to our. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 69,924 times. Let it dilute for a moment, then add a half of a cup of baking soda. Vinegar and Salt Make a solution of vinegar and salt and let the pennies soak. Learn more As copper pennies continually change hands, they become prone to tarnishing and collecting dirt.