Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was co-authored by Elias Weston. Elias Weston is a Cleaning Specialist and the Founder of Seatown Cleaners in Seattle, Washington. Elias specializes in helping clients find cleaning services with instant booking and flexible pricing. Seatown Cleaners offers standard, deep, and move-in/out cleaning services using green products and cleaning techniques. Every cleaner is thoroughly vetted and every cleaning is backed by a 100% money-back guarantee.
How.com.vn marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 91% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.
This article has been viewed 452,374 times.
Brighten old, dark pennies in seconds! No scrubbing necessary at all. The effect is achieved only where the mixture has been in contact with the coin, so ensure you cover the entire coin!
Steps
Download Article
In a small container, place a small amount of table-salt (1 gram is plenty).[1]- Add enough acetic acid (vinegar, white vinegar is most recommended) to moisten the salt into a paste.[2]Advertisement
- Now simply apply the paste to the penny wherever you want it to brighten up. The effect is immediate and obvious.[3]
- Note: if you don't have any vinegar you can substitute it with tomato ketchup because it is also acidic. This works well for copper bottom pans too![4]
Community Q&A
- QuestionCan I use isopropyl alcohol to clean the coins?
Community AnswerSince all alcohol is neutral (having neither acidic or alkaline charges) it will only remove ceraint oil base soils. The advantage is it will not cause any decrease in numismatic value, but there are better options for cleaning materials. - QuestionWhat are ultrasonic cleaners when it comes to cleaning copper coins? Do I need to add liquid to it?
Denny HipsherCommunity AnswerUltrasonic cleaners work by microcavitation. Or in layman's terms, by generating microscopic bubbles between a hard surface and a softer material, and allowing them to catastrophically collapse. This process only works in fluid. So at the very least you need distilled water as a working medium. As for what is best to add and enhance the cleaning action, I'm not sure. Caution: blood plasma counts as a fluid. So if you leave your hand in the ultrasonic cleaner long enough, it will "clean" the flesh from your bones. This is usually only a concern for industrial levels of exposure. - QuestionIs muriatic acid okay to clean copper?
Community AnswerHCI works, but you get an orange look to the copper and still need to use your elbow grease to clean it.
Tips
- Do not leave the coin in the ketchup for more than an hour or two as it will leave a green oxidation on the coin.Thanks
- If it's a very thin coin, don't clean it as the vinegar can scorch through it.Thanks
- Because the effect is achieved only where the mixture has been in contact with the coin, this allows one to get creative with the contrasting features of the coin itself with your choice of different colored copper. For instance, use a small applicator to "paint" only the heads for an unusual "cameo" effect.Thanks
Warnings
- Different types of coins require different cleaning solutions, so ask an expert if you are not sure.Thanks
- NEVER drink the solution that was used to clean the pennies.Thanks
- Do not ever use this solution on valuable coins. Although a vinegar solution is weak on acetic acid, it could result in the creation of undesirable tones or luster, or the destruction of the patina. Leave it for a collector to assess and deal with. You may cause irreparable damage. The same goes for all antiques -don't clean, paint or polish anything that may have value before getting them appraised.Thanks
Things You'll Need
- Salt
- Vinegar or tomato ketchup
- Old copper coins
- Small container
References
About This Article
Reader Success Stories
"What stood out was that very common household ingredients were used."
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.
