Best Ways to Clean Oxidized Copper
Rub a mixture of salt and vinegar on the oxidized area. Apply a baking soda and vinegar paste to the surface. Cut a lemon in half, dip it in salt, and rub it on the area. Rub ketchup or Worcestershire sauce on the surface with a soft cloth.
Scotch brite with a mild acid dip is probably the best choice. To get perfectly bright copper you need to also remove all the oils which can almost always be done with either a caustic surfactant based cleaner or with abrasives.
It is also worth noting that salt on its own is an effective method for shining up copper and stripping oxidation. If you don't have the baking soda, white vinegar, and flour needed to create the paste, simply sprinkle salt onto a wet washcloth and scrub the green corrosion with the rag.
Vinegar (Acetic Acid): Vinegar is a weak acid that can effectively dissolve tarnish and corrosion from copper surfaces. Soak the corroded copper item in vinegar or create a paste with vinegar and salt to gently scrub away the corrosion.
Salt—You can also use salt to clean off stubborn copper pipe corrosion. Cover the surface with salt and rub it vigorously with a microfiber cloth.
Allow the object to soak in the vinegar for at least 30 minutes. Check the progress. Excessive amounts of rust will require longer soaking, up to two hours.
Does WD 40 clean copper? WD 40 won't clean tarnished copper, but it may be able to act as a sealant (along with carnauba wax or mineral oil) to prevent future tarnishing.
Mix 1/4 cup salt, 1/4 cup flour and enough vinegar to make a thick paste. Use a soft cloth to rub the paste on the surface of the copper. Buff the copper item until it shines. Rinse with warm water and dry thoroughly.
The mechanism proposed by them is based on the oxidation of Cu to copper oxide by hydrogen peroxide in the recessed regions, thereby preventing the dissolution of Cu from the recessed regions.
Natural acids such as vinegar and lemon juice can be used to clean or polish brass and copper.
Mix 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar (or lemon juice, which is more acidic) with one tablespoon of salt and enough flour to form a thin paste. Step 2: Scrub and Dry. Apply the paste to the copper surface and scrub away the tarnish with a cloth or scrubbing sponge.
If you have a bottle of coke in your house this can be a handy method to clean copper. For items like jewelry that are small and can be soaked, consider using this method. Coke is also a great option when wanting to know how to clean copper pans and pots that you can soak in the sink.
How to Clean Old Pennies. There are several methods available for reverting green pennies back to their former shiny copper glory. To clean about two dozen, stir ¼ cup of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt until the salt dissolves in a non-metallic bowl. Soak the pennies in the mixture for five minutes.
Another copper cleaning method is to use vinegar or ketchup (try our homemade ketchup recipe if you're out)—both work very well to polish copper. Vinegar contains acetic acid (ketchup contains vinegar and citric acid from tomatoes) that reacts with copper tarnish and breaks its bond with the copper.
A mild dish soap: We recommend Dawn's Original Dishwashing Liquid, Seventh Generation's Dish Soap, or Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Liquid Soap. Cellulose sponges: These sponges, made from 100% plant-based fibers (not plastic), won't scratch your copper and can be used for washing and polishing.
Ferrocon. Ferrocon, the best product to remove rust from steel and prime at the same time and clean copper corrosion with one single application.
Once again, folks, please don't try this at home. I've read that certain household cleaners are very bad for copper, but being me, I wanted to see for myself. I decided to apply some forbidden cleaners to copper: hydrogen peroxide, bleach, and muriatic acid.
However, please don't leave it on any surface for too long, as vinegar can erode it, weakening the metal and making it more susceptible to rusting.
The only real side effect from leaving vinegar to its own devices is that its acidity will gradually decrease over time, making it less potent. This is why a "best by" date can be found on the bottle, but it's still perfectly fine long past that — it isn't an "expiration date," by any means. Vinegar does not expire.
Much like brass cleaners, chemical rust removers can be found in any hardware store. But many household cleaning items—like baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar, and even soda—can do the trick. Once you learn how to remove rust, that wrench or expensive chef's knife will look brand-new.