Best way to clean copper?

[Deleted User]

I bought a lovely copper bowl from a charity shop for £1.50 and it really needs cleaning. Does anyone have a method they use which works, and doesn't involve buying special cleaners? I've heard of using half a lemon and salt but wouldn't that scratch it?

Thanks.

C_J

It sounds weird, but tomato ketchup cleans copper very well (probably the vinegar content) and it doesn't scratch it.

coffeehound

Do you really want it to be bright and shiny? A lot of people like copper to have a natural patina. A wash in normal washing-up liquid suds should remove old polish and grime.

YorksLass

You could try a mix of lemon juice and baking soda – rub in until grime comes off, then polish with a soft clean cloth.


Tomato ketchup works on brass and I think it would probably work on copper too.

[Deleted User]

Thanks everyone. I tried the tomato ketchup method - which brought off the initial layer of dirt, and then half a lemon & bicarb to "attack" isolated stains/marks. It's not "shiny and new" but I didn't want that anyway; it's just much brighter than it was and I actually prefer it to look like this, with some age to it.

A bargain for £1.50 and a bit of tomato ketchup ...!