How to clean copper from oxidation

How to clean coins from rust and oxidation at home? | WHO?WHAT?WHERE?

Many people have historical artifacts in the form of silver or bronze coins in their closets. But, unfortunately, not everyone can use them because of their unpresentable appearance. It is no secret that coins of this kind are highly valued on the market for rare items, which means that they can bring a decent profit to the owner.

But even if you are not interested in selling them, storing coins in a cleaned form will not be superfluous. But how to rid coins of rust and oxidation at home? You will learn about this in this article.

The information received will help you save money, since the work of a professional cleaning the products will be quite expensive.

Which method to choose

Before choosing one of the cleaning methods, you need to determine what metal the product is made of. Regardless of the material of manufacture, you can use a product such as soap. Yes, regular soap combined with water will help rid coins of rust and oxidation. It is only important that the mixture is thick. To do this, you can grate it and add water gradually. If the contamination is severe, place the coin in a soapy solution for 10 hours.

Not everyone trusts folk remedies; many prefer chemicals. To do this, you need to choose a product that is specifically designed for cleaning metal objects.

Toothpaste will be an indispensable assistant for you, and it doesn’t have to be expensive.

Silver, bronze, brass and copper: what is the best way to clean

If you have a rare silver coin, then baking soda is perfect for cleaning it from rust and oxidation. At the same time, remember - soda must be dissolved in water, so that a thick mixture is formed. Lemon juice also helps. The coin must be kept in it until it becomes clean. Then the product can be washed with water.

Ammonia is excellent for cleaning copper products, especially if the coin has oxidized. You can also clean it with vinegar. It is important that it be 10 percent. Kefir helps well, although this method is non-standard.

Coins made of brass can be cleaned well with soap, but a prerequisite is that it must be child-friendly. If you don't have one on hand, replace it with a household item. You will need a lot of patience during cleaning as the process may take several days. If the soap solution leaves marks on the coin, they can be cleaned with a soft-bristled toothbrush.

A tasty way to clean is to use Coca-Cola. The coins are immersed in the drink. They must be monitored, as products may have different levels of contamination.

Toothpaste and ammonia are used on bronze coins.

Source: https://kto-chto-gde.ru/kak-ochistit-monety-ot-rzhavchiny-i-okisleniya-v-domashnix-usloviyax/

How to clean copper from oxidation? — Machine tools, welding, metalworking

Copper products have remained relevant and popular for several centuries. But their noble appearance is often spoiled by a greenish dull coating that forms on the surface layer due to an oxidative reaction with air. You can clean copper objects from oxides using modern chemical products or simple home techniques. Convenient and non-hazardous cleaning options will return your household utensils and other items to their original shine and attractiveness.

Reasons for the raid

Dishes, furniture fittings, jewelry and other things made of copper need periodic cleaning to remove green deposits. This need is associated with the characteristics of the metal. Due to prolonged exposure to air or exposure to temperature, such things become covered with a dark greenish film. Oxides are especially noticeable on dishes that are constantly used in the kitchen. Darkening can only be removed by cleaning.

Jewelry with copper behaves differently. They sometimes darken, but then return to their original state. It is widely believed that this behavior of the metal is a reflection of the health of the owner of the jewelry. In reality, such changes only reflect a reaction to environmental indicators: fluctuations in humidity, pressure or temperature.

Important!

Oxides on copper cookware are especially dangerous. If plates and pots are not cleaned for a long time, the metal releases toxic substances that are harmful to human health.

Metal oxidation

Copper in its usual state has a reddish tint. If a metal is exposed to air for a long time, it acquires a red-violet or blackish tint due to a layer of oxides forming on its surface.

Prolonged exposure to high humidity conditions provokes the formation of a layer of hydroxides on a copper product. Then a greenish color appears. An acetic acid layer of blue-green color also appears on the copper from contact with vinegar.

It is a poisonous substance.

Raid

Before you start cleaning, you need to determine whether the item is actually made of copper. The easiest way to do this is to use a magnet. Copper makes little contact with the magnet, but even the resulting attraction quickly disintegrates. Therefore, if a magnet sticks firmly to the surface of a thing, it is definitely made of another metal.

Then they determine whether there is plaque on the object or whether the peculiar layer is just a coating of varnish. Then a small amount of baking soda is quenched with vinegar and the resulting liquid is dripped onto the surface of the item. If a liquid quickly brightens an object, then the darkened layer is oxides that need to be gotten rid of.

Cleaning copper products at home

Copper products that are constantly used should be cleaned regularly. A simple rinse under the tap in dishwashing detergent is suitable. Instead, you can wipe down copper items with sanitary gel. If these methods do not bring cleanliness and a significant part of the product remains covered with plaque, more aggressive cleaning methods are used.

Vinegar with salt

In this case, rub the item with a soft cloth using a special product. It is mixed from 1 cup of ordinary vinegar and 1 tbsp. l. salt. After cleaning objects from oxide, they are washed with clean water and wiped thoroughly.

Another method for cleaning copper at home is to boil the item in a solution of salt and vinegar. For it, add 1 glass of ordinary vinegar and 1 tbsp to 3 glasses of water. l. table salt. The copper product is placed in the prepared solution and left to heat up. After 15 minutes of boiling, it is possible to remove all the green deposits. Then the item is taken out and washed under running water with detergent.

Important!

This cleaning method is used for copper items with or without a protective coating.

Cleaning with ketchup

This is an easy and affordable method to clean copper products from plaque. In this case, cover the surface of the copper item with the sauce and set aside for 30 minutes. Then polish the surface with a soft cloth, and wash off the remaining ketchup with warm water. This method returns the lost shine to the item. In the same way, you can clean copper utensils from patina using kefir.

Cleaning with salt and lemon

In this way, you can clean a copper basin at home or large copper products until they shine, for example, samovars and pots. Cut the lemon into two parts and sprinkle the cut area with coarse table salt. Then polish the surface of the kitchen utensils.

You can make a special paste for cleaning copper. For it, mix table salt, baking soda and flour in equal volumes, then add lemon juice to form a paste-like mass. This product is used to rub the surface layer of the object until it shines. After cleaning, the item is washed with heated water. As a result, the copper product acquires a mirror shine.

Using Baking Soda

It is convenient to use baking soda to clean copper at home in combination with lemon juice. Use the resulting liquid to wipe the surface layer of the item with a soft cloth and then rinse. Instead of lemon juice, you can clean copper with citric acid dissolved in water and soda.

Another way to use baking soda to clean copper from oxides is by boiling:

Dilute 1 tbsp in 1 liter of water. l. soda and lower the product completely into the liquid.
The container is set to heat up and boil for half an hour, after which the heating should be turned off.
Then the product is washed with heated water and wiped completely.

Important!

Using the proposed method, green deposits are removed from a copper product. It is also used to remove damaged varnish on copper items.

Vegetable oil

An excellent means for cleaning copper is vegetable oil. It's even better to use olive oil. This method is good because it is natural, environmentally friendly and harmless. Therefore, it is especially recommended to use it when you need to clean valuable items from oxidation.

To do this, olive oil is poured into a deep container and copper objects are placed in it. After 10 days, they are removed and cleaned with a soft brush or cloth. Then they return to their place. Such actions are repeated every 10 days for two months.

Use of chemicals

Sulfuric acid removes darkening and green deposits from the surface layer of copper very well. It is mixed in equal proportions with water and a copper bracelet or other objects are placed in the liquid. When the seething begins, take the item out and wipe it well with a soft cloth. Then the item is laid out on a flat surface to dry. This cleaning method returns the product to its original shine.

Important!

When working with sulfuric acid and other aggressive substances, put rubber gloves on your hands, and protect your respiratory organs with a respirator.

Another cleaning method is to use the drug Trilon-B. The substance is stirred in water in a ratio of 1:10. Afterwards, the copper product is lowered into the resulting liquid and observed. When the required degree of cleanliness is achieved, the item is taken out and washed with clean water.

Cleaning Copper Coins

Coins made of copper and its alloys are often found in the collections of numismatists. Over time, their appearance deteriorates. A yellow film appears on coins if lead is included in the alloy. You can get rid of such a substance by immersing objects in a vessel with a solution of laundry soap. After 2-3 hours, the coins are taken out and wiped with a rag soaked in table vinegar. After such cleaning they become shiny.

You can remove blackness from copper using citric acid:

Mix a solution of 200 ml of water and 2 tsp. citric acid.
Soak a piece of cotton wool with the product and wipe the parts of the coin.
After cleaning, the products are rinsed well.

Reddish deposits from coins, crosses and bracelets made of copper are removed by treating with ammonia. Things are dipped in ammonia for half an hour, and then washed in heated water.

Removing black and green plaque

To degrease the surface and remove the patina, use a mixture of turpentine, oxalic acid and ethanol. A solution is prepared from these equal volumes of funds. A rag is moistened in it and the products are wiped. Another cleaning method is to use crushed chalk and kerosene. The substances are combined to form a thick mass and used to polish objects.

When the layer is insignificant, it can be easily removed with ordinary soap. It is dissolved in water and the entire thing is dipped into the soapy solution. Then polish with a thick sponge.

A greenish and black layer on copper utensils indicates its unsuitability for cooking and preserving food. Such products must be cleaned before use.

Cleaning rust

In addition to plaque of various shades, rust appears in the top layer of copper objects, which is iron oxides in the form of flakes. To remove it, use strong acidic solutions, and to wash products, use a baking soda solution.

An acid solution is poured into a cup made of ceramic, glass or other inert material and the copper product is immersed in it with tweezers. A reaction will begin, during which rust is removed and dark smoke comes out. When the process is complete, the product is carefully removed and placed in a baking soda solution to neutralize the acid. The washed item is thoroughly wiped with a rag.

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Important!

When handling acid, be sure to protect your hands with rubber gloves, wear a protective mask or goggles and a respirator.

Cleaning a Turk, samovar or kettle

The exterior of this kitchen utensil can be cleaned using any of the suggested methods. The inside is much more difficult to clean. There, objects are oxidized by water, but also covered with a lime layer.

To remove dirt from the inside, potato peelings are used. They are placed in a bowl and poured over with boiling water. Then set the utensils on the fire and boil the cleaning for an hour. Then the contents are poured out, and the utensils themselves are washed in heated water with detergent.

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To complete the cleansing, boil plain water several times in a cleaned container. This gets rid of traces of limescale.

Useful tips

To ensure that copper items last longer, they should not be cleaned with abrasives or rubbed with metal brushes. Copper is a fairly soft metal and is easily scratched by hard objects.

It is better to store copper utensils, jewelry, embossing and coins in a special cabinet. It must be dry and ventilated. In such conditions, things made of copper retain their attractive appearance. If objects are kept in constant humidity under conditions of a significant increase in temperature, they quickly lose their attractiveness and become covered with patina.

You cannot cook food containing foods with a high acid content in copper cookware. This renders kitchen utensils unusable. When cookware has a decorative coating, it should not be polished or cleaned with abrasive materials. Such items can only be washed in heated water using a soap solution. Periodically wipe all copper utensils with a clean, soft cloth to prevent dust and soot from settling on them.

Finally

To maintain the attractiveness of copper products, it is important to clean them regularly. If previously this was done only with vinegar, salt or citric acid, now other, more effective methods can be used.

Source: https://stanki-info.com/kak-ochistit-med-ot-okisleniya/

Household and decorative metal products become cloudy over time and become covered with a dark coating. Find out how to get rid of traces of oxide and restore copper to its former shine!

Copper products are durable and luxurious in appearance and are often used not only for household but also for decorative purposes.

Copper cookware has good thermal conductivity, which allows it to heat food quickly and efficiently. Jewelry made from copper looks elegant, and some doctors recommend wearing copper bracelets for people with diseases of the cardiovascular system, as this metal normalizes blood pressure and has a beneficial effect on human health.

However, over time, copper becomes dull, cloudy and covered with a greenish coating. This is an inevitable process of metal oxidation that occurs as a result of contact with oxygen, especially when heated. But if it is impossible to prevent the aging of metal, then you can restore copper products to their original shine at home in no time.

Remember, whatever copper cleaning method you choose, read the instructions carefully and then test it on a small, inconspicuous area of the surface.

Methods for cleaning copper

There are many special products, as well as folk recipes for cleaning copper products from oxide and removing dark plaque:

The easiest way to clean copper items is to place them in hot water with some detergent added, rub them with a soft sponge or cloth and rinse with water.
If the copper item cannot be placed in the pan, try rubbing it with a lemon wedge, scrubbing it with a brush, and then rinsing it with water.
To give the product shine, rub it with a mixture of flour, coarse salt and vinegar, then polish with a soft cloth
It is also recommended to polish the product with newspaper crumpled into a small ball - the good old remedy that our grandmothers used to clean windows
To clean antique items and combat heavy stains, it is recommended to boil copper items in a solution of vinegar with the addition of two tablespoons of salt. When the product has cooled, rinse it with water and wipe dry with a soft cloth.
The most unusual method, recommended by many housewives, is cleaning copper with ordinary tomato ketchup. Apply a thick layer of ketchup to the product and leave for a few minutes, then rinse with water. This will give the product shine and a warm reddish tint characteristic of this metal.

Cleaning Copper Coins and Antiques

Items with a high market value must be cleaned at home with extreme caution so as not to spoil the expensive item. The cleaning method depends on the type of contamination:

To remove greenish deposits, place the product in a 10% citric acid solution. When you see that the plaque is dissolving, remove, rinse and polish the copper item
To remove reddish deposits, place the product in a 5% ammonia solution or ammonium carbonate until you see the desired result
A yellowish coating is formed as a result of contact with lead. You can remove it by immersing the item in a 10% vinegar solution.

Source: https://ostwest.su/instrumenty/kak-ochistit-med-ot-okislenija.php/

Easy and quick purification of copper at home: the use of gentle and radical cleaning methods

Copper is a non-ferrous metal that can be oxidized over time. This phenomenon is typical for copper utensils, jewelry or coins. When an oxide film appears on the surface of the material, the products darken and lose their appearance. There are a number of ways to easily and quickly clean copper at home. Work is carried out with gloves to protect the skin from the harmful effects of solutions.

Gentle techniques

Depending on the dimensions of the product, the optimal method for cleaning them is selected.

At home, substances that are always available are used for this.

These methods include:

Lemon . To do this, juice is squeezed out of it onto a piece of cloth. Take the copper product and wipe it with a damp cloth until the surface is polished. You can cut a piece of lemon and use it to treat your items without using a rag. After this, the copper jewelry is kept in the solution for 5 minutes and then washed. Small copper items are processed in this way.
If oxidation has occurred at the bottom of the copper basin, then a regular detergent is used . The solution is applied to a sponge and all green deposits are removed by wiping. Then the basin is washed with water.
Regular ketchup is used as a substance that can remove the oxide film . The product to be processed is placed in a cup and filled with red tomato. Care is taken to ensure that there are no protruding parts. After waiting for 10 minutes, the items are washed.

Radical ways

If the contamination has become widespread, then radical cleaning methods should be used. The methods are as follows:

To 1 liter of vinegar add 1 tbsp. l. salt. If the product is large, then the amount of solution is diluted so that it completely covers the entire object. After this, the container is placed on the fire and brought to a boil. The item being processed is taken out, washed and dried.
In case of severe oxidation of the surface, it is wetted with kerosene. Then chalk is sprinkled onto a piece of woolen fabric. They process the area until the green deposits are completely removed.
An effective remedy is ammonia. It is applied to a sponge, which is used to wipe the entire oxidized surface. Upon completion, the surface is washed with water.

Coin processing

Copper coins have antique value.

With any storage method, a yellowish, greenish or reddish coating appears on their surface.

In this case they need processing . There are several ways:

When a yellow coating appears, a vinegar solution is used, which is mixed with water in a ratio of 1: 10. Coins are placed in it, which are constantly monitored. At times they turn over. As soon as the yellowness passes, the products are removed, washed and dried.
The reddish coating is removed using a 5% ammonia solution in which coins are placed. Aging is carried out until they are completely cleansed. Then they are washed and dried.
If you need to remove green plaque, then citric acid is a good remedy. 1 tbsp. l. added to 200 ml of water. Products dipped into the solution are quickly cleaned. Then they should be washed.

If there are a lot of copper things in the house, then they require constant care. They should not be allowed to completely darken.

At certain periods of time they need to be cleaned by any available method. This does not incur large costs, but it returns copper objects to their former shine.

Source: https://rat-felt.ru/ochishhenie-medi.html

How and how to clean copper at home

Copper products have been popular for centuries. They have been used for a very long time for various purposes. Once upon a time this metal was much more valuable than it is now, it was even equated to gold. But technology did not stand still, so over time it was possible to obtain it faster and in larger quantities, which is why the cost fell. This made it possible to significantly expand the scope of use.

Now not only jewelry and coins are made from copper, but also dishes, decorative items, and electronics parts. The high value of copper is explained by its characteristics: excellent corrosion resistance, ductility, thermal conductivity, and also has a beneficial effect on the human body.

But even this metal suffers from oxidation and plaque, so in this article we will tell you how and with what to clean copper at home.

Features of copper

As stated above, copper has become very popular. This achievement was achieved due to many reasons, the main of which are:

High thermal conductivity. Thanks to this, cooking food in such dishes takes much less time. Heating occurs evenly. In addition, the process allows you to significantly save on gas and electricity, which is especially important in our realities.
Doctors recommend wearing copper products for diseases of the cardiovascular system. Often there is a normalization of blood pressure and an improvement in well-being.
Durability. With proper care, the metal will last for many years.
The appearance is very beautiful, no wonder the value is so high.

Over time, from contact with oxygen and heat, copper can oxidize and become covered with a green coating. This is a natural process that cannot be stopped, but you can clean copper at home if you know what and how.

Why copper products need to be cleaned regularly

Copper products need to be cleaned regularly, since without proper care they can quickly suffer from green plaque and darkening. Dishes are especially susceptible to this, since they are constantly in contact with high temperatures. As a result, the appearance is lost quite quickly and blackness is formed, although it can be polished and returned to its original appearance. But you need to know what to clean and how to do it correctly.

Oddly enough, copper jewelry can first lose its appearance and then return it on its own. There is a lot of controversy about this, some say that a person’s well-being influences appearance. But this phenomenon is more likely due to frequent changes in pressure, temperature and moisture.

But copper has its drawbacks, especially when it comes to cookware. It must be regularly cleaned of oxide, otherwise toxic substances harmful to health will be released over time. Accordingly, the product cannot be used until cleaned and returned to normal condition. Oxidation, plaque and blackness are immediately visible to the naked eye, since everything is immediately reflected in the appearance.

Effective cleaning methods

There are many ways to restore metal to its original appeal. Each person uses the one that has been tested by him or someone he trusts. Let's find out how copper is cleaned at home today.

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Method 1: Tomato ketchup

Don’t be surprised, you got it right, it’s the same tomato ketchup that we eat. It will clean copper from oxide even to a shine. So, how to do such a procedure? Apply it to a copper surface contaminated by oxidation and spread it evenly over the entire product. Leave it like this for 2 minutes. Rinse under warm running water and rinse everything off. The procedure allows you to quickly, cheaply and effortlessly clean copper from blackness and green deposits.

Method 2: Dishwashing Gel

If the problem is not very advanced, then you can deal with it using regular dishwashing gel. How to clean copper this way? Everything is very simple, we need a soft sponge, an appropriate detergent, water and of course a dirty product. There is no need for unnecessary explanation here, just apply the gel to the sponge and carefully clean it. After the procedure, wash everything off with water.

Method 3: Lemon

Lemon will help us against oxidation and plaque on copper. The method is recommended for use with large objects. If necessary, you can enhance the effect of citric acid using a bristle brush, which, due to its elasticity, better rubs the juice into the product. The procedure itself is very simple, just rub our item with half a lemon. Cleaning will take place chemically, since the metal will be purified due to the passage of appropriate reactions.

Method 4: Vinegar dough

The so-called vinegar dough will help us clean copper. Cooking will not be difficult even for a man. You need to mix vinegar and wheat flour in a 1:1 ratio and stir until smooth. Apply the resulting mixture evenly to the object and leave to dry. When the dough forms a hard crust, it is removed. Now polish until shiny using a soft sponge or other cloth.

Method 5: Vinegar and salt

The most radical way to clean copper without leaving home is to use vinegar and table salt. This method is used to clean copper products that have not been helped by any other procedure described above.

We take a stainless steel container and pour vinegar into it in such an amount that the necessary copper product fits there. Add a little table salt and stir. We immerse the item and put it on fire. After everything has boiled, you need to turn off the gas and leave everything until it cools completely. There is no need to speed up the process, everything should go on its own. After cooling, we take out our product, rinse it in water and wipe it.

Cleaning Copper Coins

Copper coins have not been issued for a long time. But people still have them here and there. It is very good to store them in a presentable form, since such coins are already considered antiques and will only increase in value over time. It is useful to know how to clean a copper coin at home.

There are several proven ways to do this:

If copper has been in contact with lead, it may develop a yellowish coating. Regular table vinegar 9% can handle it.
How can you clean a copper coin from green deposits? Lemon or citric acid.
Coins often also have a red coating. A 5% ammonia solution or ammonium carbonate will help fight it.

Bringing back shine to copper products

Very often the question is quite simple: how to clean copper and restore its shine? There are several ways to polish metal to a similar state.

You need to make a mixture of flour, table vinegar and table salt in a 1:1:1 ratio. Rub the object with this mixture and polish it. After the procedure, rinse with waste water and wipe dry.

Another method involves using black and white newspaper. To return the product's shine, you need to roll it into a ball and polish it. In the process, you will see how the appearance returns to the object.

Source: https://kakchistit.ru/sovety/chem-chistit-med.html

How to clean metal from oxidation

How to clean copper? The relevance of this issue is explained by the fact that products made from this metal have been used by humanity for many centuries. For a long time, the value of this metal was so high that it was equal to gold.

The development of technology has led to the fact that it was possible to significantly reduce the cost of copper production. This made it possible to make not only jewelry from this metal, but also dishes and interior items.

The high popularity of this metal and alloys based on it is explained not only by its decorative effect, but also by its unique characteristics - high ductility, thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, etc.

No one wants to use oxidized copper cookware.

How to clean coins from rust and oxidation at home? — Website about

Beginning numismatists are often afraid to clean coins themselves, since at home there is always a chance of damaging the surface and thereby reducing their value. But in most cases it is not difficult and anyone can do it.

Methods for copper coins

It is worth noting that if you need to clean rare collectible or simply dear to your heart coins, then it is better to entrust this task to professionals. As a last resort, get their advice after a visual inspection of the item. However, you can clean a copper coin using one of the most common methods:

Soda . Dissolve 1-2 tbsp in a liter of water. l. soda

Place the container with the solution on the fire and place the products in it, boil for several minutes depending on the degree of oxidation and contamination, until the liquid begins to darken.

Remove the container from the heat, remove the coins with tweezers (the ends can be wrapped with electrical tape so as not to damage anything when pulling them out). Rinse and scrub with a toothbrush to remove any soda deposits that have formed.

Soap solution . A simple, but no less effective way to clean copper coins is to soak them in a soapy solution. You will need laundry soap. It must be finely chopped using a grater or knife.

Place the soap crumbs in a container, for example, a regular plastic container.
Pour warm water over the soap and stir until it forms a jelly-like mass.
Then immerse the coins in the prepared mixture, and, periodically monitoring the process, leave it for a while until a green coating appears on it.
After soaking, gently brush with a soft toothbrush and rinse thoroughly under running water to avoid the formation of white soap deposits.

If you decide to do it yourself, then this is the most gentle way to clean coins and not damage the ancient patina. But this option has one significant drawback - the duration and uncertainty of time; such cleaning can take weeks or months.

Lemon acid . A fairly aggressive cleaning method, not suitable for processing heavily damaged or rare specimens. The concentration of the solution is selected experimentally depending on the degree of contamination. Dissolve citric acid in water and load the coins for 2-3 minutes.

The cleaning process should be carried out under control, as you will need to turn them over. After removing, rinse in clean water and wipe dry with a towel. The use of citric acid is still not recommended; it does not spare either the relief or the design. In addition, after removing contaminants, you will need to apply an artificial patina.

Vegetable oil . Boiling in oil does a great job of removing rust and oxidation. This method can be used as an additional treatment for heavy stains.

Pour oil (vaseline, olive or sunflower) into a pan and place the products in it. Boil and hold for another 10 minutes over medium heat to prevent the oil from burning. Remove from the stove, let the oil cool, remove the coins, wash in soapy water and dry.

You can also clean coins with an oil cleaner. Pour olive oil over them and set the container aside for two months. Then remove, clean with a soft brush, assess the level of dirt and repeat the procedure.

Options for silver

Cleaning coins at home without the proper skills and experience is fraught with obtaining a completely opposite result from what was intended. It will be impossible to correct the consequences later, so it is better to initially entrust this matter to restorers, which is also good if you receive subsequent professional advice on storage and care.

Toothpaste. You will need toothpaste without abrasive particles, otherwise you may cause minor scratches. Rub the coins with enough paste and wipe with a clean, soft cloth. Toothpaste is good for cleaning silver, but it will not cope with severe and long-standing stains.
Ammonia. Pour ammonia (10% ammonia solution) into a glass or any other glass container so that the products can be completely immersed. Leave for 20-30 seconds. Remove, wipe, rinse with water and dry. Repeat if necessary.
Salt and foil. A simple way to quickly clean silver of any contaminants. To do this, cover the bottom of a plastic container with foil, dilute a mixture of water and fine salt on it in a 2:1 ratio. Place coins in the solution, close the edges of the foil and leave for 30-60 minutes. In case of heavy contamination, the time can be increased. Next, remove and rinse well. Never rub salt on silver coins or press them, otherwise scratches may appear.
Vinegar. You can add shine to your collection items by wiping them with a cloth soaked in 9% table vinegar. The process will go faster if you warm the vinegar a little.
Trilon-B. This aqueous solution for cleaning metal surfaces is also suitable for cleaning low-grade silver coins. Rub the item with a soft brush soaked in the product, then rinse and dry. If you purchased the substance in powder form, then you need to dissolve it in a glass of hot water and immerse the coins in it for 3-4 minutes. Remove them with tweezers, rinse and dry.
Soda and ammonia. At home, cleaning coins from greens with a mixture of ammonia and soda is effective. Lightly rub the banknote with the mixture. But the method is absolutely not suitable for rare antique coins, because soda is an abrasive product, it is better to choose a more gentle option.
To clean USSR coins, prepare a mixture of ammonia, soda and toothpaste without abrasive particles. After treatment, clean the item with a soft toothbrush, rinse, and dry.

For bronze coins

Cleaning numismatic bronze objects is a careful and painstaking job. If you decide to do it yourself, then follow the golden rule “from easy to complex, from less valuable to more expensive.”

An eraser. Perfectly removes surface dirt. You need to take the product, place it on a flat surface, and holding it by the free edge, carefully rub it with an eraser until it shines.
Pemolux. This product serves for additional processing after using one of the main methods, for example, soda, salt or vinegar, in order to finally remove all existing contaminants. The cleaned product is treated with Pemolux and a brush, washed with clean water and dried. This method is not recommended for cleaning valuable specimens. More suitable for ordinary and fairly common ones.
Methods for cleaning copper banknotes are suitable for cleaning bronze collectibles: soaking in soapy water, boiling in oil. After boiling, the color of bronze may change. It all depends on the result you want to get. You can use a flannel cloth to polish the coin until it shines, or wait for the natural patina to appear.
Methods that coincide with cleaning silver objects: ammonia plus soda, Trilon-B. But after using these products, you need to apply toothpaste without small particles to the coins and then rinse with water. This will prevent possible darkening from the use of these substances.

Numismatists do not recommend cleaning old coins at home; in this case, it is better to trust the professionals, since the main thing here is to preserve the patina, which indicates their value.

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Storage after cleaning

If stored incorrectly for a long time, the products may darken and become dirty again. For this reason, you should adhere to certain rules and know the features of handling coins:

It is advisable to touch them with fabric gloves, since there is always a layer of sweat and fat on the fingers, which is imprinted on the coin and accumulates on it over time. Alternatively, tweezers can be used.
Before each cleaning, you must make sure that it is necessary, since in some cases cleaning significantly depreciates the value of the product.
The choice of means for cleaning coins, first of all, depends on the metal from which they are cast.
Cleaned items must be dried very well with a paper towel or soft cloth; under no circumstances should traces of moisture be left on their surface and it is advisable to immediately put them away in the chosen storage system.
Store coins in a dry place, maintaining a constant temperature, each separately. Do not keep them in a damp place or expose them to sudden temperature changes. Storing with a shaft is excluded, since corrosion and rust will be transferred from one to another.

There are different types of coin holders and storage systems:

albums;
cardboard tablets;
plastic blisters;
glass cases;
holders;
capsules.

With the right choice of cleaning method, you will not only improve the appearance of coins, but you will also be able to preserve the value of your collection for many years, replenishing it with new worthy specimens.

Antique items also include cutlery that looks like silver or is plated. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with how to care for cupronickel products and restore their lost shine during use.

Source: https://py15.ru/zdorove/kak-ochistit-monety-ot-rzhavchiny-i-okisleniya-v-domashnih-usloviyah.html

How to clean copper at home from oxidation, green deposits and blackness to shine

But even this metal suffers from oxidation and plaque, so in this article we will tell you how and with what to clean copper at home.

How to remove green deposits from copper - Metalist's Guide

Have you found an old copper coin that has long been oxidized and coated with plaque, and want to restore its original appearance? What to do if you find an old coin and want to sell it or keep it, but don’t have extra money for restoration? In this case, you will have to do everything yourself. We hope that this article will help you understand how you can clean plaque from a copper coin at home.

Preparing for cleaning

Various alloys and metals, which have been used to make coins since ancient times, mostly tend to become coated and succumb to erosion. Of course, it could also be ordinary dirt and dust, which can be easily removed with a regular toothbrush and warm tap water. But how to deal with the oxidation of copper and the appearance of green spots on the coin? Dealing with this at home is not an easy task.

The procedure for cleaning a coin from the effects of oxidation and green spots characteristic of old copper largely depends on the characteristics of the alloy itself, which was the basis of the coin . In addition, different types of erosion will require different cleaning approaches, and mixing them up can damage the coin.

The first thing you need to know is don’t bother with cleaning until you figure out what’s going on. An inept and careless approach to cleaning can harm the coin even more than the erosion itself. Dirt and corrosion can penetrate deep into the coin, and with its cleaning, all the value of the coin will be lost irrevocably, giving way to pits and abrasions.

There are different types of corrosion, and the approach to cleaning each is different:

The most common is green erosion. It is obtained by the oxidation of copper; in fact, it is copper carbonate.
Reddish coating.
Yellow plaque. This happens if the coin has been in contact with lead objects for a long time.

Tools and cleaning products

What products can help when cleaning coins at home? First of all, these are harmless products that are always available in the house:

regular lemon and citric acid;
salt;
flour;
vinegar;
tooth powder, toothpaste and an old toothbrush that you no longer use;
old unnecessary newspaper;
a soft cloth to wipe coins.

This will be enough for you to cope with a raid of easy to medium difficulty. You may also need a special jewelry cleaner, which you can buy at the nearest jewelry store in your city.

Different ways to clean a coin

Among the most popular methods for cleaning copper coins at home are the following:

Take a regular lemon. Cut it in half. Press a coin into the lemon pulp and leave it in this position for 15-20 minutes. After the procedure, clean the coin with a toothbrush, rinse in cold water and wipe with a cloth until it is dry. You should always wipe a coin, since leaving it wet for a long time risks getting dark spots on the material.
Mix salt and flour, adding a drop of vinegar to the mixture. The salt should be coarse. Rub the solution onto the coin and give it time to soak in. This will take about 15-30 minutes. After the solution has worked, rinse the coin and wipe until dry.

Take regular boiling water, stir vinegar in it in a ratio of 4 to 1. Add two tablespoons of salt to this solution. Place a coin there and wait for the solution to cool. After this procedure, carefully remove the item, clean it with a toothbrush and rinse. Don't forget to wipe the coin dry!
Rub the coin with whitening toothpaste or plain tooth powder. Rub the product firmly, but do not damage the coin. Rinse. If the result is unsatisfactory, repeat the procedure again and again until the coin becomes cleaner.

You can also purchase a special jewelry cleaner at any jewelry store. The product is a ready-made solution for cleaning products, including copper coins. All you have to do is dip a coin into the solution, hold it there for several minutes, and then wipe it dry with a cloth.
Are you afraid of damaging your coin? Do you think it's too valuable to experiment with cleaning? Just give the coin to the jewelry shop for a certain price. There they will polish it for you and apply a special coating that will save the coin from a green coating for a long time.
As a periodic preventive measure, we recommend wiping the coin with an old, worn newspaper. No matter how strange it may sound, this procedure helps in cleaning the coin, and it will not darken for a long time.

Copper alloy coins

According to the characteristics of the alloys from which different coins are made, it is necessary to approach their cleaning. Adding different metals to bronze changes the material itself, so some of the methods described above may not work. To replace them, other methods can be proposed that would depend specifically on the alloy. Among the most popular alloys for creating coins in old times, we note the following.

Copper-nickel alloy. Nickel is a very long-lived material and rarely erodes or oxidizes. Such coins remain unharmed longer, but it is the copper in their composition that deteriorates over time. Oxidized copper-nickel coins become covered, like erosion on pure copper, with a green or red crust. Cleaning such coins is similar to pure copper coins.

Bronze coins. Unlike ordinary copper coins and nickel alloys, this material (remember that bronze is an alloy of copper and tin) has a number of its own characteristics, which must also be taken into account to achieve a satisfactory result.

How to remove dirt from bronze coins?

place the desired coin in a glass filled with distilled water;
let the dirt that covered the coin soak;
Using a toothbrush and soap, rinse the coin in warm water, rinsing the object from time to time during the cleaning process;
When the dirt is removed, wipe your coin.

To remove oxidation from bronze, prepare a special solution that contains sulfuric acid (preferably a five percent concentration) and leave the coin in it for several hours. This method will help you get rid of severe oxidation on bronze coins.

For lower degree oxidations, a solution with acetic or citric acid, up to 10% concentration, is also perfect.

You can remove small spots of oxidation on a coin using a regular needle to protect other coins that will lie next to this one from oxidation.

To properly care for bronze coins, it is recommended to rinse them regularly. To do this, rinse the coin in distilled water, and after this procedure, wipe with a paper napkin or dry towel.

Applying patina to the coin

It is extremely important to maintain the original appearance of your coin by applying a new patina to its surface.

Patina is an artificial protective coating on coins of copper and other copper alloys, including bronze. By applying a patina, you can preserve the appearance of the coin for a long time, and it will be protected from erosion and oxidation.

The recipe for applying this film is as follows:

Take simple potassium permanganate and copper sulfate, the proportions should be at least three to one (the best proportion is 50 grams of potassium sulfate and 5 grams of potassium permanganate per liter of water). Place them in an old and unnecessary pan, fill the mixture with water and put on fire. It is advisable to do this outside and use a fire.
Put out the fire when the water has boiled. Leave the pan over the heat. Stir the contents while gradually adding coins into the pan. During this process, the coins should change their color.
Remove the contents from the pan and carefully arrange the coins to dry.
Preserve the patina. A special solution of alcohol and benzene will help you with this. The proportions should be one to one.
And lastly, wipe them using vegetable oil.

How to store copper coins at home?

The right approach to storage is the key to the safety of your copper coins. The more the conditions of their maintenance correspond to the norm, the less time you will have to spend on their restoration.

How to distinguish copper from brass

Here are some tips for storing coins properly:

To avoid constantly handling each coin, which can also cause the metal to deteriorate, place your collection on a wooden or cardboard tablet. You can also use albums that have plastic pockets.
Keep your collection dry and clean.
If you have to take a coin in your hands, take it only by the edge, do not touch the sides of the coin.
Wash the contents of your collection with warm water and soap from time to time.

Proper care of your coins will turn your numismatic hobby into an even more exciting experience. Always maintain the collection in a presentable manner and in appropriate conditions.

Source: https://ssk2121.com/kak-ubrat-zelenyy-nalet-s-medi/