Plain tap water is a good options, if you know your water is not corrosive or hard. To clean a copper penny, squeeze out a small amount of tomato ketchup onto the face and back of the coin. Admittedly, this one is hard to see working well, so I always suggest testing brand new coin cleaning methods on a coin you care absolutely nothing about. Soak them in vinegar or ketchup: If youve ever used ketchup on your penny, then you know that it can clean it up pretty quicklyand with very little effort on your part at all! If needed, use a soft towel or soft-bristled brush to scrub the coin. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. When in doubt, refrain from cleaning anything older than those. It only requires rubbing the penny with a pencil eraser. Paper Towels This process can get a bit messy. Dish soap is another good cleaning method and is very gentle. Next, soak the coins in the solution for 5 minutes, making sure theyre spread out so theyre all submerged. Beach Metal Detectors You can visit a local coin dealer if you have one nearby. Step 4 Now take out the pennies from that mixture, and wash them in water. For coins that are not terribly valuable, you can clean them yourself with little to no worry. AspenCleans glass cleaner was voted Parents Green Pick 2020 by readers of the Parents magazine. There is endless information available on the Internet about cleaning pennies, and these ideas can also be used to clean nickels, quarters, dimes, or even specifically cleaning silver coins, etc. The olive oil is good at separating the dirt from the surface of the coin for a thorough cleaning experience, though it takes substantially longer. Ketchup contains acid that can help remove copper stains. Keep in mind that adding more salt to the solution makes it stronger. But for coins that have collectible value, they are oftentimes worth more than their face value. Mix equal parts distilled water and lemon juice into a container. From there, use your brush to gently get the grime off of the coins before putting them back into the water again. How to Clean Wheat Pennies Safely and Without Damage, How to Clean Corroded Pennies Safely and Effectively, How to Clean Gold Jewelry With Vinegar Without Any Damage. Cleaning Copper With Ketchup: Ketchup can be used to clean a variety of copper products. Use a soft cloth to rub the paste on the surface of the copper. Collectors actively look for the tiniest flaws in pennies and they have all the necessary tools to find those flaws. He has a hefty collection of wheat pennies that hes found with various techniques. Pull the coins out of the liquid and gently wipe them with a paper towel to break apart the tarnish and dark spots. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. With this simple technique, anyone can get their penny as clean as it once was. Place your pennies in the vinegar or the lemon juice. Try not to rub the coin too much with your fingers or the dirt, silt, and other residue on the surface can damage the coin. When you clean via any method, you are clearing off small parts of the penny surface along with the corrosion, so a slight change in the appearance of the pennies is actually inevitable. Remember, you dont want to use anything that has abrasive qualities to them because they can scratch the coins. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. So at the very least you need distilled water as a working medium. This process only works in fluid. You must remember to use these at your discretion. Dont leave them in a bowl of water, since the vinegar solution and copper oxide will end up in the bowl and on other coins. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Leave the coin to soak for about 5 minutes or so and then check on its condition. Check back on them every few minutes, especially if you use a highly acidic substance like cola, to avoid damaging them. What is the formula for calculating solute potential? As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Mix in extra salt if you wish, but keep a close eye on the coins to avoid damaging them. Rare coins shouldn't be cleaned as doing so could remove the value Credit: Getty. I usually DO NOT use water or oil, b. In fact, it would probably be extremely wise to do so, at least from a sanitary perspective. Wait about five minutes and check your pennies. 5 How do you remove green corrosion from copper coins? If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. Step 5: Rub Away the Tarnish & Grime. Since we are also concerned about safety, it is important for you to know that the acidic substances that these rust removers contain could be harmful to your skin, so you should protect yourself with gloves and a mask when using them. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Sell them the way they are (or as is) and you will surely gain more money from your pennieswell, assuming they are actually worth something, of course. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e9\/Clean-Copper-Coins-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Clean-Copper-Coins-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e9\/Clean-Copper-Coins-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid5915095-v4-728px-Clean-Copper-Coins-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":259,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":410,"licensing":"
\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wheat pennies found can be worth a small fortune. This method you will help you to clean old coin properly without any damage to. Again, if you have hard or corrosive water, go with distilled water. How to clean green corroded copper coins Mix cup vinegar with 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl that is non-metallic. Hold it there for about 10 seconds, then pull it out. A great way to clean coins without doing damage to them is using a bath of salt and isopropyl alcohol. [1] Last Updated: November 9, 2022 In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Rinse the coin very well under warm water. Ammonia works well for removing rust from copper pennies, but it can also damage the surface of the penny if not used properly. Pencil Eraser for Cleaning Pennies. Dump all the pennies into the liquid. Remember, you can always try cleaning a coin again, but you cant reverse mistakes. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Warm distilled water can be used to clean coins. Coins are part of most of our lives in one way or another. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. [1] 2 Add enough acetic acid (vinegar, white vinegar is most recommended) to moisten the salt into a paste. Drop your coins into the mixture and let them sit for about 5 minutes. If you do use an abrasive like vinegar or salt, make sure that you dont rub the abrasive in as it could scratch up the surface of the coin. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The presence of salt and vinegar as its ingredients explains why this method works. % of people told us that this article helped them. You may even want to take the same steps you learned from here to help clean other dirty pennies that you come across in the future. Just make sure that you gently apply the olive oil and you can help prevent tarnish over time. If it can clean oil off baby ducks, it should be able to clean your wheat pennies with very little damage! These cookies do not store any personal information. The first step to cleaning a copper penny is soaking it in vinegar. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". If the water is not enough, continue down the list and use dish soap. I know it sounds strange, but stay with me. This could mean going into tight corners with cotton swabs dipped in diluted vinegar solution or water; however, if there are no crevices left untouched by this step then this is generally enough for most coins because they wont have been exposed much during wear-and-tear over time anyway (if at all). Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. But do notenothing is 100% safe or 100% fool proof. That would be true if your plan was to only use vinegar to clean a corroded penny. Mix it together and add the coins into the bowl. Believe it or not, you can clean copper coins using yet another household item: ketchup. [2] 3 Now simply apply the paste to the penny wherever you want it to brighten up. 3. Let them sit for a month though you may need to let them go for as long as six months. This should be enough to get them clean. For a more gradual treatment, leave the coins out of the bowl. 1 How do you clean old copper coins without damaging them? The coins need to be submerged in the vinegar, so make sure the vinegar doesn't have too much space to spread out. Any attempt at cleaning a coin can reduce its value. Rubbing alcohol can be used to clean pennies and other copper coins, as well as other metals. Remember to not use tap water because the chemicals are bad for the coins. Vinegar is a great cleaning agent because it will remove the copper oxide that's on your pennies. So there is no need for you to buy harsh bleaching agents, because you want to clean corroded pennies, these simple ones can help you achieve your goals if you use them properly. If you do not sell your coin, you do not pay. Other coins are molded from different metals, so the solution may not work as well on them. By using our site, you agree to our. Listerine and other antiseptic mouthwashes can clean dirt, oil, and debris from old coins. Simply run the water over the coin, or let it soak in the water. In your small container, measure in a cup of fresh lemon juice (or white vinegar) and add one tablespoon of salt to it. There are many methods you can use at home to clean your wheat pennies, and other coins you have found, safely and carefully. The wheat penny was produced until 1958, with a few changes along the way. If the quarter is clean, rinse it off with distilled water. Gently scrub the coin with an incredibly soft brush. Retrieve the coins from the vinegar and apply a few teaspoons of baking soda to each coin. WATER. In many cases, cleaning a coin can lower the value of the coin as a collectors item. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. There are countless things that it can be used for, cleaning old coins and even jewelry among them. The concept is the same as white vinegar and salt. There are coins worth thousands upon thousands of dollars, all contingent on the condition of the coin. They will, in fact, devalue. How do you clean badly tarnished copper coins? How to clean copper pennies using vinegar and baking soda. I hope you enjoyed this article and have learned more about how to clean wheat pennies! If you dont have vinegar, lemon juice should work just fine. Mix cup vinegar with 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl that is non-metallic. Soak the coins for 12 hours. These coins range in value from a few cents to a small fortune, if you, Read More How to Clean Wheat Pennies Safely and Without DamageContinue, ABOUT|AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE|PRIVACY POLICY|TERMS OF USE. The effect is immediate and obvious. You will not need to clean your coins repeatedly if you know the best way to clean pennies and how to preserve them properly. One not so common cleaning method I found is using ketchup. Soak your penny in the vinegar for a minimum of 30 minutes. Split your coins into three categories: showing good detail, showing some detail, and showing no detail. They may damage the surface of the wheat penny and devalue them. Hot sauce and brown colas are some other household substances that work well on copper coins. Some other options include you can at least look into are: There are many rust removers you can use to clean your coins, and some of them can be very fast and effective, but that is just part of what you need. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Lemon juice is acidic and can cause damage to the skin if inhaled or spilled. It only requires rubbing the penny with a pencil eraser. You must be gentle. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The soap should help keep the coin safe while you gently scrub it. Mouthwash not only helps with dental health but can help you clean up dirty coins. Alicia holds a CPA designation and a Bachelors degree in Commerce and Finance from the University of Toronto. The first step to cleaning a copper penny is soaking it in vinegar. Its also an effective way to remove oxidation from copper and make sure that there are no stains left behind. You can clean as many pennies you want with a single pencil eraser. Rinse the coins thoroughly with water to remove the baking soda and vinegar solution. One of the main reasons for pennies becoming dirty is their continual circulation among people. LARISA NIEDLE You'll Need: Salt White vinegar (or fresh lemon juice) Shallow plastic container Cloth or paper towel Baking soda (optional) Toothbrush (optional) Dishwashing liquid (optional) 02 of 07 Step 1: LARISA NIEDLE In a jar, combine 1 cup vinegar (or lemon juice) and 1 tablespoon salt. First, do not every use any type of jewelry cleaner or metal polish on coins. Hydrogen peroxide can be an effective way to clean your coins. Rinse and dry: After scrubbing, rinse in warm water and dry the copper with a lint-free dishtowel. Do not clean these valuable pennies on your own, and if you do, only use distilled water. How To Clean Old Copper Pennies. This way, you should not have to worry about cleaning them on a regular basis. Rinse off any excess liquid with water and set aside to dry. There are a variety of suggested ways when it comes to cleaning coins, and cleaning . You can use lemon juice to clean copper pennies, but youll want to work in a well-ventilated area when you do. If youre having trouble getting rid of the tarnish on your copper penny, rubbing alcohol might be the trick you need. Clean pennies with Vinegar and Salt NurdRage 664K views 10 years ago How to CLEAN coins HardCoreCopper 43K views 1 year ago Coin Collecting : How Do I Clean Dirty Coins?. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Overall, cleaning a copper penny is not that difficult most of the time, and any of the methods listed above will be sure to get the job done right. Coins generally lose value as they get cleaner. The aluminum foil is key to the reaction which removes the tarnish. 5. Leave the pennies for around five minutes in the glass of vinegar or lemon juice. (So before you start using baking soda, vinegar, toothpaste, or ketchup to clean your coins at. Make a bath using a cup of isopropyl alcohol combined with two tablespoons of salt. Clean copper coins in a vinegar and salt solution. This website uses cookies to improve your experience, but you may opt out if you wish. Keep in mind that this is more of an abrasive than even the sand method and can do serious damage without the proper care. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Repeat this process as many times as necessary before allowing the coins to air dry. The best thing about using rubbing alcohol is that it will remove the tarnish from your copper coin without damaging its surface. At this stage, the corrosion on the pennies mustve reacted with the lemon and salt solution, so it is time for you to start removing them from the container. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Continue to slowly add water to the baking soda until it takes on the consistency of paste. Everyday change can be cleaned in just about any type of way. The amount of vinegar used to clean the pennies depends on the number of coins you wish to clean. After 5 minutes, wash the solution off the coins with warm water, since if its left on too long it can damage them. Copper, silver, nickel, and gold coins should strictly never be cleaned. Make sure that any cleaner you use is rated to clean pennies prior to 1982. When they start to look cleaner, remove them from the bowl. But we recommend the vinegar or lemon juice approach because the materials are safe for your skin, overall quite very effective, creates little to no mess, and the risk of damaging the pennies is fairly low.