How To Clean Copper Pans Using All Natural Ingredients Easily

Do you want to know how to clean copper pans? Do you want to know how to clean copper pieces and polish copper without using harsh chemicals found in traditional copper cleaners? We all know copper tarnishes and can be difficult to clean. This has been on my kitchen to-do list for quite some time. I have some copper pots and a strainer that have stubborn stains and are just plain dingy-looking. I decided to try a bunch of DIY methods for cleaning copper, using natural ingredients, to see what would work best. It doesn’t have to stop with cleaning copper pots and copper cookware, you can use these techniques to clean other copper items as well.

How To Clean Copper Video

Let’s get started on how to clean copper pans.

Here are the top 3 winners!

Method 1: How to Clean Copper with White Vinegar, Salt and Flour Paste

In a bowl I mixed 1 cup of vinegar, 1 Tablespoon of salt, and added flour, mixing it together with a spoon to make a polishing paste. If you don’t have vinegar, I think you could substitute lemon juice for vinegar as both have acidic properties.

Mine was a bit runny as you can see, but a thick paste will make less of a mess. I spread it on the entire surface and let it sit on the copper for 1 hour. Because of the chemical reaction, you could almost see it working on the surface of the copper immediately.

Once the hour was up I rinsed it off with warm water and the good news was it made my pots shine without a bit of elbow grease! The combination of the weak acids of the vinegar and the gentle abrasive of the salt really tackled the tough stains on my copper.

Method 2: How to Clean Copper with Vinegar Boil Method

In a pot mix 1 cup of white vinegar, 1 Tablespoon salt, and add water to fill the pot so that the copper surface is covered.

Bring to a boil and place the copper in the mixture.

The amount of time you need to let it sit, will depend on how much tarnish is on the copper. It didn’t take long at all for mine, 30 seconds or less. The boil method was fast and an amazing copper transformation. The acidity in the vinegar started cleaning the copper very quickly.

Method 3: How to Clean Copper with Lemon Juice and Salt Paste

I poured about 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice into a bowl, added table salt and mixed until I created a paste. I used a scrub pad to scoop up the mixture and rubbed the copper bottoms in a circular motion.

After it was as clean as I could get it, I gave it a good rinse and wiped it dry.

Cleaning Copper Pan Fails

Here’s what didn’t work for my cleaning copper tests:

Fail 1: Ketchup and Tomato Sauce to Clean Copper

I spread ketchup on the left side and tomato sauce on the right. I let it sit for 15 minutes. I thought the acid in the tomatoes would clean copper, but neither of them got the copper very clean in my test.

I scrubbed both sides after the 15 minutes, and rinsed it off. The ketchup did a little work but the tomato sauce didn’t really do anything to the surface of the pan.

Fail 2: Cleaning Copper with Lime

I rubbed a lime all over the copper for several minutes and it might have gotten a little lighter but overall I was not impressed.

Fail 3: Cleaning Copper with Regular Toothpaste

I rubbed on regular toothpaste with a soft, clean rag. I rinsed it off and sadly it again showed a little change but not a lot.

My Favorite Cleaning Copper Test

I was ready to do my copper strainer. I decided my favorite was the salt, vinegar, and flour mixture.

I coated the strainer with the mixture, and you could see it working immediately. I let it sit for an hour and rinsed it off.

This technique made it sparkle again and it was by far the easiest way to clean any copper item!

*With all of the techniques there were a few dark spots and discoloration left behind. I’m not sure what those are but I could not get some of them to budge for a perfect finish.

Cleaning Copper Pan Tips

So now that you have seen the best way in my opinion, here are some other tips:

• Use a clean, soft cloth. It can be a dry cloth, a microfiber towel or soft sponge.
• Make sure to remove all of the food particles and food residue and start with clean pots by washing them with mild dish soap and warm soapy water.
• Use high heat with the white distilled vinegar to make sure the water and vinegar are boiling for best results.
• You can use coarse salt or baking soda instead of table salt to get rid of the copper oxide.
• Some people like to use commercial copper cleaners, like Bar Keepers Friend or Wright’s Copper Cream. I prefer to stick with more natural ingredients.
• I haven’t had luck with tomato paste.
• Yes, this can clean more than copper kitchenware. Try cleaning copper pipes and copper sinks.
• Depending on how bad things are it can be really difficult to get all of the black spots off.
• You can use a lemon half or fresh lemon with the salt method instead of lemon juice if you prefer.

Now that you know how to clean copper, learn how to patina copper. Follow this guide to create a beautiful patina on copper: How To Patina Copper Pennies – Easy DIY Tutorial With Video.

Learn more about “Why to Deep Clean and Organize Your Home” to save money, function better, and keep your sanity. 

Common Questions About Cleaning Copper Pans

How To Clean Copper Pans Video

Organic Cleaning – DIY Recipes and Tips To Clean the Chemical-Free and Natural Way

When cleaning your home there are amazing ways to be efficient with your time as well as minimize the chemicals in your home. In this book, you’ll learn what natural and organic products to use, the recipes to create, how to use the cleaners in your home, tips, and tricks, and how inexpensive it is to clean naturally. So what are you waiting for? Start cleaning organically and naturally today!

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