\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. ", pennies?" A dirty penny is usually the result of years of accumulated dirt. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Last Updated: March 14, 2022 If they are not as bright as you would like them, let them sit for another five minutes. Heres how it works. (Details below.). Start by adding a quarter cup of white vinegar, or lemon juice, into a cup or glass. If you want to go ahead and clean corrosion off of your old coins, baking soda likely is the safest route to follow. Gentle cleaning methods that use natural items like vinegar and salt are preferable to commercial coin cleaners, which usually contain harsh chemicals that can easily damage the coin. Vinegar dissolves zinc. "I am doing the science fair soon, and my question was, "How do different liquids affect the luster of, "It was very useful for my science project. You're in the right place! We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. This method will restore the bright orange copper color to your pennies. I used to experiment with rubbing toothpaste on some of my coins years ago, but I ended up ruining every coin I cleaned with it. Fill a washtub with warm water and add a squirt or two of dish soap. Hold each coin under running water to rinse away soapy residue. Rinse under warm, running water and dry them with a soft cloth. Enjoy! Its okay to let the coins air dry, as long as theres no standing water on them. Old pencils with erasers that are rock-hard will be difficult to use and may leave deep scratches in the penny. Bringing luster back to copper pennies is easy once you know which ingredients get the job done. Copper oxide (the gunk on your pennies) dissolves in weak acid, and that's just what all three of these liquids are. Affiliate Disclaimer: Tipsbulletin.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, Cleaning Copper Pennies with White Vinegar and Salt, Bring Shine Back to Copper Coins with Coca-Cola, How to Clean Copper Pennies with Baking Soda, Cleaning Copper Pennies with a Metal Cleaner, Bring Shine Back to Copper Coins with Olive Oil, Privacy Policy GDPR Medical Disclaimer DMCA. Pennies are made from copper or copperplated zinc. Learn more Today, not much is available to buy with a penny; so many people tend to toss them into a jar, saving them until they are worth dollars. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Keep your pennies and other coins clean reduces the amount of bacteria on their outer surface, which makes you less likely to become ill after handling them. This technique is an easy way to clean silver coins and zinc pennies without causing damage, too. Take one coin out of the vinegar at a time and immediately sprinkle a pinch of baking soda on the surface. Rinse with warm water, then dry. Over time, the surface of the penny accumulates dirt and gets discolored as a result of copper oxide. Use more salt as needed to make the solution stronger for particularly worn coins. Continue with Recommended Cookies. You probably already have everything you need, Small, physical, and repetitive motions (may be difficult for grandma or grandpa to help), A quarter cup of tomato ketchup (or three ketchup packets from your favorite fast food place), Physically easier than the pencil eraser method, Ketchup can splatter on people and things, Does not bring out the bright copper color on the penny, 2 tablespoons Bon Ami cleanser (or baking soda), 8 oz. It works on the same principle as using ketchup (Ketchup contains vinegar, salt and tomatoes), but there is less rubbing . A good first step in cleaning. Do not mix coins. The copper that is dissolved in the vinegar will be attracted to the steel nuts and bolts. Add a half a cup of baking soda with the laundry detergent to supercharge the cleaning process. Rinse the baking soda off with fresh . Stir the salt until it dissolves into the vinegar. Pour your pennies into the bowl and stir them gently with a spoon. For many pennies, one tablespoon (15 g) of salt in 1/2 cup (4 oz) of vinegar will get the job done. You can still soak them with warm water and vinegar first but you should also . The acid in vinegar, like in citrus, is what really takes the tarnish away. Cleaning Copper With Ketchup: Ketchup can be used to clean a variety of copper products. Thank you. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. This process will work best on coins that are heavily tarnished or have a lot of stuck-on grime. Allow sitting for five to ten minutes. If the residue is difficult to remove, some rubbing alcohol purchased from a drugstore can be used to remove stubborn residue. Stir the mixture with a fork until any lumps dissolve. Freshen your sink by mixing one part of baking soda with two parts of vinegar. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/3a\/Clean-Pennies-with-Vinegar-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Clean-Pennies-with-Vinegar-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/3a\/Clean-Pennies-with-Vinegar-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid8789167-v4-728px-Clean-Pennies-with-Vinegar-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"