Cleaning Copper the Eco-friendly Way

A friend was over the other day and had never seen this done.  I clean my copper bottom pots like this all the time with salt and lemon juice around the house.

#1 – Start with something that needs to be cleaned.  I’m using one of my sauce pans.  Since I do this all the time, the build up isn’t too heavy.  I do wash the pan first with soap and water to remove any grease film or burnt build up – so it’s a clean pot with a tarnished copper bottom.

# 2 With a freshly cut lemon wedge, or a splash of lemon juice concentrate, cover the copper area.  I use the actual lemon to do the washing – just squeeze the juice and smear it around.

You’ll start to notice a reation right away the fresher the lemon juice. The photo was taken about 3 seconds after the lemon hit the pan.

Some people even use ketchup because of the acid, but lemon works so much better.  The lemon will also help brighten brass too if you have some items looking dull.

#3 – Now use simple table salt as a mild abrasive.  Sprinkle just a bit to start and if you are using the lemon wedge, just smear it around again.  Use a soft cloth or sponge too if you prefer.  Do not use wire scrubbies, and I don’t even like the plastic nylon scrubbys for this – gentle the better. Focus on any tough areas.  You don’t need fancy salts – they don’t work any better.

So there you have it – clean and uncleaned with just a bit of lemon juice and salt.  Repeat if necessary for tough spots.  Rinse with water and dry with a soft cloth.

Don’t throw the lemon away!  Fill a small bowl with water, drop the lemon in, and place in your microwave for a minute or two.  The moisture for the water will help loosen any splatters in the microwave, and it will smell lovely from the essential oil in the lemon rind!

Now, compost your lemon rind, you’re done cleaning.

Monday is my big cleaning day for the week.  While I wash dishes every day, vacum and all the normal stuff around the shop and house, Monday is the day I take care of things like ironing, pantry, and deeper cleaning.  I take a lot for granted and a friend mentioned I should post how I clean things since a lot of the methods are eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic cleansers.  So now, Mondays will be posts on cleaning or house tips - in the Tips and Tricks category.