Copper Care- The Easy Way 👀 Let The Copper Elves Show You How To Remove Tarnish
Hello Readers! Thanks for tuning in!
Today we're talking about keeping your copper shiny and bright - copper beads, chains, rings, anything with that warm orange glow. Tackling the ever-creeping tarnish can be hard. Copper and copper alloys react chemically with the oxygen in the air and the oils on your skin leaving a dark layer of copper oxide on the metal's surface. It doesn't take long to see traces of oxidization.
Not all tarnish is bad. Some jewelry pieces look great with the rich textured look of a good patina. If you would like an easy way to restore the luster of a copper jewelry piece, let the Elves let you in on a trade secret we want every one to know. SALT and VINEGAR make a Magic Copper Cleaning Solution!
The magic is in the chemistry and this potion only works for copper and copper alloys. Here's how: vinegar, being a mild acid, reacts with and dissolves the outer layer of copper oxide. Salt acts as a mild abrasive, helping to scrub away the loosened tarnish from the copper surface. Combining salt with vinegar creates a more effective cleaning solution due to both the abrasive properties of the salt and the chemical interaction of the chloride ions with the vinegar's acetic acid.
How to do it. Place the copper, brass or bronze item in a glass or plastic bowl or tub. Add vinegar (white works well) and plain table salt in a ratio of approximately 2oz vinegar to 1 teaspoon of salt. Swirl the mixture or stir with a finger - and watch the tarnish disappear! The combination of the acid's dissolving action and the abrasive's scrubbing action removes the tarnish, revealing the bright, pure metal beneath. Finish with a Sunshine polishing cloth for higher shine. It's what the Elves use!
The great part about this method is that you probably already have both salt and white vinegar in your home! No need to run out and spend $$$ on chemicals from the store. Plus, you can rest easy knowing this cleaner is non-toxic.
The Elves have a copper care tutorial video posted on Instagram (they are VERY proud of their presentation 😉)! You can also check us out on Facebook and Pinterest. The Elves are busy over there and they always have something new up their 'sleeve'! (Do Elves have sleeves?)
As always, thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
The Celtic Copper Team
