How to clean the copper: Thus it is taken care of to preserve its brightness.
Luxurious, warm and somewhat different: Copper returns to our homes as a trend material again. This relatively soft metal is also very suitable for pots, pans and bath accessories, although copper pots remain relatively rare in modern Mexican kitchens. This could change in the coming years, since copper is not only antibacterial, but also an excellent heat driver, so that heat in a copper pan is distributed very uniformly.
However, red metal has a disadvantage: It is not so beautiful in the long term. The best example is the statue of liberty, which is actually surrounded by a copper layer and that once rolled reddish brown against New York.
You do not need broken pots and containers.Ramiro Mendes / UNSPLASH.
Why is copper discolored?
The chemical process that causes gray-greenish copper discoloration is called oxidation. Like any metal, Copper reacts with oxygen. In the case of iron, this produces oxide, in the case of copper, the green patina. It mists.
The difference between these two effects of oxidation is quite crucial: while oxide breaks down the metal, the patina is actually a protective layer that makes copper even more durable. However, in the case of copper there is a second reason why it is discolored: the Verdin instead of the patina. It is slightly toxic and only occurs when the material reacts with acetic acid. The Verdin is soluble in water and, if detected in time, it is usually able to easily eliminate with a little detergent. And after a while, the beautiful brightness disappears, even if it is the valuable patina. The jewel of the house seems now dirty, and the question arises: how can I clean the copper?
How to clean copper: 5 home remedies
When copper gets dirty persistently, many people directly resort to cleaning chemicals, often very expensive. It doesn't have to be so. Home remedies are much cheaper and also more sustainable. And, anyway, you have a lot of what you need at home.
1. lemon + salt
Some people seem tequila right away. But first the work, then the pleasure: part the lemon and sprinkle the cut surface with a little salt. Rub the cut surface on the fogged copper stain. Caution: Cleaning salt with salt can scratch sensitive surfaces. Sometimes lemon acid is enough.
2. Vinegar + salt
Probably the most popular copper cleaner: about 100 milliliters of vinegar essence by half a liter of water, a tablespoon of salt … and voila.