# Cleaning Copper



## isaac (Jun 9, 2001)

Hello all. I just got done with a party and I used small copper pots for the dips and sauces but when I came home to clean them, I cleaned them and noticed black spots and streaks on one of them but I don't know how to get them out.

I know copper needs to be cleaned and treated a special way but I am not sure how.

Any Ideas?


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## katbalou (Nov 21, 2001)

dear isaac,
did you try ketchup? i know it can take yrs. of tarnish off the bottom of my mom's old pans.
kat


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## m brown (May 29, 1999)

lemon dipped in fine salt rubbed on copper works too. as does water and cream of tartar.


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## sabra_1 (Jan 27, 2002)

Hi There,
I make a paste of Malt Vinegar and Baking Soda and rub on the copper it comes up a treat.


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## stainlesssteel (Oct 24, 2009)

if you have tried the home made cleaner and the don't work i would recommend one of the following for cleaning copper pans.
1 quickleen-s copper cleaner
2 barkeepersfriend
3 cameo stainless steel cleaner
hope this helps if you need the url i can e-mail them to you i don't know if you are allowed to post them on the forum


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

COPPERBRILL which can be found online restores the original, brand new gloss to used copper utensils. DO NOT use Barkeepers Friend as it is way too abrasive and will impart microscratches into the copper metal.

Visit Rocky Mountain Retinning for further information.


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## stainlesssteel (Oct 24, 2009)

i think you are being bias here. i never had that problem and i am sure barkeeperfriend would disagree.


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## duckfat (Aug 7, 2008)

That's certainly not been my experience and I have used bar keepers friend for years. I know numerous others that use it as well. I use my pots often so I'm not worried about "micro" scratches what ever that means. I probably get micro scratches every time I set a pot on the burner. I buy copper because it performs better not because I want it for display. 
Not all brands of copper pots are polished like Mauviel. 
The web site you mentioned is talking about not using scotch brite pads, steel wool or abrasive cleaners to clean the inside of tin lined copper when you have stuck on food. It only takes about ten cents worth of BKF and a few minutes of scrubbing to return the bottom of a copper pan to looking new just like they show on that web site.


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