Could anyone assist me with copper cleaning advice please?

[Shimmy Sally]

These bookends have been in my family for awhile:

I adore copper, but it requires as much or more care than silver (which I hate). The cleaners I've tried are often either abrasive or don't really remove tarnish well. I never buy anything one could use on the bottom of a cooking pot, but what advice do I need beyond that? What products can you reccomend? Any metal care experts here? Please help.

 

[green papaya]

I like to leave old items "as is" because the natural patina looks much better than polishing

I would just gently wipe them off with a damp cloth [no polishing]

 

[magneto]

My household book says to mix "hot salt and vinegar" (presumably hot-in-temperature, not hot as in chili added) and rub with a brush (or cloth if worried about scratching I suppose)... Haven't tried it myself but it's something you could try with readily available household ingredients before shelling out for copper polish.

 

[ideaguy]

those great bookends!

HEY! Leave those alone! Please, before you leap, look. The value, charm, and allover allure of old copper lies in the soft patina it acquires over the years. After over 17 yrs. in the antiques business, follow others' advice passed on to me-leave them alone! soft paintbrush to flick away dirt, don't use a cloth at all. If you shine them up, I'm afraid you'd find they don't look quite as rich as they do now...They are quite nice, and depending on the maker, worth keeping as an heirloom antique. If you have to shine a copper piece-use MAAS polish- used to be standard polish on ships for all the brass trim, and stood up to salt air, etc. Find the polish on the net. take care.

These bookends have been in my family for awhile:

I adore copper, but it requires as much or more care than silver (which I hate). The cleaners I've tried are often either abrasive or don't really remove tarnish well. I never buy anything one could use on the bottom of a cooking pot, but what advice do I need beyond that? What products can you reccomend? Any metal care experts here? Please help.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

My household book says to mix "hot salt and vinegar" (presumably hot-in-temperature, not hot as in chili added) and rub with a brush (or cloth if worried about scratching I suppose)... Haven't tried it myself but it's something you could try with readily available household ingredients before shelling out for copper polish.

What works the absolute best is salt and lemon juice - vinegar's not nearly as effective. In fact, it's pretty amazing how well it works. I've used it on copper cookware for years.

But, that said, as others have mentioned, sometimes the old patinaed color is more highly prized by some, so if it's something you think you might want to sell in a year or so, I'd think twice. But if it's something you intend to keep long-term and you'd prefer it to look new and bright, give salt & lemon a try.

 

[Shimmy Sally]

Uht-oh, too late to leave them alone. I had already cleaned them before I took that picture. They were pitch black previous to that. Isn't the relief effect gorgeous? I would never sell them.
Thanks for the tips everyone.

 

[green papaya]

they dont need any further cleaning