What liquid cleans a penny the best?

Copper oxide dissolves in a mixture of weak acid and table salt-and vinegar is an acid. You could also clean your pennies with salt and lemon juice or orange juice, because those juices are acids, too.

Will lemon juice clean a penny?

Pennies are made out of a metal called copper. This cause something called oxidation and makes the penny look dirty. Lemon juice has acid in it that removes the dirty color or oxidation and makes the penny nice and shiny again!

Does dish soap clean pennies?

Soap. Cleaning your old coins with gentle dish soap and water can loosen some of that built-up dirt. Fill a small plastic container with warm water, add a few drops of mild soap, immerse the coins, and rub with your fingers or a soft toothbrush to clean.

Does lemon juice or vinegar clean pennies better?

Ultimately, lemon juice will clean pennies better than vinegar, though both liquids are viable cleaning options for copper. This means that lemon juice is a slightly stronger acid than vinegar. The stronger the acid, the better it will clean copper pennies.

What cleans a penny better vinegar or lemon juice?

How do you clean pennies without losing their value?

Follow These Steps:

1. In a jar, combine one cup vinegar (or lemon juice) and 1 tablespoon salt.
2. Pour the solution into the plastic container.
3. Add the coins in a single layer, so none of the coins are touching.
4. When you remove the coins and wipe them with a cloth or paper towel, they should look shiny.

How do you clean a large amount of pennies?

For many pennies, one tablespoon (15 g) of salt in 1/2 cup (4 oz) of vinegar will get the job done. Stir the mixture to dissolve the salt. If you don’t have vinegar, use lemon or even orange juice. Copper oxide (the gunk on your pennies) dissolves in weak acid, and that’s just what all three of these liquids are.

Does lemon juice damage coins?

Bottled or fresh-squeezed lemon juice will work. Wait five minutes, then remove the penny from the lemon juice. Any remaining dirty coating, which is actually copper oxide, will rub off as an orange stain on the paper towel, leaving the penny clean and shiny.

How do you clean a penny with lemon juice?

Cover the penny with about an inch of lemon juice. Bottled or fresh-squeezed lemon juice will work. Wait five minutes, then remove the penny from the lemon juice. The penny will get cleaner the longer it sits in the solution.

How do you clean copper coins without damaging them?

How to Clean Dirty Coins

1. Water. Running your coins under plain old tap water is one of the least damaging ways to clean your coins.
2. Soap. Cleaning your old coins with gentle dish soap and water can loosen some of that built-up dirt.
3. Vinegar.
4. Hydrogen Peroxide.
5. Mouthwash.

How do you clean pennies with salt water?

Mix a teaspoon of salt into the liquid by stirring until it is dissolved. Place your pennies in the bottom of the cup or glass so that they are not stacked on top of each other. Wait about five minutes and check your pennies. If they are not as bright as you would like them, let them sit for another five minutes.

How do you get the patina off a penny?

It does this by using the low levels of acids that are contained naturally in vinegar and lemon juice to remove the patina (brown oxidation) on the penny. Start by adding a quarter cup of white vinegar, or lemon juice, into a cup or glass. Mix a teaspoon of salt into the liquid by stirring until it is dissolved.

How do you clean a penny with a pencil eraser?

While holding the penny on a flat stable surface with one hand, use the pencil eraser to rub the dirt and brown oxidation off of the penny using a small circular motion. When it is clean and shiny to your liking, flip the penny over and repeat the same process on the other side.

Is it safe to clean pennies with chemicals?

While there are other ways to clean pennies that involve the use of chemical cleaners that contain acids or other harmful chemicals, these three are effective, non-toxic, and safe for children. Pennies are made from copper or copperplated zinc.