Tag Archives: household

How to Clean Copper Using Household Ingredients

Many of us still have copper fixtures, pipes, flatware, kettles and other items in our home. This is because copper was used for everything from faucets to cookware to light plates for over a century before steel became affordable enough for use in outfitting homes.

 

If you own anything that is copper you know that the main problem is that copper is constantly oxidizing and creating a green patina. Although that slightly degraded aqua touch is actual an asset in cases (for instance it is very common on old Victorian roofs and on the turrets of post-modern buildings from the eighties) it does not look that appealing on a kettle, flower vase or a fork.

 

Most of the items that can be used to remove the chalky green coating on your copper items are ordinary household ingredients:  white vinegar, salt and baking soda (or cornstarch.)

 

Copper cleans up very nicely if you immerse the item in a salt and vinegar bath. Simply mix one tablespoon of salt with three cups of water in a very big part. Take the copper item that you wish t clean and leave it in the pot.  Leave the item there until the water and vinegar and salt solution comes to a full rolling boil.  Leave the copper item like this until you can visually detect that all of the green color has left the surface of the copper.  Then take the pot off of the heat.

 

Before you remove the copper from the pot make sure it and the water has cooled completely down to room temperature.  Lift the object out of the pot and give it a quick wash with a high quality dish soap, like Dawn, to get rid of any vinegar smell that might be lingering on the item.  Be sure to wash the pot you boiled the item in thoroughly as well.

 

If the problem is small then you might want to try cutting a wedge of lemon that has been sprinkled on both sides with salt.  The salt acts like a scouring item. Scrub the green stain off of the copper item until it is gone and then wash the item with dish soap and water to get rid of any lemon debris.

 

You can also use ketchup to clean copper. Simply mix equal parts corn starch with ketchup to make a paste and then scrub the item clean. Be sure to wash and rinse the item with dish soap to eliminate any scent of ketchup.

 

How to Get Your Sink Really Shiny!

Is there anything worse than a stainless steel sink that is starting to turn rusty and grey? How do you get it back to its original gleaming state?  Don’t think you have to go out and spend a bunch of money on a stain removing cleaner and polisher.  All you really need is a few common household-cleaning items.

 

One of the most effective cleaners is pure Baking Soda. Arm & Hammer is the perfect brand to do.  Simply make a paste of baking soda water and sprinkle it over the steel.  Then give the sink a gentle once over with a very fine steel wool and it will get rid of any hairline scratches.  Then all you need to do is rinse the residue away.

 

If your sink has water spots then dip your sponge in white vinegar and rub them right off. If rust is the problem then try soaking a sponge in rubbing alcohol and that should take care of any crusted rust spots or stains.

 

If the rust or stubborn stains are particularly hard to remove then try using a mixture of three parts cream of tarter to one part hydrogen peroxide and rub the stain with a cloth. Let the mixture sit and allow it to dry before wiping it away with a sponge or wet cloth.

 

Another inexpensive cleanser is all-purpose floor. Simply sprinkle it in the sink and buff the steel. The small grains in the flour act as a steel polishing.

 

Yet another secret to getting a super-shiny sink is to put the plug in the drain and add a bottle of club soda. With paper towels spread the club soda all over the sink and rub until the sink gleams.

 

Another tip is to use Murphy’s oil soap. Murphy’s oil is typically used to clean wood floors but it can make metal look really shiny. That is because it does have a bit of oil in it and oil not only tempers the surface of the steel it is also naturally shiny.

 

Finally one of the biggest secrets is to apply a few drops of baby oil to a paper towel and rub the sink everywhere.  After you have scratched off the stains this trick helps to smooth out the steel surface so it is more reflective of light.

 

For an overall rehab of your sink try an overall buff with stain removal and then apply Murphy’s oil or baby oil and people with think you had everything replaced.