Copper cookware is popular for a lot of reasons. If you’re into kitchen decor, then you know they certainly add to the aesthetic of the home. The mere sight of these beautiful pans might get you in the mood to cook. Therefore, it is no surprise that you want to preserve the aesthetic quality of these pans. Learning how to clean copper pans is essential to maintaining their distinctive properties.
While these beauties are great decorative pieces, they also are functional in various ways. They cook food evenly due to the copper’s amazing heat distribution. So, you can cook your food on low heat and save energy in the process by using copper pans. Furthermore, they can be easily restored with proper cleaning techniques, so you can keep up those delicious home-cooked meals. Without further ado, let’s get into how to clean copper pans without scratching!
First, What Is the Best Chemical to Clean Copper?
Have you ever wondered which chemical will work best to clean your copper pans? Well, organic acids, such as citric acid found in lemon makes a great cleaning agent for copper. It is used as a disinfectant and can be utilized to remove tough buildups.
Another organic acid helpful for cleaning copper is acetic acid. If you’ve searched “how to clean copper pots with vinegar”, then you’ll mostly come across the acetic acid method. One of the components of vinegar is acetic acid, which makes it an efficient dissolving agent against grease and tough stains.
How To Clean Copper Naturally
Unfinished copper or copper without lacquer can tarnish over time when in contact with oxygen through a process known as oxidation. Other elements, such as water can contribute to the tarnished appearance of copper. Fortunately, there are natural ways to bring back the shine to your copper pans with low effort. Keep reading to discover how to clean copper pans at home with two natural ingredients.
Here is what you will need:
- Dish soap
- Soft sponge
- Lemon
- Baking soda
If you’ve ever wondered how to clean copper with lemon, you’ll get your answers in the next few steps.
Step 1: Wash first.
First, clean your copper pan with dish detergent and warm water. This first step allows you to remove recent stains. After washing the pot, rinse it under running warm water before moving on to the next step.
Step 2: Prep your cleaning agent.
Cut a lemon in half and put some baking soda aside in a bowl.
Step 3: Apply your solution.
Using half of a lemon, squeeze the juice onto the bottom of the pan and the areas you’re targeting. Allow the solution to sit for approximately one (1) minute before proceeding.
Take the other slice of lemon and dip it into the bowl of baking soda. Use this to clean the oxidized areas of your copper pan in a circular motion.
This method is normally sufficient for light oxidation marks. However, if you have burns and a lot of oxidation marks, move on to step 4.
Step 4: Make a paste.
Use the juice squeezed from your lemon and mix it with baking soda to make a paste. Apply the paste to the oxidized areas.
Lightly dip a soft sponge into lemon juice and use it on the areas you’ve applied the paste. The paste together with the sponge will work efficiently to remove tough stains that you couldn’t remove from step 3.
Step 5: Rinse.
The last step in this simple method is to rinse your pan. You can additionally wash your pan with dish detergent, but simply rinsing with water should do the trick.
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