How To Clean A Darkened Antique Copper Tray

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How To Clean A Darkened Antique Copper Tray
How To Clean A Darkened Antique Copper Tray

Video: How To Clean A Darkened Antique Copper Tray

Video: How To Clean A Darkened Antique Copper Tray
Video: Testing 4 methods for cleaning Copper Pots Without using harsh chemicals! 2024, March
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Many kitchens have copper products - for example, cezve, stewpan, samovar, tray. They can be both old, preserved from ancient times, and a modern remake. Copper gizmos are not only beautiful, but also very convenient in everyday life.

How To Clean A Darkened Antique Copper Tray
How To Clean A Darkened Antique Copper Tray

Copper products have a unique charm, which allows them to be used not only for their intended purpose, but also to please the eye. For example, trays are often used not so much as kitchen utensils, but as decorative elements. The only trouble is that copper dishes may darken or become covered with a greenish coating.

Why does copper dishes darken

A remarkably beautiful copper tray can serve you faithfully for many years, but when kept in the air, its surface takes on a green tint. This plaque looks very ugly, and in itself is a little toxic. This is due to the effect of air on the material.

Air is a mixture of gases - in addition to nitrogen and oxygen, it contains carbon dioxide and some water vapor, as well as hydrogen sulfide. This content contributes to the formation of black or green plaque on the surface of copper products. Green plaque - copper hydroxide-carbonate - is a substance that is similar in composition to the mineral malachite.

How to clean a copper tray

Antique copper trays can be cleaned in the same old way: cut the lemon in half, wipe the surface of the tray, walk a little with a not very hard brush and rinse with water. To add shine to the product, make a mixture of vinegar, flour, and coarse salt. This mixture is often called "vinegar dough"; it must be prepared immediately before use. Apply the "dough" to a tray, let dry and dry with a soft cloth or brush.

If the tray is old and heavily soiled, the following may help: dissolve a little detergent in hot water, apply to the surface and leave it alone for a while. Then rub with a brush, rinse and dry. Another option is to boil the vinegar, place the product in it, add a couple of tablespoons of table salt. Then you need to leave everything until it cools completely, after which the tray is cleaned with a brush, rinsed with water and wiped dry.

To give a brushed copper tray a shine, you can polish it with a crumpled wad of newspaper - in the old days, this was how windows were cleaned. Be careful when using such a tray to place food on it - you should be especially careful about the condition of copper products that come into contact with food in one way or another. The effect of plaque on the surface of copper products is similar to that of rust. If the copper has acquired a gray-green tint, you should not use the product until it is cleaned. There is a high risk of ingestion of toxic substances from plaque, which then pass into the body.

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