There are several effective ways to clean pennies. One of the simplest and most popular methods is soaking pennies in a mixture of vinegar and salt for a few minutes, then gently scrubbing them with a soft toothbrush before rinsing with water and drying. This combination of acetic acid and sodium chloride helps to remove the tarnish and reveal the shiny copper underneath. It is important not to leave the pennies in the solution too long to avoid damaging them with green copper salts. Other methods include using toothpaste, lemon juice (with or without salt), and commercial copper cleaners like Wright's Copper Cream or Tarn-X. For more delicate or valuable pennies, gentler techniques using soapy water and careful scrubbing with a soft brush are recommended. Abrasive methods like wire brushes or power tools could damage the coin's surface. Here is a concise step-by-step cleaning method with vinegar and salt, which is widely recommended and safe for most pennies:
- Mix white vinegar with enough table salt to make a saturated solution.
- Soak the pennies in the solution for a couple of minutes.
- Gently scrub the pennies with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
- Rinse the pennies thoroughly with warm water.
- Dry the pennies with a soft towel.
Alternative tips:
- Toothpaste can be applied with a toothbrush then rinsed and dried for a fresh shine.
- Lemon juice and salt also work well to remove copper oxide.
- Avoid harsh acids or abrasive tools on collectible or pressed pennies.
This method will clean common pennies effectively while preserving their integrity.
