As you wear your copper jewelry, it will lose its luster over time and may become tarnished. How you should clean your copper jewelry depends on whether it has been lacquered or not.
Cleaning Lacquered Copper Jewelry
If your copper jewelry is lacquered, it will not tarnish as easily as non-lacquered copper jewelry does.
Instead, it will get dull and become less shiny.
You can use a polishing cloth to shine a lacquered copper jewelry piece.
If the jewelry is very dirty, you can wash it with warm water with some dishwashing liquid or soap added in.
Rub gently with a cloth or an old toothbrush. Rinse the jewelry well and dry it gently with a soft cloth.
Cleaning Non-Lacquered Copper Jewelry
In general, non-lacquered copper jewelry can be cleaned well with mildly acidic substances such as lemon juice or vinegar.
Important: Avoid applying lemon juice, vinegar, or any other cleaning substances to gemstones in your jewelry, as they may get damaged.
Be especially careful with pearls. Don’t soak such jewelry in the cleaning liquid, unless you are certain that it is safe to use with the stones you have.
If you think your stones could be easily damaged, clean the jewelry by just rubbing it with the cleaning solution, and work carefully around the stones.
Note: If your copper jewelry is antique, removing the tarnish from it may make it less valuable in the eyes of potential buyers, if you ever plan on selling it.
Cleaning Copper with Lemon and Lemon Juice
Lemon: Take a lemon and cut it in half. You can also add some salt to the lemon’s cut side. Rub the copper jewelry with the lemon. Rinse the jewelry with water and dry it with a soft cloth.
Lemon juice: Instead of using a lemon, you can pour some lemon juice in a cup or a bowl and add some salt to the liquid. Dip your jewelry in the juice and leave it there for 5-10 minutes. You can also scrub the piece gently with a cloth or toothbrush. Rinse the jewelry with water and dry it with a soft cloth.
Cleaning paste: Add equal parts lemon juice and baking soda to make a cleaning paste. Use the paste to clean the jewelry by rubbing it gently with your fingers, a cloth, or an old toothbrush. After the jewelry is satisfactorily clean, rinse it and dry it with a soft cloth.
Note: It is recommended that you use a ceramic or glass container to soak your copper jewelry. Metal containers are not recommended.
Cleaning Copper with Vinegar
Soak the jewelry in some vinegar for 5-10 minutes. Rub it clean if needed. Rinse thoroughly with water. Then dry it with a cloth.
Alternatively, you can make a paste from the vinegar by adding some flour and salt to it (e.g., 1 part vinegar, 1 part flour, and 1 part salt). Rub the jewelry clean with the paste and rinse thoroughly with water.
Cleaning Copper with Worcestershire Sauce
You can also use Worcestershire sauce to clean your copper jewelry. Rub some sauce onto the piece and clean it with a cloth or a soft toothbrush.
Then wash the sauce off with water and dry the jewelry with a soft cloth.
Cleaning Copper with Ketchup
Put some ketchup on your copper jewelry and clean it by rubbing with a soft cloth or toothbrush. Then rinse the piece with water and dry it.
Instead of ketchup, you can also use tomato sauce.
Using Copper Cleaner
If your copper jewelry has heavy tarnish, you can use commercial cleaner prepared specifically for copper jewelry.
Drop some cleanser on a soft cloth and rub the piece until the tarnish goes away. Rinse with water.
Note: Avoid applying commercial cleaner on any gemstones or pearls your jewelry may have, as some cleaning brands may damage them.
Polishing Copper Jewelry
After you have cleaned your copper jewelry, you can polish it with a jewelry polishing cloth.
It’s best to use a polishing cloth specifically made for copper. Other types of polishing cloths, for example those made for gold, may be less effective.
Storing Your Copper Jewelry
Store your copper jewelry away from humidity, which can cause the piece to tarnish. Put your copper jewelry in an airtight jewelry box, if you have one.
Alternatively, you can put the jewelry in a well-sealed plastic bag. You can also use anti-tarnish paper.
Don’t forget to dry your cleaned copper jewelry well before storing it.
Wearing Your Copper Jewelry
Keep in mind that natural oils from your skin can alter the color of your copper jewelry in the areas where it touches your skin. If you are concerned about that, you can apply some colorless nail polish in these areas periodically (as the polish will wear off with time).
Remember to keep your nail polish away from gemstones, though.
You can also wipe off your copper jewelry after you take it off – doing so will keep it shiny longer.
Do not wear your copper jewelry in the swimming pool or in the tub, as the water there may contain chemicals that could damage your jewelry’s surface.
Remove your copper jewelry when doing the dishes or when doing other work around the house, as you may damage your jewelry.
