What is the best way to clean copper pots and pans?

Answer 1

Utensils with copper interiors should never be used for acidic foods, with pH of 6.0 or below, since toxic compounds can form if food is cooked, or stored, or served from such containers. Even if copper pans are lined with tin, they should not be used for acidic foods such as fruits, fruit juices, salad dressings, tomatoes, vinegar-containing foods, etc. Copper bowls may be used for beating egg whites, or copper kettles for cooking high sugar foods like fudge, for these foods are alkaline.

Utensils with copper on the bottom, or outside, and stainless steel, aluminum, or a porcelain enamel interior finish are safe to use and conduct heat well. Avoid high heat which discolors copper bottoms.

Ideally you should clean copper bottoms after each use, even though the tarnish does not affect cooking results or the pan's efficiency. Do not use an abrasive cleaner or steel wool to clean copper bottoms.

To clean tarnished copper:

Wash tarnished copper with soap and warm water and polish with a commercial cleaner. A homemade cleaner of equal parts of salt, vinegar and flour also works well. After rubbing the item with this mixture or any polish, wash it carefully, rinse thoroughly and dry.

[Info from the Home Maintenance And Repair Database at the Michigan State University website]

Sprinkle the surface with lemon juice, shake salt all over it, then rub with a soft sponge.

Use soft cloth with white vinegar. good luck

Answer 2

The best way is to make a paste of mostly flour, some table salt and lemon juice. Smear it on, let it set for a minute, rub it a little with a scrubber and rinse it. It works almost instantly and with super results.

Answer 3

A Homemade Copper Polish

To clean a discolored copper pot, use a paste of 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon flour. Caution: Wear rubber gloves. Because the vinegar is acid, wash the pot in hot soapy water and rinse it before vigorously buffing for shiny results. You'll have the same success with a paste made of 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon salt.

Or... you can just buy a commercial cleaner like Tarn-X. No muss, no fuss. Works on more than just tarnished copper.

Answer 4

Copper cookware is generally not any harder to keep clean than other materials. However, the copper will age and take on a darker patina over time. The bright brassiness usually doesn't last on a piece but this is it's natural tendency.

Answer 5

The best way to clean copper pots and pans is to use copper cleaners such as Twinkle. You could use Brillo pads and other abrasive cleaners but that may scratch the surface of the pans, making them harder to clean in the future.

Answer 6

use salt.leave the salt on for about half an hour to an hour and the scrub it with hot water

Answer 7

Slather it with ketchup (no kidding), put paper towels over it to keep it from running off let it set. How long it is left on depends on the degree of tarnish.

Answer 8

if you pour on vingar with salt