Will lemon juice or Coke clean a penny better?

Coke and off-brand colas will quickly remove the tarnish. Just don't drink the coke afterward. Coke contains phosphoric acid that cleans the oxides. Try a variety of citrus juices to see which works best or simply let your pennies soak in lemon juice.

Will lemon juice clean a penny?

Pennies are made out of a metal called copper. The copper mixes with oxygen, the same gas that we breathe. This cause something called oxidation and makes the penny look dirty. Lemon juice has acid in it that removes the dirty color or oxidation and makes the penny nice and shiny again!

Which liquid cleans a penny the best?

Those tart little lemons work to remove copper oxide because they contain citric acid. Since lemon juice has the highest concentration of citric acid of any fruit, it works the best. Other juices that rank highly include lime, grapefruit, and orange juice.

Which substance will best clean a dirty penny?

Vinegar (or Lemon Juice) and Salt

This method is the best way to clean your pennies, and it will produce a very bright orangey-copper color on your pennies. It does this by using the low levels of acids that are contained naturally in vinegar and lemon juice to remove the patina (brown oxidation) on the penny.

Will Coke clean old pennies?

Pour your coins into the bowl and fill with Coke. Let the coins soak in the soda for about 5 minutes, then check to see if the corrosion has washed away. If the coins still feel grimy, then you can return them to the bowl for up to 15 minutes.

CLEANING PENNIES with COKE - Will COCA-COLA clean dirty coins?

How long does it take for Coca cola to clean a penny?

Place coins into the Coke bow. Set the timer for 5 minutes. Rinse under the cold tap again.

How do professionals clean coins?

Ultrasonic Cleaners

These coins are cleaned by using distilled water with a small amount of detergent in a special vibrating container. Acid based cleaners will eat away at a coin's surface diminishing its value.

What cleans a penny faster?

What's the best way to clean coins without damaging them?

Take the coins out and sprinkle some baking soda over them; then use a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush them clean. Rinse them out thoroughly with hot water; using tongs or gloves to hold them to avoid burning your fingers. Place them on a soft, cotton towel and leave to air dry.

How do you clean copper pennies without damaging them?

Copper oxide dissolves in a mixture of weak acid and table salt-and vinegar is an acid. You could also clean your pennies with salt and lemon juice or orange juice, because those juices are acids, too.

Why does lemon juice clean pennies better than vinegar?

Vinegar has a pH level of 3.0, while lemon juice has a pH level of 2.3. This means that lemon juice is a slightly stronger acid than vinegar. The stronger the acid, the better it will clean copper pennies.

How do you make pennies shiny?

Vinegar is a very weak acid on its own, but mixing vinegar and salt creates a slightly stronger acid that will eat away all the copper oxide, and leave you with a nice, shiny penny!

Does lemon juice clean copper?

Lemon juice and salt are useful for removing tarnish from copper in just three easy steps. First, squeeze the juice of the lemon into a bowl and sprinkle the salt into the juice. Reichert does a 75:25 ratio, with three times as much lemon as salt. Next, stir for one minute until the salt dissolves.

Can you clean copper coins with lemon juice?

Vinegar and lemon juice are acidic and will remove the copper oxide, leaving the pennies shiny. Though a soap and water solution is good at cleaning many things, it does not contain an acid and does not clean the pennies as well.

Can I use lemon juice instead of vinegar to clean?

Distilled white vinegar has a pH of about 2.4 and a strength of about 5%. Lemon juice has around the same pH. Because of their acidity, both of these common cooking ingredients can double as a multipurpose cleaning solution.

How do you clean coins without vinegar?

If your kids want a more hands-on approach to coin cleaning, add a small amount of water to a tablespoon of baking soda to form a paste. Let your kids use an old toothbrush to apply the paste to each coin, scrubbing gently. Rinse the coins to reveal the now-shiny surfaces.

How do you clean badly tarnished copper?

Mix 1/2-cup distilled white vinegar (or lemon juice, which is more acidic) with 1 Tbsp. salt and enough flour to form a thin paste. Apply the paste to the copper surface and scrub away the tarnish with a cloth or scrubbing sponge. Rinse under running water and buff with a dry cloth to polish.

Why does cleaning a coin devalue it?

This is because anything that touches a coin has the potential to damage it at the microscopic level. The more abrasive a cleaner is used to clean the coin, the more likely it is to remove the upper surface of the coin - damage that can never be undone.

Why does Coke clean a penny?

The soda cleans the pennies because it contains phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid breaks down the copper oxygen compound and causes a new layer of the copper to be exposed.

How do you clean old pennies without devaluing them?

Baking soda and vinegar have proven to be one of the most effective ways to clean tarnished coins. Submerge the coins in a shallow bath of vinegar and let them soak for at least an hour. If you don't have vinegar on hand, filtered tap or distilled water can be used as a substitute.

How do you make copper bright and shiny?

How much is the 1969 s penny worth?

Circulated 1969-S doubled die cents are generally worth $10,000 USD and up, while uncirculated specimens typically sell for $35,000 to $50,000 or more.

How do you clean Indian Head pennies?

Simply soak the coins overnight, and gently rinse with distilled water in the morning. If the coin is unrecognizable after soaking, don't go any further! The risk of damage is too great, particularly if the coin is ancient. The safest thing to do is take it to a professional.

Can you clean coins with rubbing alcohol?

To make your coin bath combine a cup of over-the-counter isopropyl alcohol and two tablespoons of table salt in a bowl. Mix the solution and place your coins in it. Let your coins soak for anywhere from two hours to a week, depending on how dirty your coins are.