Monday, September 12, 2022

Polishing Copper with Catsup -- Does It Work?

One of the things I learned when I visited the Lavender Hill Farm -- and the thing in the post that so many readers commented on -- was that they cleaned their large lavender still with catsup.


They also mentioned using lemon and salt, which I had done, but the catsup was new to me -- and to you, too. So, I decided to try it!

I gathered my supplies -- catsup (generic store-brand) and paper toweling -- and a dirty piece of copper, which I did wash first. I did decide to include Kosher salt as well.


This is the back of that piece. It's a copper plate that my mom had found on a trip to Mexico with my aunt, back in the early 1970s.

I decided I'd start with the back, just in case it really messed things up! But I knew I would never get the middle of the plate shined or even clean, despite the soap and water. Too damaged. But the edges made for a good test.

The catsup did affect it. But what really helped was adding kosher salt, which gave the mixture some "tooth" and grit and helped remove the tarnish. 


That seemed to work so I did the front. This is the result.


The short answer is yes, it works. It works well, probably as well as lemon and salt and much less expensive and less messy. ($1.79 for catsup and a handful of salt vs. several fresh lemons at .79 each, and lots of leftover peels.)

The bigger question is "Do I like it?" And the answer is -- I'm not sure. I like, even prefer, the patina of copper after it has aged a bit. Overly bright copper feels too "new" and a little too gaudy for my taste. And this seems a little bright for me. I might feel differently with hanging molds or certain pieces. Or, after I live with this for a bit. But after doing the bottom of one of my copper teapots, I decided to think about this a bit.


That said, it's a good method and a reasonably priced one. So, if shiny copper is in your plan, give this one a try!

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47 comments:

Mary Rose's said...

There's a recipe online for darkening copper that's too bright for the look you want. (Ha ha - there's a recipe online for ANYTHING, no?)

Mix a brown patina solution. This solution will turn your copper a darker brown, roughly the color of an American penny. Simply shake baking soda in a bottle of hot water one spoonful at a time, until additional baking soda does not dissolve.

Spray the copper with the solution. Use a spray bottle to apply the patina onto the surface of the copper. Spray more heavily if you want a more even result rather than streaks or patterns.

Keep in a humid area for one to eight hours. This patina may take a few hours to develop, but keeping it in moist air will speed this process up. If the copper is kept in a dry environment, use a plastic bag or plastic sheeting to cover the copper without touching its surface. This will help retain moisture.

DUTA said...

Well done!
I'm dealing now with some copper items:2 savona bracelets and 2 jewlery boxes. The bracelets - a piece of cake - belonged to my mother helping her with rheumatic pains. The boxes require some more work and cleaning agents. (I also use salt - coarse crystal sea salt).
I don't like silver and copper as they get darkened. Even with gold I'm particular. I love the 9 karat gold. The earrings, however, have to be at least 14 karat if I don't wish to get the spot infected.

anno said...

Interesting! I'm with you on preferring the patina of aged copper, though (although if I were serving food on it, I might feel differently). Fascinating, though, to read of Mary Rose's recipe for darkening copper after the fact...

Jenn Jilks said...

Well done! It is so satisfying brightening things up!

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Very nice. I agree, though, bright copper isn't as attractive as the darker age patina, unless its the bottom of pots.

Rustic Pumpkin said...

at least you know now, and have options.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

I have the ketchup and the salt, Jeanie, but nothing of copper to clean, nor am I likely to acquire anything at this stage in my life, so I don't think I will consciously file away this bit of information in the dark recesses of my mind. There is already enough there cluttering it up!

acorn hollow said...

some where I had heard that but never tried it I am with you I like the patina.
Cathy

Linda Sue said...

I have used ketchup - especially for antique or hand wrought copper, It gives it a nicer more mellow shine unlike
Wright's.

Mae Travels said...

I looked up why it works: "Copper oxide dissolves in a mixture of weak acid and table salt, both of which are found in ketchup." So maybe diluted vinegar with salt would also work. Interesting.

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Marilyn Miller said...

I had heard of catsup for clean, but never tried it. Nice to know how it worked. I only have one copper kettle, but if I ever decide I was shiny I will try it.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I have a boat load of copper and I've tried everything from ketchup to Brasso. I like my copper cleaner best. Yes, it's expensive, but you apply it, it forms a whiteish film. You wait a few hours, then wipe it off. Done. No scrubbing, no second applications. Glad you found ketchup helpful.


Rita said...

I was very curious about this as I had never heard of it before. Thanks for being the guinea pig for us. :)

The French Hutch said...

I was also interested in the cleaning copper with ketchup method after reading the post. I have a large collection and on average it's cleaned once a year. I do like the brighter look, not super bright though. I will try this cleaning method to see how it compares to my regular bought cleaner. I've also never tried the lemon/salt method. Couldn't help but notice your lemons are ten cents cheaper than my local market. Need a trip to TJ's......Happy week.

eileeninmd said...

Hello, Jeanie,

The ketchup worked well cleaning the copper. I agree with you, I do like the aged patina looks more than the brighter copper. Take care, enjoy your day!

Rita C at Panoply said...

I completely understand your dilemma of whether or not you like the polished look. I purchased a really old round bottomed copper mixing bowl at a recent estate sale, and it had dirt/grease/grime on one side of it from hanging in its kitchen. I decided to use Bar Keeper's Friend, another published method, of cleaning just the grime. Very quickly the grime AND patina came off, so I ended up doing the entier bowl. It looked amazing....but no vintage patina left. Not so amazing for an antique booth.
We just had a few copper gutters and downspouts replaced. I can't wait for the patina to come. I found a chart that shows expected progression (exposed in elements). Mine are starting to turn brown after 2 mos, so one idea would be to put the platter in the outdoor elements if you want the patina back.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Months ago, I read about using ketchup to clean copper. The article was in the newsletter of the local historical society, but I never tried it myself due to not owning any copper items. These homemade DIY solutions are what I always check for online and I have successfully made and used several in recent months. A homemade stain remover can be made with original Dawn (blue) dishwashing detergent, baking soda, and peroxide.

Victoria Zigler said...

That's fascinating. Thanks for being a guinea pig for us and trying it out.

Linda @ Life and Linda said...

Very interesting Jeanie. I have used lemons before and they work great. It makes sense ketchup works as well. Something new I learned.

La Table De Nana said...

Oh I agree..when I clean copper ..I am left disappointed.I like the old..silver though different story with most items:)

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

I've used catsup on silver and brass - I guess I don't really own much copper. I should since it's so pretty. Fall is a great time for metals.

Sandra at Maison De Jardin said...

Jeanie, the ketchup is a new one on me. But, it looks as though it worked. I have used lemons and salt to get stains out of old linens and it works beautifully, never tried it on copper. Your end result is very pretty.

Valerie-Jael said...

I can't stand ketchup, hate the smell of it, so I wouldn't try it. But I'm okay, I don't have any copper products! Have a great day, hugs, Valerie

Ricki Treleaven said...

Thanks for the tip. I like the patina of copper, and I have a watering can that might benefit from a good scrub.

Iris Flavia said...

Interesting method!
We have no such "fancy" stuff ;-)

This N That said...

That's an old tried and true..Fortunately, I have no more copper..I'm with you..I like a bit of tarnish...

Lowcarb team member said...

Well, the good thing is you know now, and have options :)

All the best Jan

Red Rose Alley said...

The copper plate looks a lot nicer. That's the one thing I don't like about copper tea pots - sometimes they can get too tarnished. You know, they have a copper cleaner, and I've used that before, and it does work. Your mom's plate looks really nice next to the lantern. I like the fact that your mom brought it back on her trip to Mexico. I like items from different places around the world. They are unusually pretty.

Have a good September week, Jeanie.

~Sheri

kathyinozarks said...

Thanks for sharing this cleaning method-I may try it on my copper bottom revere ware pans. My set is very old, and I have bothered with cleaning the bottoms thanks

Meagan Trento said...

oh wow this is so good to know. Thank you for sharing.
Meagan-Decorative Inspirations

gluten Free A_Z Blog said...

That is really fascinating. I have used toothpaste to clean silver. I don't have any copper but it's good to know. Thanks.

Carola Bartz said...

Maybe the shine will disappear with time - just like it usually does.

William Kendall said...

I wouldn't have known.

Sami said...

Good and cheap recipe to clean copper. I actually gave away my copper ornaments a while ago. I just kept the silver things which also need cleaning :)

Anvilcloud said...

When they cleaned the copper on our parliament buildings, I wonder what they used. I suspect that it wasn’t ketchup. 🤓 It took years to do those roofs.

Linda P said...

I inherited from my late mother several copper and brass items. I've heard about using ketchup on the copper, but I stick to what I have in my cleaning cupboard i.e. Brasso liquid polish.

Pam Richardson said...

Jeanie, I am so glad you tried the catsup method with salt. Your honest review makes me think I will just leave the patina on my few pieces of copper. I hope you are having a wonderful week!

Danielle L Zecher said...

I've never heard of cleaning copper this way! It's hard to think of ketchup cleaning anything. Is it the acid that cleans it? That's the only thing I can think of that lemons and ketchup would really have in common. I don't think I've ever owned anything copper, so I've never even thought about how to clean it. I tend to go for dishwasher safe items. :-)

Divers and Sundry said...

What a great idea to try it, and nice that it worked. I'm impressed by how often on-hand products work, because that means I don't have to shell out for the specialty product :)

gigi-hawaii said...

Well, I like "Shiny and New" so this is really beautiful to me. Good tip on how to clean and polish copper. I don't have any copper pieces at home, though.

Penny Carlson said...

Interesting! I like copper with patina too.

Amy at Ms. Toody Goo Shoes said...

The biggest mistake I made when renovating this house was to select copper bathroom fixtures. Pretty, yes, but oh, what a nightmare to maintain! I may try it on a tiny spot. I think I'll just leave some ketchup and salt on the vanity and see if my husband thinks I've lost my mind, haha!

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

Well who knew! I think it turned out great but I also like the patina of an aged piece. It gives it some character. But the polished plate looks nice in the area you are displaying it!

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

Such a pretty copper piece, Jeanie. It cleaned up well, didn't it? I have copper scones in our FL room that need cleaning desparately so when the spirit moves me I'll give this a try. It's always nice when we can use something with hopefully no chemicals to clean.

My name is Erika. said...

Ketchup works doesn’t it? I also prefer the patina, but I know you had to try it. I would. And I’m glad you shared that trick with us too. I’m waiting at the airport. Got here early so time to do some catch on by up. Have a great start to your weekend. Hugs Erika

Anonymous said...

I love copper! I have quite a bit of it, but, sadly, most of it is stored in boxes as I don't have the wall space to display it like I had in my former kitchen in Brooklyn. My Colorado kitchen has big windows instead.

Thelma said...

Thanks for sharing. I don't have any copper but I will keep this in mind if I ever do.
Your piece looks gorgeous.

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