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. If left much longer than 15 minutes, the soda can dissolve the metals.
When the copper oxide (the pennies) and the phosphoric acid (the cola) get together in the bath, the acid reacts with the copper oxide on the pennies and dissolves it. That's why the pennies get shiny. What else could you put into the cola bath?
The vinegar and salt cleaned the coin very well as did the the Coca Cola. The coin in the vinegar was third best. Next was the orange juice and then the salt and water. The coin in the water didn't really clean it at all.
Vinegar and Salt
Mix vinegar with salt. Place pennies in the solution and let them sit for a while, and then use a clean, soft toothbrush to clean any dirty areas. Rinse the coins, and then polish them with baking soda paste.
Our cola contains phosphoric acid which is why cola is acidic. The acid reacts with the oxide rusty coating that has covered our coins and returns them back to almost as good as new.
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.
To clean old rusty tools with Coke, submerge the tools in a tub or bowl of Coca-Cola overnight (not sure if Diet Coke or Pepsi will work – best to stick with original Coke). If you can still see rust, leave them for a few more days.
Never use metal polish or acid dip to clean your coins! Using these chemicals will cause abrasions or chemical reactions with the metal, permanently damaging your coin.
Soap. Cleaning your old coins with gentle dish soap and water can loosen some of that built-up dirt. Fill a small plastic container with warm water, add a few drops of mild soap, immerse the coins, and rub with your fingers or a soft toothbrush to clean.
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.
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.
So instead of purchasing those expensive fizzies or abrasive toilet bowl cleaners, head to the fridge and let the carbonation of Coke work its magic on filthy rings, lime buildup, and water stains. Because Coca-Cola contains carbonic, citric, and phosphoric acids, it's great for tough stains and dissolving rust.
First, if you think your coins might be of any value, do not clean them at all, since you can possibly damage them by soaking in cleaners like vinegar. If you want to clean the coin for some other reason, vinegar should work fine.
Cleaning old coins might seem like a good way to revitalise the appearance of a treasured item, but could in fact reduce a coin's value significantly, and should be avoided. Particularly in the case of old precious metal coins, cleaning them is most definitely not recommended!
Cleaning your coins
Put down the scrubber. It's never bath time for coins. No matter how dirty, worn or tarnished they are, the filth is part of their charm (aka value). Over time, coins go through a natural process called 'toning'.
The abrasive product can leave scratches or hairlines on the coin, as well as destroy the luster of the coin; in many cases a coin that has lost its luster will rarely be worth more than half its original uncleaned value. 3. When a coin is cleaned, it takes on an unnatural color.
While you may be tempted to polish your coins to make them look shiny and new, proceed with caution. Polishing and/or cleaning coins can reduce their value. Older coins that show deep age coloration are more desirable than coins whose surfaces have been stripped away by improper polishing or cleaning.
With the steps above, you can remove rust with vinegar and baking soda... but did you know you can do the same with Coke? The steps for using Coke to remove rust are similar to removing rust with vinegar: leave to soak, scrub and rinse. Instead of soaking for 3 days, Coke only needs 24 hours.
Clothing Stains
Pour a can of cola into the wash with water and detergent as you usually would and run it through a normal cycle. Once finished, let it dry and enjoy wearing your now stain-free clothes! This method is also quite effective for removing blood and it helps to deodorize smelly clothes.
Coke is another oft-touted method for shining up a copper piece; simply submerge the item in the cola and you should have a lustrous piece in 15 minutes to an hour. Rinse and wipe dry with a soft cloth.