How to remove verdigris?
Have you ever noticed that your copper or bronze objects always end up covered in verdigris? In other words, green and gray spots will appear on your objects, thus concealing their original color (thus tanned or coppery).
Fortunately, if such a thing happens, you can turn to some tricks to fix all this. 10 tips offers you tips and tricks to remove verdigris.
1. Remove verdigris with ammonia
A super effective way to quickly remove verdigris from bronze or copper is to use ammonia. For this trick you simply need:
- Mix water with ammonia.
- Rub the verdigris stain with a cloth.
- Rinse with soap and water
- Dry the object well.
This water and ammonia recipe is ideal for restoring the original appearance of objects stained with verdigris. They will get back to their best quickly.
2. The clay stone for verdigris stains
Maybe you don’t know this natural trick, but your grandparents certainly did. In fact, the clay stone is an all-purpose cleaner that can clean and shine everything in the house.
So if you are looking for a top product to clean verdigris stains on copper or bronze objects, the clay stone is the solution for you. Here is the Pierre d’Argent product that you can find online at Amazon. Take a few moments to discover all the features and read the great user reviews right here:
clay stone
- 100% natural product to remove verdigris
- To clean everything and make it shine
- copper, brass, chrome, stainless steel, etc
- TOP quality price
3. Remove everything with rubbing alcohol
How to remove verdigris? Simple, with rubbing alcohol or household alcohol. So if you need to remove the verdigris, here’s what to do.
- Soak a cloth in rubbing alcohol.
- Rub the object stained with verdigris.
- Rinse with soapy water and dry.
For cleaning verdigris with rubbing alcohol, it is best to wear gloves to protect your hands. If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, you can also use household aclool.
4. Baking soda and verdigris
Another effective product for cleaning verdigris is baking soda. If you don’t have one at home, don’t panic, you can buy it online a little lower. If not, here is how to use baking soda to remove verdigris from your objects:
- Cover the bottom of a basin with aluminum foil.
- Boil 3 liters of boiling water.
- Add 1 1/2 cups baking soda to boiling water.
- Pour the liquid into the basin.
- Drop the object stained with verdigris into the solution.
- Leave to act until the verdigris disappears.
Finally, to complete the cleaning, rinse with soapy water and dry the object well. If you don’t have baking soda here is the link where to buy this product directly on Amazon at the best price:
Baking soda
- Natural product to clean everything in the house.
- Ideal against stubborn stains and verdigris.
- Cleans and deodorizes the whole house
- TOP quality price
5. Easy vinegar and coarse salt recipe
Do you want to discover another homemade and natural recipe to quickly clean verdigris from an object? Vinegar and coarse salt, that’s what you need. If the object is very encrusted with verdigris you must:
- Boil 2 cups of white vinegar.
- Dissolve a handful of coarse salt in the vinegar.
- Rub the verdigris stains with a cloth and the liquid.
- Use a brush for stubborn stains.
Then rinse the object thoroughly with water and a little soap. Be careful with golden bronze because this anti-verdigris recipe can damage this type of surface.
6. Lemon juice and salt against verdigris
If you have just discovered green stains on your bronze or copper objects, lemon juice can be a solution to help you clean the verdigris easily. Lemon juice is also widely used to prevent verdigris stains on cymbals, did you know?
You have two choices for removing a verdigris stain:
- Use a cloth and lemon juice to rub the stains.
- Use a lemon wedge to rub the verdigris directly.
No matter what you use, it is important to complete the cleaning by rinsing the object with soapy water. Repeat a few times as needed to remove very stubborn verdigris stains from copper or bronze.
** This lemon juice and salt trick can also be used to remove verdigris from coins. Come read this other article: Coin cleaning.
7. Soda crystals, a trick to discover
Another trick to clean verdigris easily is to use the power of soda crystals. Here’s how to perform this cleaning trick:
- Boil 2 liters of water in a saucepan.
- Add 2 tablespoons of coarse salt.
- Add 3 tablespoons of soda crystals.
- Immerse the object stained with verdigris for a few minutes.
Finish with a soapy water rinse and dry well with a soft cloth. Of course, this trick can be useful for small objects that can fit easily into a cauldron.
Soda ash
- Universal cleaner for stubborn stains.
- Economical and effective cleaning product.
- TOP quality price
8. Sorrel to remove verdigris
Sorrel leaves, a natural and effective trick to remove verdigris from different objects and surfaces.
Sorrel is a plant that grows wild in various countries. Its foliage is edible and can be used to remove verdigris stains amazingly. Simply rub objects stained with verdigris and other stubborn stains with sorrel leaves for effective and quick cleaning. All the verdigris will be quickly dislodged with the sorrel.
9. An anti verdigris product to discover
Of course there are also products specially designed to clean copper objects as well as to maintain them and make them shine as if they were new.
One of the products that can deoxidize copper objects and remove verdigris is oxalic acid. You will find it in specialized stores or online right here:
Metal cleaner
- Cleaner for bronze, copper and brass
- Deep cleans and shines
- Long-lasting effect on your metal objects
10. Verdigris on the pipes
In principle, copper pipes in good condition should not have verdigris inside. If there is indeed verdigris inside the pipes, it means that there is an air inlet and therefore a hole or a leak somewhere on the pipe. It is important to fix the problem by changing the damaged hose with a new one.
Of course, when it comes to plumbing, it’s important to hire a professional plumber to do the work around the house.
If you notice verdigris on the outside of the copper pipes then you can use one of our tips and tricks above to clean it all up.
In addition to the verdigris, have you noticed the presence of moss and green spots on the terrace? Here is an article with effective tips and products to test: Removing green stains from a deck.