The Decades-Old Cleaning Hack That Makes Copper Pots And Pans Shine Like New

There's something magical about cooking with copper pots and pans. Maybe it's the shine, the way they hold heat, or last for ages. But there's one major downside to copper: its tendency to tarnish. Its known shiny finish dims over time due to touch, moisture, the oxidation process, or even certain acidic foods (milk, we're looking at you). If you're searching for a way to bring back your copper kitchenware's luster, try an all-natural decades-old cleaning hack with lemons and cream of tartar.

While there are plenty of products designed to tackle tarnish in the cleaning aisle, those harsh cleaners can potentially damage your precious pans. But lemon, a powerful natural cleaner for a spotlessly clean kitchen, disintegrates the copper oxide behind the tarnish. Cream of tartar, also known as potassium bitartrate, is slightly acidic and has a gentle abrasiveness that makes it an excellent eco-friendly cleaner. Together, they are a tried-and-true mix of gentle but effective cleaning power to transform your copper pots from blah to brilliant.

The best way to clean copper hardware is also one of the simplest. Mix together one tablespoon of cream of tartar and lemon juice. Don't have cream of tartar? It's worth heading to the store to pick it up. This ingredient is helpful to have for baking, but there are also many unexpected uses of cream of tartar around your home, like brightening your tile and cleaning the bathtub.

Add just enough lemon juice to make a paste that's easy to apply, but not so liquidy that it slides right off. Smear the paste onto the pot and gently rub in with a soft cloth. Let sit for five to fifteen minutes, then wash with soapy water, rinse, and dry. Reapply the paste as needed to remove any tarnish that's still hanging on. Keep in mind that even though this cleaning hack is made with two everyday kitchen staples, it's a fairly powerful combo and should only be used for medium to heavy tarnish. To keep tarnish at bay afterward, make sure to wash copper kitchenware with wam, soapy water, then dry it thoroughly with a microfiber towel.