How to Clean Metal Naturally

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Keep caustic chemicals away from your copper cookware.
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You can easily clean various metal surfaces like copper, brass, and silver with common household ingredients like vinegar, salt, baking soda, and lemon juice. Clean metal surfaces on a regular basis to prevent a build up of tarnish. Clean your metal objects in your home on a regular basis to retain their beauty. Using natural ingredients saves you money, and won't harm the environment.

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Step 1

Fill a large spray bottle with distilled white vinegar and spray on a tarnished copper item. Sprinkle with some salt over the vinegar, and rub the surface with a soft cloth. Rinse with warm water. Repeat several times if needed.

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Step 2

Mix some lemon juice with baking soda to form the consistency of toothpaste to clean brass. Rub this mixture over the surface of the brass, and let sit for five minutes. Rinse with warm water.

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Step 3

Put a large sheet of aluminum foil in the sink with extremely hot water to tackle tarnished silber. To this, add 1/2 cup of salt and mix well. Place your sterling silver pieces or silver-plated cutlery in the sink, and let sit for five minutes. Remove and rinse thoroughly. If you do this rinse on a regular basis, the tarnish will remove more easily.

Step 4

Dampen a sponge and sprinkle with some baking soda to tackle more stubborn areas of silver tarnish. Rub the surface of the silver until it is clean and shiny. You may have to use a toothbrush to reach the crevices.

Step 5

Apply baby oil to a soft cloth to clean and shine chrome fixtures and trim. Use olive oil to take care of spots on stainless steel.

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