New, shiny copper jewelry can turn dark from oxygen and sweat exposure. So imagine what that means for a decades-old copper bracelet, which has probably developed a patina the original artist never intended. But whether your piece is old or new, cleaning it can be done in a flash by using simple products you have in your kitchen.
Non-Lacquered Copper
Most copper jewelry is non-lacquered and has no protective coating. This means your bracelet has probably been exposed to the elements for far too long. When tarnish appears, give your bracelet a gentle cleansing in a lemon juice solution to turn it bright and shiny once more.
- Fill a bowl with warm water and a few drops of mild liquid soap.
- Dip a soft towel into the solution and wipe down the bracelet to remove surface grime. If the bracelet is truly dirty, scrub gently with a soft toothbrush to get into crevices.
- Rinse and dry the bracelet on a soft towel.
- Fill a bowl with enough lemon juice to submerge the bracelet, then add 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Dip the bracelet into the bowl for one to two minutes, until the tarnish fades. Scrub with a toothbrush to get into crevices.
- Dry the bracelet on a soft towel and buff it with a jewelry polishing cloth.
Lacquered Copper
A lacquered copper bracelet will usually not tarnish, unless it is very old and the lacquer has begun to flake off. If the bracelet sports a dark and tarnished patina, it is likely that the aged effect is intentional. Keep lacquered copper clean by simply wiping it with a damp cloth only. Never use lemon juice or polishing cloths on lacquered copper -- they can damage the finish. If you're not sure whether your bracelet is lacquered or not, dab a tiny amount of lemon juice on an inconspicuous part of the jewelry piece. If the tarnish disappears, the piece is non-lacquered.
Bejeweled Bracelets
Never clean copper bracelets with gemstones in lemon juice. Instead, toothbrush scrub bracelets with ketchup -- avoiding the gemstones themselves.
Related Articles
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/56/43/88077013.jpg)
How to Get Rust off a Faux Gold Necklace
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/178/64/86809157.jpg)
How to Clean Gold Jewelry With Stones
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/178/4/78395264.jpg)
How to Clean a Diamond Ring With ...
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/217/27/LS021246.jpg)
How to Shine an Antique Diamond Ring
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/88/5/87554955.jpg)
How to Clean Sterling Silver & Opals
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/34/92/75163045.jpg)
How to Get Rust off a Fake Gold Necklace
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/236/226/200469760-001.jpg)
How to Store Silver Jewelry So It Won't ...
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/189/79/57284202.jpg)
How to Clean a Crystal Necklace
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/34/137/87720700.jpg)
How to Tell If Coral Jewelry Is Real
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/cpi.studiod.com/www_ehow_com/i.ehow.com/images/a04/ph/bh/clean-turquoise-amp-silver-jewelry-800x800.jpg)
How to Clean Turquoise & Silver Jewelry
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/165/55/87514643.jpg)
How to Clean Gold Plated Silver Jewelery
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/104/92/200326982-001.jpg)
How to Keep Gold Plated Jewelry From ...
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/154/0/AA023249.jpg)
How to Polish a Dull Amber Ring
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/20/204/fotolia_2546577_XS.jpg)
How to Clean Sterling & Turquoise ...
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/184/81/78464769.jpg)
How to Clean Gold Plated Watches
How to Clean Garnet Jewelry
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/cpi.studiod.com/www_ehow_com/i.ehow.com/images/a04/jd/el/clean-vermeil-800x800.jpg)
How to Clean Vermeil
How to Get Rust Out of Silver
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/154/109/200366561-001.jpg)
How to Keep a Friendship Bracelet Clean
![](https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/140x140p/cpi.studiod.com/www_ehow_com/photos.demandstudios.com/12/136/fotolia_1315796_XS.jpg)
How to Clean a Mineral-Glass Watch Face
References
Writer Bio
A writer with a Bachelor of Science in English and secondary education, but also an interest in all things beautiful, Melissa J. Bell has handed out beauty and fashion advice since she could talk -- and for the last six years, write for online publications like Daily Glow and SheBudgets.