Best way to clean copper-bottomed pans?

[Sunny Side Up]

I bought a couple of nice RevereWare copper-bottomed pans at Goodwill. But their bottoms were covered with thick black crud, I guess it was part tarnish & part cooked-on whatever. I figured I could easily clean it off with copper cleaner. In the past I've used Copper Glo http://yhst-55367440605114.stores.yahoo.net/coglopo.html but I couldn't find it sold anywhere any more. I got some Brasso http://www.homesolutionsnews.us/brassopolish/ but it was smelly (ammonia) and didn't cut the crud.

Then I read online that I should use something acidic like vinegar, lemon juice, tomato paste, or even catsup, and salt. That has done a lot to remove a lot of the crud, and the newly-revealed copper is shining brightly. But there are still big patches of black crud.

What could I do to eliminate all the crud? Just keep scrubbing off a little more each time I use the pans? Live with it? Or is there something you use that really works well?

 

[Sequin]

I have used the ketchup method and it really does work. You might need to add a bit of baking soda to it and make it a bit of a paste to scrub gently with. Too, If you let the ketchup set for a bit(even like 30 min.) it helps in working it off. If it is really baked on burnt stuff, I am not sure you will be able to get it completely gone, aside from using an sos pad or something like that. Hopefully others will chime in with some other brilliant advice and we can both learn.

 

[wolftracks]

Very best way to clean it is with Cream of Tartar. I've had Reverware for almost 35 yrs and mine belonged to my aunt for 20 years before that. It looks new. If something really damages it just keep making a paste of the Cream of Tartar and water and let it sit till almost dry. Might take a few times, but no scratches and everything is shiney.

 

[TerriLaChicks]

I use Tabasco hot sauce on mine & it brings that shiny finish right back! it has salt & vinegar in it, but it isn't scratchy. You can take an old penny & put a few drops of Tabasco on it & rub it between your fingers & it'll shine right up again, just like new.
(Kind of makes you wonder what that stuff does to the lining of your stomach, lol!)

 

[chicknerd]

I use salt and lemon juice, which is similar to salt and vinegar. It cleans it wonderfully sparkly clean. You sprinkle salt on the bottom, pour the lemon or vinegar and watch the magic happen.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I've tried the lemon juice + salt, the cream of tartar paste, & the catsup. They all are making the copper nice & shiny, but there still is a lot of black that remains that must not be tarnish, but cooked-on something, maybe grease? Some residue from the burner? I am going to have to learn to live with it, & hope to remove it little by little each time the pans are used & cleaned. I don't think they'll hurt anything, won't really affect the performance of the pans. And since I'm not hanging these pans up for storage, no one but me will really know it's there.

Thank you all for the great suggestions, it's so good to know there are so many benign household ingredients that can be used to clean copper besides the smelly chemical solvants.

 

[rubyrogue]

take a bounce sheet and let it soak overnight. something to do with the antistatic releases it.