There are those who adore copper jewellery. But he doesn’t know how to clean them. The problem, however, is easily solved and the copper jewels and the classic dark red color of the metal can continue to sparkle.
Eliminate marks on the skin
By the way: Copper jewelry also has another problem: When worn for a long time it can leave a greenish mark on the skin. This color is caused by the oxidation of the metal, which reacts with air, but also with sweat or cosmetic products. The good news is that if this happens it means the copper is pure. Furthermore, this is not a big problem: the skin cleans quite easily with soap and water, but also with diluted acidic substances, such as lemon and vinegar. And there are even those who have tried ketchup (and it works). But can these signs be avoided? One method is to coat the internal surface of the jewel in contact with the skin, for example with transparent nail polish: in this way sweat will not come into contact with the metal. There are also those who use Renaissance wax, a product used to protect oil paintings and to create an anti-halo effect: it was developed in the laboratories of the British Museum and is used to preserve all types of objects in the museum and in historical collection, but also to protect blades and knives from corrosion and oxidation.
Clean copper jewelry
Once the marks on the skin have been eliminated, you can dedicate yourself to cleaning your copper jewels, to make them shine again like when you bought them. The first piece of advice, however, is what NOT to do: avoid using the products on sale to clean pots or other copper objects. They are very aggressive substances and risk ruining your jewellery. Here’s what to do instead:
Organic method. Place the jewelry in a plastic or ceramic (not metal) bowl. Sprinkle lemon or lime juice over the jewelry until it covers the metal. You can also add salt and let it rest for about twenty minutes. With a soft cloth or toothbrush, scrub the surface of the jewel. Rinse with cold water and dry with a soft cloth.
Strong ways. If you don’t have enough lemons on hand you can use vinegar, both wine and apple vinegar are fine. Again, just fill a bowl with vinegar until it covers the copper jewelry, and let it rest for a few minutes. Rub without exaggerating, rinse well with water and dry with a soft cloth.
Copper
Perhaps you don’t know that in Roman times copper was mined mainly on the island of Cyprus, in the Mediterranean. Hence the name of the metal: aes cyprium (Cyprian metal), later changed over the years to cuprum (Latin). From this come coper (Old English) and copper (copper in English). It is a soft, malleable and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Copper does not react with water, but with atmospheric oxygen, forming a layer of brown-black copper oxide which, unlike the rust that forms on iron in moist air, protects the underlying metal from further corrosion . Copper oxidizes when exposed to certain sulfur compounds, with which it reacts to form various copper sulfides. In jewelry, copper is also used in an alloy with gold to obtain the pink shade of the metal.
The effects of copper
Copper is often used in jewelry not only for its warm color, but also because according to some popular beliefs, bracelets made of this metal relieve the symptoms of arthritis. Unfortunately, in one study for osteoarthritis and in another study for rheumatoid arthritis, no differences were found between a copper bracelet and a control bracelet (not copper). No evidence shows that copper can be absorbed through the skin. And that’s a good thing: if it were, it could lead to copper poisoning.
