When I was learning to cook, I didn’t think much about the type of pan I was using. The goal, at that point, was to make something edible. Later, I learned about stainless steel, aluminum, cast iron, enamel, glass, and even more. My preferred options include several of those listed but, my favorite is copper lined with stainless steel. It heats up fast, cools down quickly, holds a proper temperature for long cooking times, and looks great. The only unpopular characteristic is that it’s necessary to clean tarnished copper pots and pans regularly if you want to keep them in their most beautiful state.
Polishing is essential, but if you’ve put it off for a while, you can still get the shine back; however, it’s a lot more work. That part is not fun, but when your copper is shining again, it will have been worth it! I speak from experience.
I’m fortunate to be the current owner of an incredible set of Bourgeat copper cookware. They are over 25 years old now and lately have been a bit neglected when it comes to polishing. I’m going to right that wrong and put effort into bringing them back to their nearly new glowing copper finish. So you know, the pots work just as well with a bit of tarnish. However, they’re more enjoyable to use when that gorgeous copper is glowing.
Tarnished Copper Pot Still Makes Great Pasta Sauce!
As recent proof of the above point, our neighborhood birds were gracious enough to drop a tomato seed near our back steps that grew into an incredibly rich source of fresh Roma Tomatoes! So, with so many fresh tomatoes on hand, I decided to make homemade spaghetti sauce for one of our family’s rare “all together” evening meals. Even though the copper stockpot was very tarnished, it still achieved a perfect low simmer for the two hours that the recipe called for and produced a delicious fresh tomato sauce.
Up Close And Personal With Old Copper Pots
Honestly, it has been a while since I took a close look at my copper pots. The rust on the cast iron handles is probably due to not being completely dry before storing. The green and black spots on the lid are classic copper oxidation. The copper is overdue for a good polishing.
Stainless Steel Lined Copper Pans
When it comes to cooking with these beautiful pans, remember that copper is highly reactive to acids. But it’s a great heat conductor. Stainless steel is non-reactive to acids and makes an excellent liner for the copper pan. It’s the perfect cooking combination.
Polishing Very Tarnished Copper
The above four photos show one pan and lid going through the polishing process. Even I thought I was going to need a miracle to get it shining again. The combination of white vinegar, baking soda, or salt will bring the beautiful color back to your copper. Unfortunately, it is not a wipe and done process. It takes a while, but you will eventually get there. If you’re not a fan of the smell of vinegar, no problem, you could use lemon juice or ketchup as a substitute.
The process to clean tarnished copper:
- Spray the two pieces liberally with vinegar
- Sprinkle on your choice of baking soda or salt and let it sit for a while. I learned that timing varies with the degree of oxidation on the pan
- You will need to experiment with the length of time the vinegar/baking soda or salt solution soaks
- Keep checking to see when to start polishing
It’s easy to know when the solution is working as the surface will start getting brighter - It is best to begin polishing while the copper is still wet and spray more vinegar as you scrub
Repeat The Process!
Lessons Learned
The work is done, kitchen is cleaned up, and my copper cookware is beautiful. Unfortunately, it’s going to take a while for my sore hands and slightly gray fingernails to be normal again, but they will. Here’s a big lesson I will pass along. Polish copper regularly. A collection of gorgeous copper cookware is your reward. Thanks for coming to The Emerging Home Blog. Your feedback is welcome and highly valued!
Thank you very much for this thorough article. I clean my copper friends with Bar Keeper Friend and it works wonders. I, however, have to clean it after every use and it takes toll on my hands. I wonder if there is any secret to having this beauty without so much labor.
Good question! I actually wondered the same thing. However, in researching the various natural material scrubs as well as the over the counter prepared pastes and liquids, no one wants to promise much more than a few months of tarnish free copper pots. I have noticed that the more I use them, wash then, and wipe them dry, the surface seems to stay brighter longer. Maybe those beautiful pots just want us to use them more often! Thanks for coming to the blog.
Hi, I enjoy your blog. Thanks. About how many scrubbing and how much time would you estimate it took to shine the four copper pans new? Also, how often do you need to do a maintaining scrub/how long before they tarnish again? Thank you!
Hi Jeanine. It’s difficult to say the total time it took per pan. The key is to let the scrubbing mixture set on the pan for a while, and lightly spray it with the vinegar to keep it damp. (I worked on other nearby projects while this step was working.) There will be areas that you’ll need to go back over with the vinegar/baking soda mixture but overall it brightens pretty quick. With regard to how long it lasts, it has been five months since I polished the set and they could use another light polish. When I do my next polish, I’m going to try a sealer, such as baby oil or mineral oil to see if that gives me a longer lasting shine. So glad you enjoy the blog. Thanks very much for reaching out to us.
I would like to know the results of your sealer. 1)How long did it keep your pots & pans from tarnishing
2) when in use, on the stove, doesthe oil flame up or can the sealant of oil or mineral spirits ruin the stove?
Hi Mary, after my copper polishing post I did research about using a sealer on my copper pans. As a result, I chose to continue using the natural cleaners mentioned in the blogpost rather than a sealer. It was a personal choice and my decision was due to chemicals used in the sealer and the level of precautions recommended for application.
What a gorgeous set of copper cookware! I totally love a great pan and have many stainless steel pieces in my collection but no copper clad ones. Seeing the beauty restored to these pieces makes me want to add some to my collection.
Thank you for this beautiful post!
Thanks Karen, copper pans are great to cook with but they are a labor of love to keep them shining! Like many heirlooms though, they are worth it.