If you have an excellent coin collection, you must know how to clean coins to restore their original glory! Collecting coins is the most common hobby that many individuals love to do. But over years the coins can accumulate dirt, germs, and other gunk which makes them unappealing. So, today, I will show you how to clean coins at home. From new to old coins, they can easily catch dirt as they are passed from person to person. You can consider a couple of methods to clean and keep your coins looking bright and shiny. Without wasting much time, let’s learn how to clean coins in detail.
How To Clean Coins?
Using the following methods, you can easily learn how to clean coins.
- Liquid Dish Soap
- Baking Soda
- Vinegar
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Isopropyl alcohol and salt
- Coke
Cleaning grime-covered coins to make them sparkling clean is oddly satisfying! One of the easiest ways to clean coins is using liquid dish soap. You can also use baking soda, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide to loosen the built-up dirt.
Keep on reading further to check out how to clean coins in bulk.
Clean Coins Using Liquid Dish Soap
Coins that have been in circulation could be full of germs. You can follow these steps to know how to clean coins without damaging them to make them clean and sanitary again.
- First, hold the coin under warm tap water for about one minute on each side.
- This will help to remove initial dirt buildup.
- Once you’re done, place them on a paper towel or rag.
- Now, create a cleaning solution by mixing water and dish soap.
- Dip each coin in this mixture individually.
- Then, hold the coin using your index finger and thumb.
- Softly brush the coin using a soft-bristled toothbrush.
- Brush both sides of the coin until it turns shiny again.
- When you are done scrubbing, rinse the coin with plain water.
- Lastly, dry each coin with a towel to remove any moisture.
- Make sure you put them away to avoid destroying the coin over time.
If you have a very dirty coin, you can soak it in the solution for a while. Make sure you avoid cleaning coins in your sink to prevent them from slipping out of your hands and into the drain.
You can keep on reading to check out how to clean coins at home.
Clean Coins Using Baking Soda
Coins spend most of their lives in pockets, purses, cash registers, and even piggy banks! They can easily get covered in germs from exchanging hands and oxidation. You can follow these steps to know how to clean coins with baking soda.
- Place all your coins in a bowl filled with cold water.
- Then, add 1 teaspoon of baking soda into the other bowl.
- Take a clean, soft-bristled toothbrush and dip it into the bowl of baking soda.
- Now, take one coin at a time and scrub it using this toothbrush.
- Brush both sides of the coin until it turns shiny again.
- When you are done scrubbing, rinse the coin with plain water.
- Lastly, dry each coin with a towel to remove any moisture.
- Make sure you put them away to avoid destroying the coin over time.
Thus, baking soda will easily remove any dirt without scratching the metal. You can follow the same procedure if you want to learn how to clean silver coins.
Clean Coins Using Vinegar
The acidity of vinegar makes it an excellent cleaning agent if you are planning to clean dirty coins at home! You can follow these steps to know how to clean coins with vinegar.
- Place all your coins in a bowl filled with white vinegar.
- Now, allow the coins to soak for at least 30 minutes to one hour.
- Then, hold the coin using your index finger and thumb.
- Softly brush the coin using a soft-bristled toothbrush.
- Brush both sides of the coin until you get rid of any leftover residue.
- When you are done scrubbing, rinse the coin with plain water.
- Lastly, dry each coin with a towel to remove any moisture.
- Make sure you put them away to avoid destroying the coin over time.
Make sure you don’t soak your coins in vinegar longer than overnight as vinegar might react with the metal.
Click here – How To Clean Air Fryer?
Clean Coins Using Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide can easily dissolve years of dirt on the coins and sterilize them. Follow these steps if you want to know how to clean coins with hydrogen peroxide.
- Place all your coins in a bowl filled with hydrogen peroxide.
- Now, allow the coins to soak in this solution for about 24 hours.
- The next day, remove and rinse the coins with plain water.
- Lastly, dry each coin with a towel to remove any moisture.
- Make sure you put them away to avoid destroying the coin over time.
Thus, the hydrogen peroxide solution can be effective in removing grime and other dirt particles.
Clean Coins Using Isopropyl Alcohol And Salt
Isopropyl alcohol is very abrasive and acidic in nature. But this chemical can easily clean your coins with any built-up dirt. Follow these steps to know how to clean coins safely with isopropyl alcohol and salt.
- First, make a mixture of 1 cup isopropyl alcohol and 2 tablespoons of salt in a bowl.
- Place all coins in this mixture for anywhere from two hours to a week.
- After a few days, rinse the coins with distilled water.
- Now, dry each coin with a towel to remove any moisture.
- Make sure you put them away to avoid destroying the coin over time.
- Store your coins in plastic folders at a room temperature area with low humidity.
Rinsing coins with distilled water will make sure that any leftover chemicals are rinsed off.
Clean Coins Using Coke
Who would have thought that your favorite coke can also act as a cleaning agent? Yes, that’s true, coke can also clean coins. You can follow these steps to know how to clean coins with coke.
- Place all your coins in a bowl filled with Coke.
- Let the coins soak for about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Then, check if the corrosion has washed away.
- If you feel the coins are still grimy, place them back in the bowl for up to 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, rinse the coins with plain water.
- Lastly, dry each coin with a towel to remove any moisture.
- Make sure you put them away to avoid destroying the coin over time.
The phosphoric acid present in Coke can clean the oxides that cause tarnish and corrosion in coins. Remember that you don’t leave coins in Coke for more than 15 minutes or else soda might dissolve the metal!
How Do Professionals Clean Coins?
Most professionals use ultrasonic cleaners to clean dirty coins. They simply clean coins by using a special vibrating cleaner. In this device, they add distilled water and a small amount of detergent. This solution will eat away all dirt at a coin’s surface without diminishing its value.
Learn more about similar topics like these on Clynerr
FAQ
What Is The Best Way To Clean Old Coins?
If you want to go ahead and clean corrosion off of your old coins, baking soda likely is the safest route to follow. Wet the affected coin with clean tap or distilled water, roll in baking soda, then gently scrub with a soft toothbrush.
How Do You Clean Coins Without Losing Value?
If your coins are still dirty, you can fill the plastic container with a 1-inch layer of warm water. Next, add a squirt of dishwashing liquid and agitate the water to create bubbles. Add the coins, and rub each one until the surface looks shiny. Rinse with warm water, then dry.
Does Baking Soda And Vinegar Clean Coins?
With a little time, minimal effort and some basic household supplies, such as vinegar and baking soda, you can bring out the shine in even the dingiest of tarnished pennies. Cleaning coins with baking soda and white vinegar is effective and easy to do.
Does Coca Cola Clean Coins?
Coke and off-brand colas will quickly remove the tarnish. Just don’t drink the coke afterward. Coke contains phosphoric acid that cleans the oxides. Try a variety of citrus juices to see which works best or simply let your pennies soak in lemon juice.
Can You Clean Coins With Alcohol?
You can clean your coins without damaging them by soaking them in a bath of isopropyl alcohol and salt. When combined, these ingredients are both abrasive and acidic and will clean any built-up dirt off your coins.
Can Vinegar Damage Coins?
Acid based cleaners will eat away at a coin’s surface diminishing its value. According to research professor Vinod Patel, washing coins with natural white vinegar and iodized salt in distilled water is a non destructive way of cleaning coins.
Click here – How To Clean A Hairbrush?
Is It OK To Clean Old Coins?
This is never advised for the general public. There is no benefit to attempting to clean a collectible coin. Copper never re-tones to its original color and look anyway. Put down the polish before you destroy something historical and throw away a fortune.
Does Hydrogen Peroxide Clean Coins?
Hydrogen peroxide can prove effective in removing various materials, including organic material. To clean using this method, place your coins in a small plastic container, fill with enough hydrogen peroxide to cover, and soak for 24 hours.
Is It Good To Wash Coins?
Cleaning old coins might seem like a good way to revitalise the appearance of a treasured item, but could in fact reduce a coin’s value significantly, and should be avoided. Particularly in the case of old precious metal coins, cleaning them is most definitely not recommended!
Conclusion
In the above post, I’ve explained how to clean old coins in detail. Older coins are prone to corrosion if are not cleaned in time. Compare to new coins, older coins require a bit more effort to clean and rejuvenate. But using our simple tricks, you can make your coin collection a bright and shiny one! Oils and fingerprints can reduce a coin’s value. You can also consult a count expert before cleaning your coins as they can lose their value while cleaning. By learning how to clean coins, you can show off your coin collection to friends and family for years to come!
What cleans coins the best
How do you clean coins without damaging them