How to Clean Pennies with Vinegar & Make Your Coins Shine

PDF download Download Article
Bring old, dirty coins back to life with this cool project
PDF download Download Article

As copper pennies continually change hands, they become prone to tarnishing and collecting dirt. This makes them harder to distinguish from other coins and may make you reluctant to handle them. What you may not realize, however, is that you likely have a convenient remedy sitting right in your pantry. Ordinary vinegar can be used to rid old coins of the gunk they’ve gathered over time. To restore pennies to their original luster, simply plop them into a solution of vinegar and salt, let them sit for a few minutes, then rinse them off and watch them shine like new.

Soaking Pennies in Vinegar and Salt

Pour a few ounces of vinegar into a shallow, non-metal dish. Add a pinch of salt and allow it to dissolve. Soak coins in the solution for 20-30 seconds. Remove pennies one by one, gently rubbing them with your fingers to polish them. Rinse the coins in clean water and allow them to dry on a paper towel.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Mixing the Vinegar Solution

PDF download Download Article
  1. Go through your wallet, drawers, car and anywhere else that change tends to pile up to find pennies in need of cleaning. This process will work best on coins that are heavily tarnished or have a lot of stuck-on grime. The combination of vinegar and salt will cut through dirt and buildup effortlessly. [1]
    • Vinegar is most effective for cleaning copper. Other coins are molded from different metals, so the solution may not work as well on them.
    • If you don’t have any vinegar on hand, a 1:1 ratio of water to acetone will produce the same effect.
  2. Select a dish with an opening wide enough to allow you to reach in and grab the coins. A bowl will work best, but you could also use a coffee mug or small Tupperware container. Fill the dish with enough liquid to totally submerge several pennies at once. [2]
    • For best results, use a pure, potent type of vinegar, such as distilled white vinegar.
    • Make sure you select a container that isn’t made of metal. The chemical reaction created by mixing salt and vinegar can also react with other types of metals, potentially causing rust, discoloration or mild corrosion.
    Advertisement
  3. The exact amount of salt you add is not important—just grab a little bit with two fingers and sprinkle it in. Give the salt time to totally dissolve in the vinegar before you proceed to clean the pennies. [3]
    • Any variety of salt will do. It’s the chemical element that’s important, not the grains themselves.
    • Vinegar alone is not strong enough to remove the worst buildup from old pennies. [4]
    4. Advertisement
Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Soaking and Rinsing the Pennies

PDF download Download Article
  1. Start with 4-5 pennies at a time to avoid overcrowding the dish. There should be enough room for each of the pennies to be completely immersed. Make sure the pennies stay separated at the bottom of the container. [5]
    • If you’re attempting to clean a large amount of pennies, you may need to empty the dish and mix up some fresh solution periodically.
  2. The vinegar and salt duo will act fast, so there’s no need to leave them in for too long. As the pennies soak, you should be able to notice the dark colored tarnish and other gunk melting away from the copper before your very eyes. [6]
    • Shake the pennies at the bottom of the dish as they soak to release even more buildup.
    • Especially dirty coins can be left to soak for up to five minutes. [7]
  3. Remove the pennies from the solution one at a time and place them in the palm of your hand. Rub the pad of your finger over both faces of the penny to polish it. A little bit of friction will help buff away any remaining grime that the solution didn’t dissolve on its own. [8]
    • Go over the entire surface of the coin using smooth, circular motions.
    • You can also lightly scour the pennies using a toothbrush or cotton swab for a more thorough cleaning.
  4. Hold the pennies under the faucet for a few seconds, or swish them through a separate dish that’s filled with water. This will help flush away any loose dirt or vinegar coating the surface of the coin. When you’re done, the pennies should shine they like’re fresh out of the mint! [9]
    • Once you’ve rinsed the pennies, set them aside on a layer of paper towels to dry.
    • You may not be able to erase every last trace of discoloration on very old pennies. Eventually, other substances can set up in the metal, making them more or less permanent.
    5. Advertisement
Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Preserving the Appearance of Your Coins

PDF download Download Article
  1. After a few minutes, the same reaction that dissolves stuck-on grime can begin to eat away at the copper. This may cause the pennies to give off an odd metallic residue, staining your hands or the container they’re in. In most cases, 30 seconds to a minute, in conjunction with some manual polishing, should be enough to do the trick. [10]
    • This can be especially damaging for pennies that already have a significant amount of scratching and wear.
  2. A good rinsing is needed to flush the acetic acid from the vinegar off the pennies. If left on the copper, this can lead to a buildup of a chemical called malachite, which will turn the pennies a bluish-green color. Since your original goal was to return the pennies to their original copper color, it’s important not to skip this step. [11]
    • A quick wash will also help neutralize the overpowering odor of the vinegar.
  3. Though pennies don’t actually rust, they can corrode and develop an unsightly chemical buildup when exposed to water. To keep this from occurring, pat the pennies dry with a towel after you clean them. That way, their finish will stay brighter and more vibrant for much longer. [12]
    • It’s okay to let the coins air dry, as long as there’s no standing water on them.
  4. Coins can get dirty in no time at all in places like the kitchen counter or your car’s cup holders. Consider buying a coin bank that you can keep your small currency in until you cash it in or spend it. Having a central place to stash your coins will minimize their chances of contamination and prevent you from losing them. [13]
    • You might also use a small drawstring bag or jar, or carry it with you in a change purse.
    • Placing your coins in a lidded container will defend them from deterioration-causing germs and moisture.
    5. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    I have used red vinegar. But their colors were pink. How can I clean them?
    Drmashah
    Community Answer
    By setting for a few days the vinegar gets concentrated. The colors will be get dark.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 4 Helpful 13
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • Gentle cleaning methods that use natural items like vinegar and salt are preferable to commercial coin cleaners, which usually contain harsh chemicals that can easily damage the coin.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • Keep your pennies and other coins clean reduces the amount of bacteria on their outer surface, which makes you less likely to become ill after handling them.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • Rinse the container you put the pennies in with disinfecting soap and hot water before using it again.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Show More Tips
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Things You'll Need

      • Dirty pennies
      • Shallow container
      • Distilled white vinegar
      • Salt
      • Toothbrush or cotton swab
      • Dry towel

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Clean a Derma Roller
      Easy & Effective Ways to Clean Dirty Coins at Home
      How to
      Clean Vomit from a Mattress
      How to
      Get Rid of a Musty Smell in Your House
      How to
      Clean Up Vomit & Diarrhea (Plus, Disinfect Contaminated Surfaces)
      How to
      Wash Carpet by Hand: Deep Cleaning & Spot Cleaning
      How to
      Clean Your Sink with Baking Soda
      How to
      Clean Carpet with a Steam Cleaner
      How to
      Get Rid of Vomit Smell
      How to
      Clean Records without Damaging Them
      The Best Ways to Clean Copper or Zinc Pennies
      The Best Ways to Eliminate Throw up Stains & Odors from Carpet
      How to
      Clean Rubber
      How to
      Clean Up Spilled Gas: The Do's & Don'ts
      Advertisement

      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about cleaning, check out our in-depth interview with Carolina Rodriguez .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4N-iGvYrbM
      2. ↑ https://sciencebob.com/clean-pennies-with-vinegar/
      3. ↑ https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/how_to_clean_coins/
      4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4N-iGvYrbM
      5. ↑ https://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/copper_caper.html
      6. ↑ https://sciencebob.com/clean-pennies-with-vinegar/
      7. ↑ https://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/copper_caper.html
      8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4N-iGvYrbM
      9. ↑ https://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/copper_caper.html
      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4N-iGvYrbM
      2. ↑ https://sciencebob.com/clean-pennies-with-vinegar/
      3. ↑ https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/how-to-clean-coins/
      4. ↑ https://www.slimwalletjunkie.com/blogs/news/17122425-what-to-do-with-coins-in-a-minimalist-wallet

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 115,192 times.

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement