I have a copper flashing and I just want to clean it up ONE time. Right now it’s all blotchy from our handling it during installation. I tried using Kleen King which is used for polishing copper and stainless steel pots and pans, but here’s what happened: I had the strip all clean-looking, and then I used very clean wet rags to wipe off all the remaining bits of the polish. Then as quickly as I could I dried the strip with a fresh dry rag. Then used a second dry rag to keep rubbing it drier and drier. Then waited overnight and the overnight dew revealed some bluish colored streaks. I’ll go out there and take a photo and post it here. Anyway, I’m thinking maybe I’m using the wrong cleaning product. I’ve spent an hour so far on Breaktime reading every single post that related to copper being polished, and these are the suggestions: vinegar, baking soda, tomato sauce, vinegar + salt. I haven’t tried any of those yet.
Don’t anyone write back saying “most people like the patina, why do you want to polish it?” Because I want to establish a clear baseline. I don’t want those ugly blue streaks on there because then the flashing may not weather uniformly. I want to start with a uniform finish and then let nature take its course. In our area, copper turns brown over time, not green. Anyway, I want those ugly bluish and reddish streaks and blotches gone NOW. Can anyone help? By the way, when you look at the photo, you may notice that only the uppermost part of the copper has been polished. That’s because I’m going to be covering up the lower part of the copper flashing with the final row of roofing shingles; but I’m holding off putting them on (with adhesive tape by the way) until the copper that does show is polished up. You can’t tell from the photo, but the location is the apron flashing on the dormer.
Replies
I would try lemon juice and kosher salt
How much flashing do you have to polish? You could go to an auto parts store and get some metal polish, they sell it for using on aluminum wheels but it will work fine on copper. Popular brands are Mothers, Flitz and Simichrome. You just rub it on with a rag, then remove the black residue that forms with another rag. It's not hard but will take some time. Mother's also sells a foam ball that you can stick in a drill to speed up the polishing, you may have seen it in commercials on TV.
Another possibility is some Brasso polish, which you can get at a hardware store. It doesn't work as well or as quickly as the other brands but it's cheaper.
finishers supply in Houston has a copper cleaner. I think it is an acid. It works well. But then you have to seal the copper. I used a brass/copper lacquer that will not yellow.
good luck
john
the DW said this works ?
Try Eastwood Co.
Eastwood Tech Article
Metal Polishing & Buffing Virtually any metal can be buffed to a mirror-like shine. Aluminum, brass, copper, pot metal, steel and stainless steel can all be buffed to a high shine using the high-quality buffing compounds, wheels, and other supplies available from Eastwood. IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE ...
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Might want to ask them about this stuff:
View Image
BLUE AWAY BOTTLE 2.5 oz
... motorcycle industry, removes discoloration from chrome and stainless steel exhaust pipes. 2.5 ounce bottle goes a long way. Just apply a little to a clean soft cloth and buff away discoloration. Imported from Germany.
$17.99Item No. 13193
If nothing else works there is always Bar Keepers Friend.
If having a low wage work force was good for a country's economy then why hasn't Mexico built a fence?
Edited 7/17/2006 11:22 pm by intrepidcat
I was thinking the same thing as Stewart. There are awesome metal polishes in automotive stores. I have a paste that I got at a auto body supply place here that I put on this foam ball - by Mothers, they sell it as the "Mothers power ball" and you chuck it into a drill. Amazingly fast. You can use the small one for wheels, but they have a bigger one for flats. It will clean up a lot of diamond plate in short order. I suspect it'd whip the copper into shape as well if the other concoctions dont work out.
"Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think -- there are no little things" - Bruce Barton
In college we used tomato sauce to clean copper. It's cheap and effective. Let is soak for a few minutes then scrub off with a pad.