Does distilled water clean coins and artifacts?

[JakePhelps]

Its cheap enough you can soak anything in it and not go broke, plus its non-toxic and non-corrosive. Iv heard the mineral starving water eats up the corrosion on the coin or artifact. does this really work??

 

[Jeffro]

Yes, it does. but it may not do it as quick as you would like. "Pure" water is unstable and will attempt to "eat" up metals and minerals to stabilize itself. Almost the same effect as an acid, only slower. I have layed scale in pipes and removed it just by water balance, but I haven't tried it with coins, so...... your guess is as good as mine as to how good a job it will do. sorry I couldn't be of much help....

 

[Michigan Badger]

I've cleaned coins with distilled water and yes it works.

You want to use real distilled water not that filtered stuff.

The results you get will depend on the type of substance on the coin. Coins coated with hard-packed dirt clean very nicely with distilled water. Coins with a concrete hard corrosion don't do nearly as well.

I use distilled soaks for all my copper coin and relic finds. It's safe and slow which is the way you want it. The faster the cleaning method, the worse the results.