Has anyone tried vinegar to clean coins?

DANGLANGLEY · Feb 12, 2007

Has anyone tried vinegar to clean coins with electrolysis? I saw the statement below in a science experiment.

Tap water may or may not conduct electricity depending on its hardness. Solutions containing vinegar always conducts electricity because it starts with ions already in it.

Also, how long does it take soaking coins in olive oil?

drver · Feb 12, 2007

Vinegar or lemon juice will work well, yea without it it’s just too slow to really work well.

Olive oil...Well I found a Chinese money coin on the beach and it took about two months to read the markings well, could still use more. It’s metal friendly but it’s sloooow.

DANGLANGLEY · Feb 12, 2007

I guess I better just sit back and relax after the olive oil treatment. Thanks a bunch

Hill City Rebel · Feb 12, 2007

Might want to be careful using vinegar on copper or zinc coins. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which will eat copper and zinc. Will also eat silver, but at a much slower rate.

Dick from IA · Feb 13, 2007

Hill City Rebel said:
Might want to be careful using vinegar on copper or zinc coins. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which will eat copper and zinc. Will also eat silver, but at a much slower rate.

You ain't a kidding, Rebel. Used a 1/2vinegar/1/2 water mixture on pennies in a tumbler, and after 3 hours they came out looking like grenade shrapnel (well not quite but lots of pits and holes).

Dick