We all know how time and everyday conditions affect our coins. When they are in touch with purses, wallets, and pockets or other surfaces and places, they usually get corroded with time. As it is known, money is one of the dirtiest things in the world. Just think about it, how many coins and banknotes you exchange daily with people and how many people that money has previously been to. It’s only natural that coins get dirty and grimy.
Now, there is something you should know before we tell you how to clean coins. If you have your hands on old and antique coins that could be monetized, we advise you to not clean them. This could and most probably will lead to demonetizing and damaging their value.
An antique coin is considered to be with signs of time and usage and when cleaned – it doesn’t have the same value. It may sound strange, but if you are thinking of monetizing old coins, then don’t clean them. Of course, you can run the by warm water to gently polish their look but no detergents! Make sure the water is distilled and you use a cotton soft towel to wipe afterwards. Don’t use tap water
Now let’s get into specifics!
How to clean your old coins and make them shiny again?
Vinegar and water
If you are not looking to cherish the value of the coins and you want to make your dirty coins clean again, the first thing you can do is treat them with vinegar.
Step 1 – Use a bowl and pour your white vinegar in it (just enough to completely cover all coins). Then place your dirty coins in the bowl and let them soak. You can leave them for half an hour or if they are really dirty – overnight.
Step 2 – Remove the vinegar from the bowl (or use another bowl) and rinse the coins with distilled water. It is important to make sure you are not using tap water because there could be too many chemicals and fluoride there.
Step 3 – Do not rub the coins after you are finished with the rinsing! Simply let them sit for a while and dry out. You can place them on a soft cotton towel.
Soap and water
Almost the same exercise you can repeat by using soap instead of vinegar with the difference that it is not necessary for them to soak for hours in the soap. How to clean the old coins with soap?
Step 1 – Again, take a bowl and fill it with distilled warm water. Add a few drops of mild dish soap and stir together. After that put the coins carefully in the bowl and scrub them by either using your hands or a soft toothbrush.
Step 2 – After you gently rubbed the dirt away, rinse the coins with a distilled water.
Step 3 – Let the coins dry and then enjoy the shining new look they have!
Hydrogen Peroxide or Mouthwash.
Now with these two options for cleaning dirty and grimy coins, the procedure is almost the same. You might be surprised to read that but both Hydrogen Peroxide and different types of mouthwash actually work great and remove stains from old coins. Use a small container or a bowl to fill up with either Hydrogen Peroxide or a mouthwash of your choice, and let the coins sit and soak.
What is different with these types of cleaning old coins is the time of period they have to soak. If you put your old coins in a bowl of Hydrogen Peroxide, then let them there for at least 24 hours. And if you’ve chosen to use mouthwash, about 12 hours should be enough.
When you get the coins out of the container again rinse with distilled water and let them dry completely.
These different solutions for old coins and dirty ones are perfect if you want to take care of your money and make them clean again.
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Extra tip! if you are dealing with corrosion on your coins we recommend you use baking soda – to let soak and rub with. It works magically!
If you are about to clean old coins from grim, dirt, and corrosion, use these tips and you’re all set. Just remember to be gentle as this is a delicate matter and you don’t want to damage the coins.
We remind you that if you are not sure whether your coins can have value and you don’t know if you should clean them, contact professionals to advise you with an expert opinion.
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