What Cleans a Penny Best?

Commercial Cleaners

• Store-bought metal cleaners such as Brasso or CLR are among the most effective solutions for cleaner pennies. Lightly rub the cleaner into the penny's surface and let the coin sit for a few minutes. Rub the cleaner off with a clean, dry cloth or paper towel. The penny's dirt should transfer to the towel. The disadvantages of this cleaning method are the time it takes, and the cost of the commercial cleaner. You can make less-expensive penny-cleaning solutions with some common food or household items.

Pencil Eraser

• Rub your penny with a pencil eraser, and the dirt will slowly fade. For better shine and a process requiring less elbow grease, stop by a drafting-supply store and buy an electric eraser, which uses long strips of eraser rather than pencil erasers. Downsides to the eraser method include its painstaking, slow process.

Ketchup

• Penny collectors commonly use this condiment for coin cleaning. Rub the sauce on your penny. Scrub the surface with a toothbrush, paying special attention to nooks and crannies around images. Rinse the penny, which should still be dull. Make a thick paste of baking soda and water, and rub it on the penny to renew the coin's shine. Rinse and dry the penny to remove the baking soda mixture.

Vinegar and Salt

• This combination cleaner operates much like ketchup, though it requires less rubbing. Pour 1/4 cup white vinegar into a shallow glass bowl and add 1 tsp. salt. Stir the mixture until the salt dissolves. Add your dirty pennies. Stir the solution once more and let it sit for five minutes. You should be able to see the pennies grow cleaner as the vinegar and salt work on them. Remove pennies from the mixture and rub them with a toothbrush, paying particular attention to the dirtiest spots. Make a thick paste of baking soda and water, and rub it on the penny to finish renewing the coin's shine. Rinse your pennies to remove the baking soda and dry your pennies.

Lemon Juice and Salt

• Place your pennies in a shallow dish and cover them with 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 tsp. salt. Wait several minutes, and then rinse your pennies. This method requires no brushing or rubbing, but air bubbles in the juice could leave spots on your pennies. Also, if you leave the pennies in the juice and salt solution for too long, the coins will turn black.