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bichonluver3

HELP!! Patina off copper sink!

bichonluver3
14 years ago

I love my copper sink with its dark patina but there are areas where the patina has come off (vinegar, citrus, tomato sauce) and bright copper shows. How can I repair these spots and get the patina back? I have seen some products advertised on the web. has anyone used these?

Comments (38)

  • alphonse
    14 years ago

    My opinion is you will have to live with what it is, or put some impervious coating on the sink. Or commit to ceaseless maintenance.
    The patina will come back eventually but not necessarily matching the existing.

  • brickeyee
    14 years ago

    Tincture of time.

    The same way the patina got there in the first place.

  • Peggy Bishop_McVay
    14 years ago

    I seem to remeber lemon juice ( citrus in general I think)onto dry copper adn allow to sit for a time then rinse. check on the DIY or HGTV, yes I know, not them... I've either seen or heard one of them doing it so it should be online at one of their sites. Goodluck.

  • kudzu9
    14 years ago

    A patina is mainly "rust" (cupric oxide). If you expose it to a chemical that reacts with the cupric oxide, the rust can disappear and you will be back to where you started. It would be difficult if not impossible to reoxidize the bright sections and have it all blend together.

  • nosambos
    14 years ago

    Make sure to rinse acidic food down the drain. Don't leave cans in the sink or use a scrubber to clean items in the bottom of the sink. Clean the sink by wiping out the food waste with a paper towel. Wipe again with a paper towel soaked with a tiny amount of Goo Gone. This works for me. Good luck.

  • tessa_049
    14 years ago

    You can fix it. Not a problem. A company I know of make a copper patina repair. It is very easy.

    Check it out on www.scratch-b-gone.com

    It is called the Copper patina Repair Kit.

  • rschleicher
    10 years ago

    You can darken a bright spot on a copper sink where the patina has been taken off, by using a mix of 1/4 cup ammonia and 1 tsp salt. If the bright spots are small, I'd dab it on with a q-tip. Let it sit for a while, and it will darken up. It's a good idea to try it for a short time first, and to be a cautious in how long you leave it. (And rinse thoroughly with water.) The darkened area may still not match exactly, but will be less noticeable than the bright copper spot(s). In any case, time will restore the natural "old penny" patina, so it is better to under-do it with the ammonia/salt mix. This recommendation came from www.coppersinksonline, BTW.

  • CathyCook66
    9 years ago

    I would like to THANK rschleicher for almost ruining my sink with his/her advice. I tried the ammonia/salt recommendation and it brightened up the copper patch like a shiny new penny. PLEASE do not post on here (or elsewhere) if you have not tried the things you recommend. This is a brand new $400 dollar dark copper sink............undermount, so It is not like I can easily replace it under the granite. Grrr...

  • Missing_No_Fingers
    9 years ago

    Using household chemicals like ammonia, salt, vinegar, and almost anything can add a patina back to the copper but when dealing with aged copper, it will be obvious for a period of time.

    It sounds like the surface of the copper wasn't sealed, which is OK, but you will always be at risk of having patina "removed" by another patina making product, such as an acidic tomato.

    Time is always best at fixing copper patina issues, so accept the color difference and be patient.

    Sadly, CathyCook66's comment above does highlight why sometimes you should hire a professional. Cathy tried something that is a proven method of adding a patina to copper, but since it didn't work for her, she lashed out at an experienced commenter believing Cathy's own failure was due to bad advice. Cathy didn't understand how her copper sink was made and ruined it rather than hiring a knowledgeable professional. Cathy's sink likely had a protected surface on it, but being new, she should have asked her installer, and unfortunately the finish she removed by using caustic chemicals that the manufacturer would have told her not do. I was sorry to see Cathy's post and hear she ruined her own sink, but on raw copper, ammonia and salt is a proven, tried and true means of adding a patina to copper, as is time.

    This post was edited by Missing_No_Fingers on Wed, Sep 3, 14 at 14:45

  • Copper SinksOnline
    8 years ago

    With regard to the salt & ammonia
    solution, we certainly do not claim an instant-fix for shiny spots. The
    mixture is intended to be a jump-start for natural development of
    patina, which takes time. The best advice we can offer is to 1) Do not
    wax the shiny spot... wax only the color you want to preserve. Many
    copper sink owners freak at the first shiny spot, and think that now is
    the time to wax the sink.... It's not! You're only going to be delaying
    the natural patina development in the area that lost its color. 2) We
    recommend measuring patina progress on a weekly basis, rather than
    daily. Give it time, and you'll notice that within a few weeks the spot
    start to blend in and barely be noticeable.

    For other advice on copper sink care & maintenance, read through our Copper 101 Buyers' Guide: http://www.coppersinksonline.com/copper-sink-buyers-guide.aspx, and let us know if you have questions!

    -The CopperSinksOnline.com Customer Care Team

  • kenpe
    8 years ago

    Thanks for the good info.. we just put ours in 2 weeks ago.. used the wax that was recommended Last night we had pasta wish the store would have told us what to do and not to do.


  • jjonesaz
    8 years ago

    My sink is grayish at the drain from toothpaste etc.. How do I start the process of restoring patina?

  • blpohl
    8 years ago

    I just moved into our new house. My master bathroom has two identical copper sinks but one has damage due to a long term leaky faucet. The damage looks bad and is rough to the touch. Is there anything that can be done to fix this? It really looks bad but would love to keep the copper sinks.

  • HU-427326
    8 years ago

    A copper sink has a living surface. People with even a slight amount of OCD should either not buy them or replace them. As for cleaning I wipe first with a wet paper towel then I wipe again with Goo Gone. I try not to pour acidic things in the drain, rinse all food particles and never let metal sit in the sink.

  • rhoder551 zone 9b-10
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Metalsmith here, who works on polished copper mostly... I don't like to put any clear coating on copper but if needed I will use a wax designed for metal. It will need to be reapplied often depending on how the item is used. Un-coated copper is better in my opinion but for some reason people are afraid of the upkeep which is easy but you do have to know how to do it. I would let the copper get just slightly dark then use Simichrome cream polish. This is a great product but with very fine polishing particles so not something you want to use if there is a lot of build up of corrosion or patina. In that case I recommend striping the buildup then using the Simichrome. I strip corrosion from copper with half a lemon with the cut side dipped in salt. Rub the salted surface over the copper, you will get a hazy pink color, then use the Simichrome. If you want to keep your copper bright and shiny, it is better to plan to do a general maintenance once a month with the Simichrome. Copper reacts to everything so just be aware of that...water; moist air; sun; fingerprints are all common things that can darken copper.

  • kenpe
    7 years ago

    Leave the sink alone don't leave any acid food like tomato sauce ect.. dry your sink out end of the day. The color with come back. I have one and this is what I do it does come back. Dont listen to people that try to sell you things for it. Leave it be it will come back

  • Joe Mama
    6 years ago

    you could use methyl ethyl ketone peroxide one such brand being Butanox as it is a powerful oxidizer or you could vent pure oxygen at the exposed copper and carefully burn it to get it to react.

  • Joe Mama
    6 years ago

    edit *methyl ethyl ketone peroxide


  • AliceHasLeftTheBuilding
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Did you seriously suggest someone use MEKP . . . IN THEIR SINK?!!!! This is a highly reactive oxidizer, as in potentially explosively reactive, self-accelerating.

    If Roman Schiffino is your real name you set yourself up for some serious liability. This is beyond stupid!

  • skimama88
    6 years ago

    lorisabina,re: previous post.... I am having new stone counter tops put in and the stone company , cleaned my bar copper sink and now it is as bright as a shiny new penny. All the years of patina are gone. If I do your above process, will it help to restore the patina more quickly?

  • Lori Sabina
    6 years ago
    skimama88–It sure will. It takes a little time and patience but it will. Try to use some Dawn dish soap or shampoo for oily hair or any degreaser such as Formula 409 on your sink first to completely remove any residue or wax the cleaner may have left behind first. Then proceed with the vinegar and sponge.
  • skimama88
    6 years ago

    I went on your website and sent a message there also, which Dino was good enough to answer me also. Sending me instructions on how to do it tomorrow. Thank you for getting back to me so quickly.

  • Jerry Jorgenson
    6 years ago

    I really don't worry about it. Wiping it down to remove any scum or stuck particles, when I think about it, is all I do. Here is the 42" Rachiele sink after a year's daily use. I have found that if you leave a tin can in the sink overnight it creates a black ring that takes about ten weeks to go away, so I avoid doing that. I'm not particularly careful about acidic foods because the shiny spots they create go away very quickly.


    Rachiele copper sink · More Info


    Rachiele copper sink · More Info

  • tawneyfarm1
    5 years ago

    My copper sink came with a grill for the bottom of the sink. While it doesn't prevent color changes from acidic foods, it does keep cans etc. from sitting on the copper surface. So no rings.

    My husband recently left a beer bottle upside down on the grill where it drained into the sink leaving a large shinny spot on the antique surface. I wiped it dry before going to bed everydeveryday. Two weeks later, it looks like new, I mean, like old.

  • lfalt1
    5 years ago

    My housecleaner scrubbed the patina off my kitchen drain. I have bronze rubbed faucets and drains. can I repair the drain or do I have to replace it


  • Jerry Jorgenson
    5 years ago

    Rubbed finishes generally have a coating on them to give them the rubbed look. If it's a living finish, there's no clear coat and the patina comes with regular use as the coating wears off. If it's not a living finish there should be a clear coat which somewhat protects it from cleaning and such. Depending upon the brand, it may be possible to get it refinished.


  • kudzu9
    5 years ago

    lfalt1-

    There's nothing wrong with the sink, other than the fact that the finish you liked is gone. Copper naturally re-oxidizes and develops a patina, but it can take a while and, any time you clean it, the patina gets disturbed or removed, and this can happen in a way that makes the finish look splotchy and irregular. Copper is beautiful, but the fact that you can't really protect the patina is why I never use it for a surface that is a work surface, like a sink or countertop. Even rubbed finishes that are protected by some sort of sealer will ultimately get damaged as the protection wears away. I'm sorry that happened, but if you replace it with a new one you'll just end up in the same situation one way or another. The only solution is to: 1) resolve to live with it, recognizing it will be imperfect, or 2) replace it with something like porcelain or stainless that won't be a constant source of frustration if your existing sink continues to bug you,

  • lfalt1
    5 years ago

    maybe i am describing it wrong. it is bronze with a black coating that was scrubbed off


  • kudzu9
    5 years ago

    lfalt1-

    Sorry, I was reading too fast and you posted in a thread about copper sinks. However, bronze is an alloy of copper and tin so it's similar, except that the patina is darker. There are kits to restore a patina, but you may not get it back to being as uniform as it was before, or exactly the same tone. Also, you will have to take care that it doesn't get damaged again, and accept that every once in a while you will have to restore the patina if it wears through. There are several videos about this on YouTube; here is one: Restore bronze patina


    P.S.: Whatever possessed your housekeeper to scrub off the patina?


  • Jerry Jorgenson
    5 years ago

    lfalt1 - The description was fine. It's like kudzu9 says, there is a finish that comes off, which can be restored but not perhaps to the original condition. Here is a picture of our living finish faucet and you can see how the colour changes over time as the finish wears off. If someone polished the finish off, it would be the colour of the underlying metal.



  • Karen DeJose
    4 years ago

    I was beyond distraught when I walked into my bathroom to see that the cap of a bathroom cleaner had been left on the front edge of my copper sink. There was a bright, shiny, copper 1 1/2" circle on my beautiful sink I immediately jumped on the internet to find a solution (it was 2am). Thank goodness for the person who suggested using 1/4 cup of ammonia and one teaspoon of salt mixed together. I applied the mixture with a Q-tip just around the circle. I did this every few hours for 12 hours and you can hardly see the ring!! I'll continue to do it and then put a protected coating on it. Thanks to the person who suggested using home products I had in my house in the middle of the night!!!



  • Beatriz arteaga
    4 years ago

    Help! how can I fix it?


  • Jerry Jorgenson
    4 years ago

    Beatriz arteaga -- It appears that the varnish or other coating has worn off. There's really no way to fix it other than removing the rest of the varnish so that the native copper is revealed. It's a generic problem with copper sinks that have been coated to look a certain way. When the sink it down to the native copper it will take on the appearance of an old copper penny. This appearance can be altered with various chemicals, but eventually it will revert to the old copper penny colour. One of the beauties of a native copper sink is that it's ever changing based on what comes in contact with it. Acids remove the patina and give the shiny new penny look.


  • Erin Ramirez
    4 years ago

    I got a brand new copper sink and thought I’d clean it with copper cream which shined it like a new penny it looked beautiful but now everything is showing in my sink water spots finger Prints anything. After reading all these posts I see I rubbed all the patina off. I got a Sinkology sink not sure if it had a coating? My question is can I use the ammonia salt and concoction to add the patina back and help with the water and all the other spots? Will this go away? I know I really messed up 😩



  • Jerry Jorgenson
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Erin Ramirez - You can either give it time to acquire a natural patina (it will), or you can try to create one. Here's some instructions. Copper is generally not for people with strong OCD because copper changes, it won't ever look new after use.


    https://www.worldcoppersmith.com/copper-patina-guide/ 

    https://www.instructables.com/id/Blue-Patina-on-Copper/

    https://feltmagnet.com/crafts/oxidizecopperbrass

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl67z6XmNiQ

  • corningclarke
    3 days ago

    I know this is an old thread but hope someone can advise. I have a copper sink that is probably original to the house (mid 1800s) and one section of the bottom is dented so that it collects water and discolors/oxidizes. Does anyone have any suggestions for finding someone who could hammer it out and then refurbish the sink so that it has something protective over the painta? wax?

  • Jerry Jorgenson
    3 days ago

    corningclarke -- The patina is one of the great things about a copper sink. It hides scratches and restores itself from spills and discolouration. In addition, keeping the sink in a raw state keeps the antibacterial action working. Virus and germs can't live on copper, so the sink is germ free every morning. Rachiele Sinks may be able to help you with the dents or lead you to someone who will.

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