Copper Properties,Care and Cleanning

Copper Properties,Care and Cleanning

Copper is a significant metallic element with various qualities, which affect many aspects of
a person's life, such as:
Medicine: copper has antimicrobial properties and can be used to purify water, to eliminate
many microbes and bacteria, functioning as a natural antimicrobial agent. This is what
renders it suitable in crafting jewellery, as it can reduce the development of microbes of the
skin.
Environmentally friendly: copper is a recyclable metal, therefore, copper jewellery can be
a sustainable form of development for the fashion industry.
Reactivity to the body
The reaction a copper ring may have on one's body differs, depending on their skin type and
their sensitivity to metal.
Copper jewellery doesn't usually cause allergic reactions, but may bring a change of colour
on one's skin at the contact point. This occurs due to the interaction between copper and
perspiration and may form a shade of green or black on the skin. However, this is not
harmful and can be easily removed with soap and water.
Reactivity to the environment
With the passage of time, copper jewellery may deteriorate and display a patina of oxidation.
This is not dangerous for the body, but may alter the colour of the jewellery. One way of
avoiding this issue is to place the piece of copper jewellery in a box with other pieces of
reactive materials such as aluminium, which will absorb any humidity and limit oxidation.

 

CLEANING

Pour lemon juice and a pinch of salt into a bowl, or alternatively, hot vinegar and salt.
Clean the jewellery with a dipped sponge.

Another method is to pour enough table salt (your usual) and white vinegar into a bowl or container, depending on the size of the object, to adequately cover the copper object. Shake lightly and set aside for 40 minutes to allow the solution to work. See the difference by wiping it off gently with a clean, dry cloth!

SHINE
You can use lemons or limes. Cut it in half, sprinkle some salt on the cut surface, and rub the jewel with lemon. If the oxidation continues, squeeze the lemons and add enough salt to make a paste. Rub the remaining mixture with the dish sponge. Then, rinse with water and wipe with a dry clean cloth.

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