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Cleaning with acid without taking away the finish

I have tried all types of acidic liquids but they all have one drawback, they wipe off the penny's finish. If you clean a new penny in acid and compare it to another new penny you can clearly see the finish is gone. Is there any way to get of the dirt but keep the finish?

Nathaniel [surname deleted for privacy by Editor]
- West Hartford, Connecticut
2002

I don't know what you mean by "finish", Nathaniel. If you clean the penny with a commercial cleaner like Brasso ⇦ on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , I think it will retain "luster", or maybe a better way of putting it is that the luster will be restored because there is some kind of oil or wax in this commercial formulation. If you clean a penny with ketchup or salt and lemon juice, it is true that it will be left rather raw.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2002

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