Martha Revealed the One Thing She Uses to Clean All Her Copper—and It's Only $10

From baking molds to kettles to various pots and pans, Martha boasts an impressive collection of gleaming copper kitchenware. But unlike everyday dishes and utensils that can be run through the dishwasher to keep them clean, items made from this soft metal need to be hand-washed and polished occasionally to restore their shine.

In a recent blog post, Martha shared that she tries to polish all the precious metals in her home, including the copper, a couple of times a year. Her housekeeper, Elvira Rojas, took on the task of cleaning and polishing many of the copper pieces, which she documented in the post.

"Over time, copper loses its luster and acquires a tarnish when exposed to air, so it is important to clean it regularly," Martha explains. "My collection of copper, with its shiny rose-gold hue, always looks so beautiful after a good cleaning," she added.

To keep her copper in tip-top shape, Martha uses a good-quality, non-abrasive commercial polish.

Wright's Copper Cream

"I’ve been using Wright’s metal creams for years. Wright’s Copper Cream is a gentle formula that cleans and shines. It’s also great for brass."

Each tub comes with a sponge, but Martha recommends grabbing some additional sponges and towels before starting and wearing gloves to prevent the cleaning cream from coming into contact with your skin.

To polish, completely coat the piece with the cream and rub with a sponge. The copper will start to brighten as you rub. "This task is time-consuming, but it is well worth all the work and elbow grease. And remember to get into all the cracks and crevices," Martha advises.

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When cleaning any precious metal, always use a soft, moistened sponge or a soft cloth. To reach tight areas, a soft-bristled brush works well. According to Martha, always use non-abrasive polishes and opt for formulas such as creams and gels instead of sprays.

After polishing the piece, wash it with dish soap and water to ensure all the cream is removed and rinse it thoroughly with tepid water. Dry copper items immediately to help prevent watermarks.

"And never place any copper in the dishwasher," Martha says. "The detergent's aggressive chemicals, combined with the washer’s high cleaning temperature, will eventually cause any copper surfaces to dull, so hand-wash all copper mugs, pots, and pans instead."

How often you polish your copper pieces depends on their exposure to air, moisture, and handling. For pieces that are kept indoors, polishing them every few months should be sufficient.

To help keep your kitchen tools shining bright, Wright's offers a similar product for polishing silver.

Wright's Silver Cream