Copper is an amazingly beautiful product that will last forever.  If you purchase the lighter patina finishes, such as New Penny, Old Penny Or Golden Bronze, after a period of time the patinas will start to darken.  The aging process is completely normal and to be expected with all the patina finishes.  The aging process is however, more noticeable on the lighter patinas finishes than the darker patina finishes. But if you love the original look of your patina finish, there are a few ways in which you can remove the brown age spots so that your copper looks brand new again.

What is a Living Patina Finish:  98.9% Copper that has a patina finish applied by fire.  (Usually 20 Gauge – 12 Gauge).   Never use a Copper Polish or any type of chemical cleaner on a Living Patina Finish or you will damage the patina surface.   (Rolled Tin Copper or inexpensive Plated Copper Products do not have a Living Patina Finish).

Applying a wax designed for copper monthly, will help greatly in keeping your copper products looking fantastic.  This is especially true for Copper Bath Tubs, Copper Shower Pans or Copper Sinks, because water plays a big part in the aging process.  When air and water are introduced to copper, this automatically triggers the aging process, which you will discover in small dark areas that form on your copper surface.  Applying a monthly wax coating on copper products that are designed to hold water, will help the patina finish remain beautiful and will also aide in delaying the natural aging process.

If wax alone will not remove the age spots from your copper, you can also try using vinegar and salt.  (Use at your own risk).  You will want to use this mixture sparingly, applying the mixture to just the effected area in very small doses.  ( 3 tablespoons of vinegar with 1 teaspoon of salt. Apply with a clean, soft cloth).  Vinegar and salt will remove the patina finish completely, so you will want to apply the solution to a very small area to see how the mixture will react to your copper product.  On Old Penny, if aggressively applied, your copper will appear much lighter, resembling New Penny, which has a pinkish tone to it.  Keep in mind, that copper does heal it’s self, so eventually, your copper will age naturally, darkening the patina finish once again.  The aging process is not an instant result, but it will happen over time.  This is just one incredible fact about copper, in that copper does have the ability to heal it’s self when damaged.

What happens if someone uses chemicals on your copper product and the patina finish is damaged?  You can either allow the patina to heal it’s self, (which can take months to do), or there are aftermarket products available that can help in repairing the damage.  Bath Tubs And More has no affiliation with any third party company, however, there is a company that creates patina finishes that can be easily applied to your copper products.  Sculpt Nouveau.  We have tested their patina products in-house with good results.  Before ever applying any aftermarket product, be sure to test the product first on either a copper tile or a sample piece of copper, so that you can see what the end results will look like. (Use at your own risk.  We are not endorsing Sculpt Nouveau, but simply commenting on our own in-house experience with the product thus far).  We would also highly recommend contacting Sculpt Nouveau directly, for professional assistance before purchasing their products.  They have several different types of patina products to choose from, so receiving professional advise in what product would work best for your application is very important.

And sometimes, doing nothing at all is the best option.  The imperfections of copper is what makes it appealing to so many people.  Copper is not one dimensional, but changes coloring depending upon the light the copper is captured in.  To create a copper patina, multiple strands of copper patinas are blended together.  That’s why Golden Bronze will sometimes appear like Old Penny or New Penny.  Or why Brown will be red in certain lights and darker in others.  Want a stronger patina finish in a certain hue?  Change the light bulb overhead.  Add a yellow light bulb to bring out golden tones.  Copper reacts to the light that surrounds it, so it’s easily manipulated. No matter what light copper is displayed in, it’s always stunningly beautiful and the center piece of the room it’s featured in.