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How to clean and polish copper cookware

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Short answer

Wash copper cookware by hand in warm soapy water with a soft sponge and dry it right away. To polish the outside, use a copper cleaner or a paste of salt with lemon juice or vinegar, rub gently, then rinse and dry. A darker patina is cosmetic, so polishing is optional. Tin linings need gentle utensils and moderate heat, and they need retinning when bare copper shows through.

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This page is for owners of solid copper pots and pans, tin or stainless lined, who want to keep them clean and looking the way they like. It covers everyday washing, polishing the exterior with a store-bought cleaner or a simple homemade paste, the choice between a bright finish and a patina, caring for each type of lining, and how to tell when a tin lining needs retinning. For copper core stainless pans, clean them as you would any clad stainless pan.

Everyday cleaning

Copper is soft compared with stainless, and its linings need gentle handling. Most makers recommend hand washing only. Mauviel's listings for its copper and stainless lines say hand wash only and warn against scouring pads and steel wool.

  1. 1

    Let the pan cool before washing.

  2. 2

    Wash in warm soapy water with a soft sponge or cloth.

  3. 3

    For stuck food, soak in warm soapy water, then wipe. Use a wooden spatula, not metal, on tin.

  4. 4

    Rinse and dry straight away with a soft towel to avoid water spots.

  5. 5

    Store where pans will not knock against each other, or hang them.

How to polish copper cookware

Copper darkens with heat and air. Polishing brings back the bright finish. You can use a commercial copper cleaner, following its label, or a simple acidic paste. The acid lifts the tarnish; a little salt adds gentle abrasion.

  1. 1

    Make a paste of salt with lemon juice or white vinegar, or use a copper cleaner.

  2. 2

    Apply to the outside of the pan only, not the lining.

  3. 3

    Rub gently with a soft cloth in small circles until the tarnish lifts.

  4. 4

    Rinse well with warm water so no acid is left on the surface.

  5. 5

    Dry immediately and buff with a clean, dry cloth.

Note.Do not use steel wool or harsh scouring pads on copper. They scratch the surface and can wear through thin areas.

Bright copper or patina: your choice

A darker, uneven brown or rosy patina develops with use. It is cosmetic. It does not change how the pan cooks in any meaningful way, and many cooks prefer the look of well-used copper. Others like a bright, freshly polished finish and polish every few uses.

There is no wrong answer. If you keep a patina, simply wash and dry the pan as normal and polish only to remove spills or spots. If you prefer bright copper, polish lightly and often rather than heavily and rarely, since heavy tarnish takes more effort to lift.

Caring for tin and stainless linings

Tin naturally darkens to a gray with use, which is normal. Stainless linings can be cleaned like any stainless pan. See stainless steel pan discoloration for heat tints, and copper cookware explained for how the two linings compare.

  • Utensils

    Tin lining
    Wood or silicone only
    Stainless lining
    Most utensils are fine

  • Heat

    Tin lining
    Low to medium; never heat empty
    Stainless lining
    Medium; avoid long high heat empty

  • Scrubbing

    Tin lining
    Soft sponge only
    Stainless lining
    Non-scratch scrubbers; stainless cleanser for marks

  • Discoloration

    Tin lining
    Grays and darkens with use; normal
    Stainless lining
    Can show heat tint; cleans off

  • Long-term upkeep

    Tin lining
    Retinning when copper shows through
    Stainless lining
    None needed
Lining care

When a tin lining needs retinning

Tin wears thin with years of use, faster with metal utensils, high heat or abrasive cleaning. When patches of reddish copper show through the gray tin on the cooking surface, the lining is due for retinning. Small specks at the rim are less urgent than patches across the base.

Retinning is a specialist job. The pan is cleaned, heated, and coated with new tin by hand. Look for a cookware restorer who does copper retinning, and ask about their process and turnaround. Do not try to retin at home. Stainless lined copper never needs retinning, which is one reason most new copper is lined with stainless.

  • Copper showing through the lining on the cooking surface
  • Tin that has blistered or melted after overheating
  • Deep scratches through the tin from metal utensils

Heat and induction tips

Copper conducts heat very well, so you rarely need high settings. Mauviel's listings suggest running burners at about 60 to 70 percent power with its pans. Never heat a tin-lined pan empty, since tin melts at a low temperature compared with other cookware metals.

Solid copper does not work on induction on its own. Mauviel lists an induction interface disc, sold separately, for its M'Heritage line. For oven limits on your piece, check the maker's care page. If you are shopping, see the copper cookware guide, or All-Clad cookware for Copper Core, which cleans like stainless.

Frequently asked questions

How do you clean copper pots naturally? Rub the outside with a paste of salt and lemon juice or white vinegar, then rinse and dry well. Keep acidic paste off tin linings.

Can copper cookware go in the dishwasher? Makers generally say no. Mauviel lists its copper lines as hand wash only.

Is the dark color on my copper pan bad? No. Patina is cosmetic and does not affect cooking. Polish it off only if you prefer a bright finish.

How do I know if my copper pan needs retinning? When reddish copper shows through the gray tin on the cooking surface, it is time to have it retinned by a specialist.

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