not sure....

[sunraysux]

tried to find a forum expressly about cleaning finds but didn't see it
i may be blind...so forgive this post if it is the wrong spot...
but i was curious as to the best way you guys have found to make your common clad usable and clean again
my primary problem is the dimes/nicks and quarters; pennies i am good with
i have tried the youtube potions of salt/vinegar...turned the coins greenish and chalky
have tried others as well and not been terribly pleased; surely you guys have dug tons of clad and formulated some winning recipes!
i know they will never be like pocket change again but i do need to get them in better shape than i have been because they are embarrassing in the current state....any help would be welcome!!

 

[REVIER]

Manyt use tumblers, most have some good recipes.
I use aquarium gravel, water, a drop of dishwashing soap and a little low sussing ammonia to keep the suds and the pressure down.

Many use lemon juice and salt which seems to clean up dirty clad real well.

Sometimes people use vinegar in their recipes too.

Don't mix one cent coins in with other clad or you will get a nice pink tint on your nickels, dimes and quarters.

If you don't have a tumbler for quick clean ups just to make things more presentable, or to knock enough dirt off of them that they won't get caught by the dirt sensor in Coinstar machines and jam them up which I have done, I have put gravel, water and soap, coins plus whatever else is handy in one of those thick plastic flavored coffee cream containers, the one's where the lid snaps shut.
Then arm power....shake, shake, shake.
Might take a few rises but this does a pretty good job in a pinch.

 

[sunraysux]

thanks REV..i do use a tumbler....and never mix the pennies with the "silver colored" clad
but i just cannot get a decent formula to clean the silver colored properly
i will give you method a spin....pun intended
how long do you typically allow them to tumble?

 

[bootyhoundpa]

A dash of lemon soap,a little water and aquarium gravel works very well in the tumbler.. check hourly till you get an idea how long it takes to get best results.i would do dimes and quarters together and nickles and copper pennies together and zinc pennies by themselves. .. dont use vinegar or salt in tumbler as its not necessary. . tumbling times vary depending where you found coins... grass finds usually dont take very long whereas saltwater coins usually take longer just due to the amount of corrosion. some wont shine no matter how long you tumble them..