7 Ways to Shine Pennies

My Experiment Testing 7 Ways to Shine Pennies from Household Products

This experiment came about because of my upcycled penny project I have coming up for my ambassadorship as a Torch Bearer with Bernzomatic (more on that later). I wanted them to be as shiny as possible so I did a little research and some testing on my own. After shining over 400 pennies for this project, I figured out the best and easiest way to shine pennies for craft projects. This is also a fun experiment to do with the kids at home. Here are 7 Ways to Shine Pennies.

I tested these 7 household items:

1. Hot Sauce
2. Ketchup
3. Soda
4. Apple Cider Vinegar
5. Distilled White Vinegar and Salt
6. Lemons
7. Cleaning Vinegar and Salt

Watch the Video I Made

A Few Observations

• Not all pennies are created equal. Some pennies are just too dirty to shine, however after cleaning over 400, there were only about 15 I couldn’t shine.
• I’m sharing the brand I used, because it is possible that some brands work better than others.
• For the vinegar solutions, the longer you allow the pennies to soak the cleaner they got.

Materials You Will Need

• Small Bowls or Ramekins
• Paper Towels
• Spoon

#1 Hot Sauce

Brand I Used: Mc Ilhenny Co Tabasco

Instructions: Place pennies in a bowl and mix with hot sauce. Polish each one with a clean paper towel.

Verdict: Works to get the black off the pennies, however, leaves them dull and not shiny.

#2 Ketchup

Brand I Used: Del Monte

Instructions: Place pennies in a bowl and mix with ketchup. Polish each one with a clean paper towel.

Verdict: Barely worked. Don’t waste your time.

#3 Soda

Brand I Used: Coke

Instructions: Place pennies in a bowl and mix with Coke or similar type of soda. Allow it to soak for a few seconds. Polish each one with a clean paper towel.

Verdict: So-so. Works, but little shine.

#4 Apple Cider Vinegar

Brand I Used: Essential Everyday (Target)

Instructions: Place pennies in a bowl and mix with apple cider vinegar. Polish each one with a clean paper towel.

Verdict: Works pretty well and is a good option, however not the best.

#5 Distilled White Vinegar and Salt

Brand I Used: Kroger

Instructions: Place pennies in a bowl and mix with vinegar and salt.  Mix and allow the salt to dissolve. Polish each one with a clean paper towel.

Verdict: Works, but again not the best.

#6 Fresh Lemons

Brand I Used: N/A

Instructions: Place pennies in a bowl. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze enough juice to cover the pennies. Polish each one with a clean paper towel.

Verdict: Works great! This option works well, but is more expensive and if you need to shine a lot of pennies, you need a lot of lemons.

#7 Cleaning Vinegar and Salt

Brand I Used: Four Monks Cleaning Vinegar

Instructions: Place salt in a bowl and mix with vinegar.  Allow the salt to dissolve. Add the pennies and swirl. You will see the pennies change immediately. Polish each one with a clean paper towel. Allow dirtier pennies to soak longer.

Verdict: This option is the BEST option! It’s the quickest way to shine several pennies. It also works well with very dirty pennies.

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