MATERIALS AND TOOLS

🧪 Consumables

Basic (safe)

• **Bar soap (laundry soap)** — your base, creates an alkaline environment
• **Distilled water** — the main solvent
• **Baking soda (boiled)** — a mild abrasive and acid neutralizer
• **Kefir (2.5%)** — gentle cleaning for silver
• **Vinegar** — a cheap alternative (less effective)

Specialized

• **Citric acid** — for oxides, use with caution around patina
• **Ammonia** — for silver, opens up pitting/cavities
• **Thiourea** — dissolves black silver patina (silver sulfide)
• **Phosphoric acid** — for copper, doesn't affect silver
• **Asidol (rust converter)** — for aluminum bronze
• **Pemoluxe (abrasive cleaner)** — abrasive cleaning agent
• **Azelit (rust remover)** — for cast iron and iron (just 1 minute!)
• **BTA (benzotriazole)** — preservation after cleaning
• **Sulfur ointment** — for adding patina

🛠️ Mechanical cleaning tools

1. Fiberglass brushes (Must Have!)

Soft — won't scratch the metal.

• **Fraying the tip:** heat with a lighter, press against the wall of a jar, and twist
• Use **with soap and water** — never dry!
• **Pro tip:** an optical cable from telecom techs works great — the core is 3–4 mm

2. Scalers (scrapers)

For removing thick layers of oxides — only on "trashed" coins and iron items.

• Work **wet only**
• Don't use on silver — it scratches!

3. Ultrasonic cleaner

• **Optimal:** 4.5–6 L, 180 W+, 40 kHz
• Distilled water, coins of the same metal only
• Time: 15 min — 1 hour

4. Toothpicks and bone/wood picks

For removing dirt from recesses. A wooden pick or bottle cap edge — minimal chemical use.