Removing Copper Stains

Have you ever noticed that copper pipes tend to leave a stain on the floor of your shower, or even in the bottom of your sink? While it is possible, removing copper stains such as this seemed to be a long and difficult task. That is, it does until you find a new system that works really well. Here is a unique method that you can use to begin removing copper stains from your shower, bathtub, or sink. While this method will make the task a little easier, there will still be some elbow grease to get rid of the stains.

In this method you will be making a poultice, or paste, that you apply to the stain. To make this poultice, is some cornstarch, a few drops of liquid dish soap (such as Palmolive or Dawn), a shot glass full of water, and lots of ketchup (about a bottle's worth). For the cleaning materials, you will need a clean, old thick rag or towel that you throwaway when you are finished. Also get a few of those square plastic dish pads, that are usually sold in packs of twelve, and measure four inches by six inches.

Once you have everything ready to go, and before you actually apply the paste, make sure that you get the stain nice and wet. Then, you get the towel nice and wet as well. Apply the paste or poultice, to the stain. Make sure that you cover the stain really good and don't hold back on the amount of poultice that you use. After you have applied the poultice, cover it with the wet towel, and let everything set for 1 1/2 hours. Don't forget the time, since you don't want to have to chisel up the dried poultice.

When 1 1/2 hours have passed, carefully remove the towel, and start scrubbing away at the stain. Use the plastic dish pads and scrub in a circular motion. This motion is similar to what you do when buffing a car, or if you remember the old Karate Kid movie "Wax on, wax off!" motion. Use a lot of elbow grease when you are doing this; and don't be surprised if you have to go through several of the plastic dish pads since they will not last very long. When finished, rinse the area and wash it as normal.

If the stain is gone, then congratulations you are finished and can dispose of the towel, and the remaining paste that you made. If not, then repeat the whole process again. Repeat as many times as necessary until the stain has been removed. Once it is finally removed, then dry off the area and start to consider getting some new plumbing pipes, or at the very least a water treatment machine to prevent the stain from coming back.