How do you properly clean coppers?

[nate7394]

I found my 3rd large cent today along with a few other odds and ends. When I got home, I threw it in some boiling hydrogen peroxide and let it sit for roughly five minutes. Then I lightly brushed it with a toothbrush until the thin layer of crust came off. As a result, the coin now has what look like rust spots all over the obverse side. These spots appear vividly when put in the correct lighting (see pic 2). I can still see all the details, but these spots really take away from the visual appeal of the coin.

For my previous two large cents, I had used the olive oil method (which worked fine). I stopped because I had heard that olive oil could actually end up damaging a coin because of it's acidity. My question for y'all is what you think the best method for cleaning old coppers is. Thank you-Nate

 

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[lastleg]

Everyone seems to have their own recipe. Since I'm not selling I use a fibre brush from Lowe"s
on a dremel with either virgin olive oil or GO-JO Original crème. Requires patience and knowing
when to stop.

 

[Jason in Enid]

I think you got it clean enough. If you keep going you are going to start removing patina (which is corrosion) and only showing the ugly, pitted metal remaining underneath.