Why Should You Remove the Lacquer?
If you plan to display your copper item just as a decoration, it’s fine to leave the lacquer intact. However, there are times when you’ll want to remove the lacquer, such as:
When the lacquer on a vintage piece is peeling or bubbling.When you plan to use the copper item for cooking, food prep, or serving.If you prefer the soft gleam of bare polished copper to super-shiny lacquer.
There are three ways to remove lacquer from copper. You can use washing soda, acetone nail polish remover, or a commercial lacquer thinner. All three involve some elbow grease, but the methods are all fairly simple. No matter which process you choose, wear gloves to protect your hands from the chemicals.
Method 1: Boiling Water and Washing Soda
Method 2: Acetone Nail Polish Remover
Method 3: Commercial Lacquer Thinner
If the first two methods don’t get the job done, you may have to use commercial lacquer thinner from a hardware store. Consider it a pumped-up version of your nail polish remover, one that probably contains acetone and other solvents. Once you’ve removed the lacquer from your copper piece, it will tarnish. To keep the pinkish-orange color, you’ll need to clean and polish it regularly.
