Do you like cooking? If so, you use metal kitchenware for sure. It includes a lot of various items. They differ by weight, rust resistance, and thermal conductivity. Copper cookware is perfect. It’s beautiful, durable, safe, and versatile. Can you wash copper mugs in the dishwasher? Authentic, perfectly finished cups and shot mugs offer you luxurious drinking experience. It grants you multiple tastes and health benefits. Do these items come with lacquer coating? If they don’t, wash them by hand. Let’s discuss how to keep your favorite mugs clean and shiny for years.
Are Copper Cups Dishwasher Safe?
Look at your beautiful, bright mugs. They might be:
- copper-plated;
- solid;
- unlined.
Copper-plated cups have stainless steel or silver inside. Thin copper plating is pretty sensitive. Solid copper cups commonly come with lacquer coating. Hot water and chemicals remove it. They cause tarnishing process. Have you got unlined copper mugs? These unique items are to be pretty expensive. Are they dishwasher-safe? Don’t believe it. Their surface is prone to tarnishing anyway. Therefore, your copper tableware needs special care.
How Do You Keep Copper Mugs from Tarnishing?
Natural oxidation process is a forerunner of metal corrosion. It includes formation of protective layer. Your cup starts exhibiting reddish-orange color. Black spots on copper mugs appear. In some time, without proper maintenance patina gets aqua-green tint.
Copper is a noble metal. It’s corrosion-resistant in multiple environments. It shows beneficial qualities in electrical applications. Let’s compare its basic properties with those of stainless steel and aluminum.
Copper vs Stainless Steel vs Aluminum
| Properties | Copper | Stainless Steel (300 series) | Aluminum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thermal Conductivity, W/m K | 413 | 14.3-50 | 237 |
| Electrical Conductivity, S/m at 68 °F | 5.96 x 107 | 1.45 x 106 | 3.77 x 107 |
| Electrode Potential, Volts | +0.34 | -0.00 to -0.15 | -1.67 |
| Melting Point, °F | 1983 | 2750 | 1220 |
| Density, lb/ft3 | 559 | 490-503 | 168 |
| Ultimate Tensile Strength, MPa | 220 | 860 | 300 |
Do you remember, what should you not wash in the dishwasher? Check the list again. Galvanic corrosion changes the matter. Copper and aluminum have different electrode potentials. Hot soapy water in your dishwasher may work like an electrolyte. Aluminum pots and copper mugs might come in electrical contact with each other. Their surface would stain and corrode. So, don’t place metal tableware together in a dishwasher at the same time.
Are Copper Mugs Safe?
Do you like drinking from your favorite copper cup? It doesn’t harm you adversely. Most tableware items come with nickel or tin coating. 
It doesn’t let chemicals leach into your beverage. Small amounts of the mineral benefit your health. It’s essential for you:
- Digestive system.
- Brain health.
- Cognitive and immune functions.
- Bone density.
- Blood circulation.
Copper, as a dietary supplement, promotes iron absorption. It has unique anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Therefore, it fights anemia and cancer. Do you worry about excessive copper? Washing wooden spoons in dishwasher is neither safe. It could make them crack or warp. But wooden tableware in non-reactive. In leaches no harmful chemicals into your cool beverages or hot syrups.
Unlined copper mugs might be dangerous. Don’t fill them with hot drinks or acidic substances. They react with uncoated copper surface and dissolves it. It may cause copper toxicity due to excess of heavy metals in your body. How to check if your beverage is acidic? Its PH level should be below 6.0. Otherwise, FDA prohibits direct contact of your favorite mugs with food.
How Do You Clean a Copper Mug?
New copper cups look so shiny and beautiful! They add rustic touch to your liqueur cabinet or kitchen. Copper drinkware lets cool beverages remain cold and refreshing longer. It’s about as heavy as ceramic coffee mugs. These unique, lustrous items just need regular care.
Daily washing is to be gentle and careful.
- Rinse your copperware with warm tap water and mild dish soap.
- Wash it with a soft sponge.
- Wipe off excess water. Use two or three clean cotton dishtowels, therefore.
Avoid using harsh textile or synthetic cloths. Polyester fabrics may scratch sensitive surfaces. Scrub the mug gently, in circular motions to remove small food particles and debris. Copper mug discoloration occurs in some time. Thus, polish it regularly. Remove tarnish and dark spots with lemon and salt or vinegar and baking soda. Ketchup also works.
Remove spots with mild abrasive. Table salt or soda is acceptable. Is it safe to use acidic liquids to clean copper surface? They remove spots and tarnish. As you don’t drink lemon juice after this chemical reaction, it’s safe. Just rinse your tableware properly after use and dry it thoroughly.
Final Judgment: Can You Wash Copper Mugs in the Dishwasher?
Don’t put copper mugs in your dishwasher. Contact with other metals like aluminum might cause galvanic corrosion. It would weaken thin coating and spoil your luxurious copper drinkware.