Anyone using deionized water to clean coins? - Ancients.info - The Online Resource for Ancient Coins & Antiquities

liedenfrost · Mar 29, 2011, 08:35 AM

How effective is deionized water at cleaning ancients? How long might it take? Any experience with it? I realize that this method could take months, but I have a few ideas.

areich · Mar 31, 2011, 02:00 AM

Many people soak their coins in distilled water (fewer than before use olive oil), but the water by itself doesn't clean the coins, even after months. The water has to be changed regularly and the actual cleaning is mostly done by brushing, typically a toothbrush with shortened bristles. The water loosens the dirt somewhat.

Of course there are people who only clean coins dry, I have seen good results with both methods.

Malcolius · Mar 31, 2011, 07:02 AM

I cleaned a couple of extremely caked Corinth Staters, which I bought from an Italian Auction site, by putting them into an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner in warm, distilled water. This cleaner is a cheap item readily available on eBay or other, similar sites.

After a couple of cycles the deposits fell off gently assisted by a wooden tooth pick. Very simple and non-aggressive!

John.

liedenfrost · Mar 31, 2011, 11:19 AM

I was thinking about using a recirculation system that continuously deionizes the water in contact with the coins. A sonicator used in conjunction would likely speed things up. I'm a Chemical Engineer and use similar industrial scale systems. I was thinking that this method might work if I could keep the water in contact with the coin deionized so that in continually pulls minerals off the surface. I'm not sure how long this would take. Time for an experiment maybe?

Wisecentaur · Mar 31, 2011, 03:31 PM

Deionized water dissolves stainless steel. I am not sure of your source for DI but you would ruin a coin if you left it under a DI drip. Placing a coin in DI water may help to loosen crud but I'm not sure it is any more effective than reverse osmosis water or distilled water.

We used to have a large DI water system at a chemical company where I worked and have seen the damage to metal. You are correct it might take a while to see any results. My current company has a reverse osmosis system (takes all minerals from the water) that might work. I have always forgotten the jug to bring some home. The plant I go to is in Northern Indianapolis. I see you are in Greenwood, Indiana. Let em know if you need any of the reverse osmosis water.

It would be great if you could post any results.

areich · Apr 3, 2011, 02:23 PM

There simply is no 'magic bullet' that effortlessly cleans deposits off a coin without harming the coin itself.

Mar 29, 2011, 08:35 AM	#1
liedenfrost Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Greenwood, Indiana Posts: 5	Anyone using deionized water to clean coins? How effective is deionized water at cleaning ancients? How long might it take? Any experience with it? I realize that this method could take months, but I have a few ideas.

Mar 31, 2011, 07:02 AM	#3
Malcolius Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Taree, New South Wales Posts: 61	Water Plus I cleaned a couple of extremely caked Corinth Staters, which I bought from an Italian Auction site, by putting them into an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner in warm, distilled water. This cleaner is a cheap item readily available on eBay or other, similar sites. After a couple of cycles the deposits fell off gently assisted by a wooden tooth pick. Very simple and non-aggressive! John.

Mar 31, 2011, 03:31 PM	#5
Wisecentaur Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Southern Ohio Posts: 75	Deionized water dissolves stainless steel. I am not sure of your source for DI but you would ruin a coin if you left it under a DI drip. Placing a coin in DI water may help to loosen crud but I'm not sure it is any more effective than reverse osmosis water or distilled water. We used to have a large DI water system at a chemical company where I worked and have seen the damage to metal. You are correct it might take a while to see any results. My current company has a reverse osmosis system (takes all minerals from the water) that might work. I have always forgotten the jug to bring some home. The plant I go to is in Northern Indianapolis. I see you are in Greenwood, Indiana. Let em know if you need any of the reverse osmosis water. It would be great if you could post any results. __________________ Greetings, Wisecentaur Last edited by Wisecentaur : Mar 31, 2011 at 03:36 PM.

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Mar 31, 2011, 02:00 AM	#2
areich Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Berlin Posts: 159	Many people soak their coins in distilled water (fewer than before use olive oil), but the water by itself doesn't clean the coins, even after months. The water has to be changed regularly and the actual cleaning is mostly done by brushing, typically a toothbrush with shortened bristles. The water loosens the dirt somewhat. Of course there are people who only clean coins dry, I have seen good results with both methods.

Mar 31, 2011, 11:19 AM	#4
liedenfrost Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Greenwood, Indiana Posts: 5	I was thinking about using a recirculation system that continuously deionizes the water in contact with the coins. A sonicator used in conjunction would likely speed things up. I'm a Chemical Engineer and use similar industrial scale systems. I was thinking that this method might work if I could keep the water in contact with the coin deionized so that in continually pulls minerals off the surface. I'm not sure how long this would take. Time for an experiment maybe?

Apr 3, 2011, 02:23 PM	#6
areich Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Berlin Posts: 159	There simply is no 'magic bullet' that effortlessly cleans deposits off a coin without harming the coin itself.