You don’t have to buy pricey copper chemical cleaners to shine your pots and pans or other copper items. You can do it yourself for pennies! Pour a generous amount of table salt on the surface and then a layer of white vinegar. Let this sit for about 15 seconds and then add another layer of each. Scrub with a sponge and rinse. If you wish you can buff dry. The acetic acid in the vinegar will have dissolved the tarnish while the abrasive salt will have scrubbed away any grime.