My mom has a copper topped small round table in her kitchen,( has had it for decades ). It has some scratches on it. I have no idea how to go about removing the scratches. I am also interested in how to go about removing them.

The table has a nice old patina that you have unfortunately scratched off. You can try a solution of baking soda dissolved in water applied to the scratched area. This will darken the “new” exposed copper to the color of an old penny. Try buffing afterwards and adding a bit of wax to blend with the old finish. Don’t use salt or vinegar or lemon juice. These will turn the copper green.

Use sparingly and test in an inconspicuous area first!

The top needs to be completely refinished mechanically to remove the scratches. The patina is toast, but will come back. I'd put an 80 grit on a Festool 150 to start and work my way up to a red Scotch Brite pad.

This table doesn’t belong to them Joseph . There are lots of obvious old scratches on it already so the new ones will oxidize and fade with time. I’m sure if the owners want to restore the top they can but they may not appreciate their tenants doing it without permission.

Thank you all so much. I will try the baking soda. I saw youtubes on using all the different levels of grit. Maybe a dremel that I see in one of drawers but if the baking soda or just a plain scotch pad doesn’t work then we may be socked with a bill. Though at these airbnb it is unwise to put something non durable for daily use by peole who are not warned it is is a copper table. We ddn’t know what kind of table it was until I accidentally scratched it.

Thank you for your suggestions

Personally I wouldn't do anything to it. I think it's fine and should not be touched. If you just clean that area in will be much brighter than the rest of the table. If anything you want to make it darker. Like maybe a permanent marker and then rub it in with your fingers.

I would leave it alone to not accidentally make it worse.

lynartist:

May Bees asked for how to remove the scratches and I explained the only way they're coming out.

I think your right mihelene. There are other scratches on the table and the new ones are more obvious because they haven’t had time to oxidize. I’m sure those scratches will just fade over time and become part of the worn patina of the top.

I agree and also it builds character and if you still hate it maybe have it hammered so maybe it won't be so noticeable I'm not really sure

patina is relatively easy to scratch off, even something as simple as the pointy edge of a spiral notebook could do it. so really? I think it's the fault of the homeowner to put something so delicate in a rental unless they were ok with some scratching. I agree with mihelene that you should own up to the mistake and see what happens. this table has clearly been scratched before, over many years they become part of the overall texture. (it's like how I never polish my wedding ring, I just let it be.)

I studied metal construction in college. DIYing the patina might not be as easy for someone who has never worked with metal before. you might change the patina in an uneven way or darken it too much and make things worse.