Article: Combine ¼ cup (32 g) of all-purpose white flour and ¼ cup (75 g) of table salt in a small mixing bowl. Mix the salt and flour together with a spoon so they’re thoroughly combined. Slowly add in 1⁄4 cup (59 ml) of white vinegar at a time and stir it into the salt and flour. Keep adding in vinegar until the flour and salt forms a thick paste, which should take about 1⁄2–3⁄4 cup (120–180 ml).  You can substitute lemon juice for vinegar if you want. You may use baking soda as a replacement for flour if you want. Dip a clean cotton rag into the paste that you created and thoroughly rub it over the surface of the pipes. Follow the grain of the copper pipe to prevent forming any scratches. The paste will break away any built-up residue and grime. Continue working in a back and forth motion until the surface of the pipe shines.  The grain of the pipes is the direction that the pipe runs. Clean from one end to the other rather than around the pipe. If you don’t have a cleaning cloth, you can also use an old, clean sock instead. Once you’ve applied the cleaning paste, leave it on your pipes for about 10 minutes so it can break down tougher build-up. Test the areas on your pipes by wiping it with your rag to see if the buildup comes off. If it doesn’t remove the buildup, then wait for an additional 5 minutes. Run the pipes under warm water from the faucet until all of the paste has been removed from them. If you can’t remove the pipes, then wet a cloth with warm water and wipe the paste off of the surfaces. Make sure you remove all of the paste from the surface of your pipe. Make sure there isn’t any paste left on your pipes since the acidity of the vinegar could cause damage to your pipes. Use a clean cotton cloth to wipe the water and any residual paste off of the pipe. Make sure the pipe is completely dry or else it could start developing tarnish and buildup again quickly. Once your pipes are dry, they’ll look shiny and new.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Mix flour, salt, and vinegar in a mixing bowl. Rub the solution onto the surface of your copper pipes. Let the solution sit on the pipes for 10 minutes. Rinse the pipes with warm water. Dry the pipes with a clean cloth.