Short answer: rinse it with plain water after use and let it dry open. Every week or two, clean the inside with lemon juice and salt (or white vinegar and salt), then rinse well with plain water. Never use a dishwasher.
Everyday care
- Use only cool or room-temperature plain drinking water in an unlined copper bottle.
- Rinse with fresh water when you refill it.
- Leave the cap off so the bottle dries fully between uses.
- Hand wash only, with mild soap and a soft cloth. No dishwasher, no steel wool, no harsh scourers.
Deep clean (every 1–2 weeks)
- Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the bottle and add a teaspoon of salt. White vinegar with salt works too.
- Add a little warm (not hot) water, close the cap and shake for about a minute.
- For the inside, a soft bottle brush helps reach the base.
- Empty it, then rinse several times with plain water until no lemon or vinegar taste is left. This step matters: acidic liquids should not be left standing in unlined copper.
- Dry the bottle upside down with the cap off.
Dark spots, patina and green marks
- Darkening is normal. Copper naturally oxidises with use and air. You can keep the patina or polish the outside with lemon and salt.
- Green or blue-green marks (verdigris) mean the copper has been left damp or in contact with something acidic. Clean them off with lemon and salt or vinegar and salt, rinse thoroughly and dry before using it again.
Things not to do
- Do not store lemon water, juice, fizzy drinks or anything acidic in it. Acid draws copper into the liquid.
- Do not use it for hot drinks.
- Do not put it in the dishwasher or freezer.
These steps apply to the Tamra solid copper bottle and to most unlined copper bottles.