To electroplate with this method, you will need a piece of copper, the metal to be plated, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, alligator clips, a 6 volt lantern battery, a glass/plastic container, and gloves. All of these items can be purchased at a local hardware or home improvement store.


A cheap and easy way to obtain 100% copper is to use a copper scrubbing sponge that can be found in the cleaning supplies of the supermarket.
Alligator clips are electrical wires that have metal clips on each end used for connecting circuits.
You can use a battery with a voltage as low as 1.5 volts if you don’t have a lantern battery.
Use a container large enough to submerge the metal that you’re trying to plate.
 You will need enough of this solution to submerge your to-be-plated metal. To make four cups of solution, add two cups of vinegar to two cups of hydrogen peroxide.Combining vinegar and hydrogen peroxide makes peracetic acid which must be handled with caution., The solution will turn blue, indicating that the scrub has dissolved into the solution. You now have a copper ion solution that can be used for electroplating.Wear gloves from this step on because the copper solution is toxic.
Soak the copper until the solution turns a light blue. It is better for the solution to be of weak concentration, so remove the copper scrub before the solution gets too dark.
 The battery provides the current necessary to transport the metals from the donor to the recipient. Connect one alligator clip to the positive terminal of the battery and another alligator clip to the negative terminal.


At this stage, it doesn’t matter which clip is connected to which terminal, as long as there is a separate clip attached to each one.
 Before starting the electroplating method, you must ensure that the metal is clean so the new metal atoms can form a solid bond to the recipient metal.Wear gloves to both protect your hands and keep the metal surface clean. It is essential to do this step well for an even electroplate.


Clean the grease with a mild detergent such as dish soap.
Scrub the metal surface with an acidic, abrasive cleaner. Vinegar works well to clean copper.Rinse the surface well to remove any residue and pat dry with a paper towel.
From this point on, handle the metal only with gloves on to avoid contaminating the surface.
 Take the other half of the copper scrub that wasn’t used to make the solution. Attach the alligator clip connected to the positive terminal of the battery and connect it to the copper scrub. If you attach it to the negative terminal, the electroplating won’t work., The other clip should be connected to the negative terminal of the battery. Attach this clip to the metal that you are plating. Try to attach it in a place that is inconspicuous.


You may need to move the clip during the plating process, so you get an even coat.
If you attach the metal to be plated to the positive terminal, the electroplating won’t work. Simply switch the clips and the process will work.
 Once both metals have been connected, submerge them in the blue copper solution you already made. Because they are connected to the battery, a current is flowing through the circuit. Atoms of copper will transfer from the copper metal and bond with the metal you are plating to form a coat.To avoid burn spots (spots where the copper accumulates too quickly), keep the two metals at least one inch apart and keep the solution in constant motion.
 When you are satisfied with the look of the plating on your metal, remove it from the solution. You can take it out of the solution and check the coat, then replace it in the solution without disrupting the process.


Rinse the metal and set on a towel to dry.
Gather the necessary materials.
Combine and heat equal parts vinegar and hydrogen peroxide.
Soak half of the copper scrubbing pad in the vinegar-peroxide solution.
Attach one end of each alligator clip to the terminals of the battery.
Clean the metal to be electroplated.
Connect the positive alligator clip to the copper scrub.
Connect the negative alligator clip to the to-be-plated metal.
Submerge the metals in the blue copper solution.
Remove the metal when the coat is even.
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