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Indoor Water Fountains With Natural
Finish
Indoor water fountains that use copper components
will naturally change in appearance over time. As it ages,
copper begins to take on a bluish green patina called verdigris
(pronounced “ver da gree”).
Different indoor water fountains will develop this coloring at
different paces, depending on the water used and the climate in
which they are kept.
Most people simply let the copper's natural changes unfold, and
enjoy the unique patterns that nature provides. If you would prefer
to slow the development of the verdigris coloring, you can apply
a thin film of Pledge® or other furniture polish once a week.
However...
- DO NOT use copper
cleaner, wax or any other powerful solvents. These kinds of
cleaners will completely remove the hand painted patina, leaving
raw copper.
Powder Coated Fountains
Powder coating is
a finish, either clear or coated, that is baked on to some indoor
water fountains. It helps
to slow the oxidation process.
Whether the powder coating on your
indoor water fountain is clear or colored, apply Turtle Wax Hard
Shell® wax about every three months to help the coating
last. A household polish like Pledge® will work
well for weekly cleanings, and will maintain the durability of
your finish.
It is best to keep the copper portions of your decorative indoor
fountain dry. Even small droplets of water will speed the formation
of verdigris.
DO
NOT USE COPPER CLEANER
This will damage your indoor
fountain’s powder coated finish. In some areas of the country
the water has a large amount of minerals which will cause white
spots to appear on the copper parts of your indoor water fountain.
On powder coated copper, these spots can be safely cleaned off
with CLR® (Calcium Lime Rust Remover) following the
instructions on the bottle. Make sure that you thoroughly
rinse off all cleaning agents before refilling and restarting
your indoor water fountain. Don’t get any wax or Pledge
in the water! See section below “How to Maintain the Water”
regarding Protec® to minimize minerals in the water.
As mentioned above, over time, all copper oxidizes – even if powder
coated. Powder coating merely slows the process. On
clear coated fountains, particularly in the creases where water
and moisture collect, a rosy color will ultimately develop.
This “blush” will generally stay localized and will not affect
the performance of your fountain. Maintaining your fountain,
as above, will delay and minimize the blush.
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