Wondering how to clean aluminum cookware? We have magical solutions for you. To know how to clean aluminum cookware, keep reading. Aluminum cookware is cheaper than other cookware. They are light-weighted and durable. You can easily carry them. That’s why you can find aluminum cookware in everyone’s kitchen.
But they get discolored, darkened or rust by long time use. Don’t worry. You can bring the shine back again. You just need to be tricky.
If you cook in extreme heat, your cookware may become darkened. Minerals from water oxidation and using detergent based dishwashers can also be the reason for darkening.
Aluminum cookware is handy and considered an heirloom piece. They can rust or discolor after long time use, but the solution of bringing back the shine is not that tough as well.
There are many ways of cleaning aluminum cooking utensil. The ways of how to clean aluminum cookware is given below:
Hand Wash With Warm Soapy Water
If there are mild stains on the surface, then you can easily clean them. Pour hot soapy water on the stained aluminum cookware. Let it simmer for 30 minutes.
After that drain the water. Now rub the area in a circular motion using your fingers. Rub for a while. Don’t put so much pressure. Then rinse it with warm water and dry with a paper towel.
Apply Hot Water and Butter
First of all, pour enough water on the stained cookware. Put it on the stove top and heat it. Bring it to a boil. Now put 1-2 tablespoons of butter and boil for 2 minutes.
After that, turn off the stove and put off the cookware from the stove top. Let it cool down. Now drain the water and put 2-3 drops of liquid dish soap in it. Rub with a soft sponge for 2 minutes in a circular motion.
Wash the cookware with warm water and dry with a paper towel.
Use Vinegar With Water
Vinegar is undoubtedly an effective cleaner. It removes stubborn stains and dark spots so easily. First of all, you need to make a mixture. Mix 2 cups of vinegar with 2 cups of water and mix them properly. The proportion of vinegar and water should be 1:1.
Now pour the mixture onto the discolored cookware and boil it on the stovetop. Once it starts boiling, turn off the stove and let the mixture cool down. Once it is cooled down, drain the mixture. Dip your sponge in soapy water and scrub the discolored areas both inside and outside of the cookware gently.
Use a soft sponge to rub the areas. After that, rinse the cookware with warm water. Make sure that no layer of vinegar or residue of soap should be left.
Rub with your hands while rinsing. After that, dry the cookware with a soft clean rag. If there is still left debris, repeat the process.
You can use vinegar in a different way as well. Mix one cup of vinegar with one cup of water. Now dip a nylon sponge in the mixture and start scrubbing the discolored surface.
After that, rinse with warm water. Dry your cookware with a soft rag.
If there are stubborn stains and your cooking pan is too darkened, you need to put the vinegar mixture on your cookware and leave it for 15-16 hours. After that, scrub with a nylon brush on the stained areas and rinse with warm water. Dry your cookware properly after that.
Vinegar breaks the build up of germs and loosens the accumulation by reaction. The most effective part of vinegar is, it is not harmful for the surface at all. It cleans the debris without damaging it.
Baking Soda With Water
Baking soda is a strong cleaner. But if you leave baking soda mixture on the surface for a long time it can damage the surface. So you need to use baking soda carefully.
First of all pour enough water on the stained cookware and put 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda in it. Mix them properly and heat the mixture until it starts boiling.
Once the boiling starts, turn off the stove and cool down the mixture. Let it sit for 20-25 minutes. Now drain the mixture and put 4-5 drops of liquid dish soap in it.
Scrub with a soft nylon sponge and rinse with warm water. Don’t keep the mixture for more than one hour. Otherwise, it will damage the surface of the cooking pan.
Dry your cookware with a paper towel. Don’t leave any moisture on the cookware.
Baking Soda With Hydrogen Peroxide
Baking soda can be used in many ways. Put 3 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide on the stained cookware. Now put 2 tablespoons of baking soda in it.
Boil the mixture. Once it starts boiling, turn off the stove. Let the mixture cool down and drain. You don’t have to let it sit. Otherwise baking soda will oxidize the surface which will cause discoloration.
Now scrub the cookware with dish soap and a soft sponge. Rinse it properly and dry your cooking pan with a paper towel.
Baking Soda With Coarse Salt
First of all, create a mixture of baking soda and coarse salt. Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda with one tablespoon of coarse salt and use some water to make the paste.
Apply the paste over the discolored areas. Now start scrubbing. Don’t let it sit otherwise it will create discoloration on the surface. After scrubbing, rinse properly so that no residue is left.
Dry your cookware with a soft dish towel. Don’t leave any moisture on the surface.
Hot Water and Salt
You can use hot water and salt mixture to clean your cookware. Pour enough water on your aluminum cooking utensil. Now put 3-4 tablespoons of salt in it.
Put the cooking pan on the stove top. Now heat the mixture. Keep boiling until the salt is dissolved in the water completely. After that, turn off the stove and put down the cooking pan from the stove top.
Let it cool down and then extract the mixture. Scrub with a sponge and dish soap in a circular motion over the surface. Then rinse the cookware with warm water and dry with a paper towel.
Use Lemon Juice With Salt
Lemon juice breaks the build up of accumulated debris. Pour some lemon juice on the stained aluminum cookware and let it sit for 30 minutes.
Now empty the cooking pan and sprinkle the rock salts over the stained areas. Scrub the area gently using a nylon brush. Then rinse your cookware with warm water. Dry the cooking pan with a dish towel.
Dry properly so that no moisture is left on the surface. If you leave moisture and don’t dry carefully, then you will face rust very soon.Moreover, water spots and white films can be seen which spoils the outlook and damages the surface.
Apply Cream Of Tartar
You can clean your aluminum cookware with cream of tartar. To know more about how to clean aluminum cookware, keep reading.
First of all, you need to make a mixture. Add 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar with 2 cups of water and mix them properly. Now pour the mixture on your discolored cooking pan.
Boil the mixture on the stove top. Once it starts boiling, turn off the stove and put down the cooking pan from the stove top. Now let it sit for an hour.
After one hour, drain the mixture and scrub the stained areas with a nylon brush. Rinse the cookware with warm water and dry with a paper towel. If there are still spots left, repeat the process.
Barkeepers Friend
Barkeepers friend is an effective cleaner. You can use them to clean your aluminum cookware as well.
First of all, pour hot water on your aluminum cooking utensil. Let it simmer for 30 minutes. Once the grimy particles are loosened, scrape off them with a plastic or wooden spatula.
Now drain the water and sprinkle some powder from the bar keeper’s friend on the surface. Start scrubbing both inside and outside of your cooking pan. Focus on the stained areas most.
Then wash the cookware with warm water and dry with a clean cloth.Store them separately.
Apply Magic Eraser
You can apply commercial cleaners such as Mr. Clean magic eraser or Dawn dish soap. These cleaning products cleans aluminum cookware very well.
First of all, pour hot water on your cooking utensil and leave it for 30-40 minutes. Once the accumulated residues are loosened, drain the water. Now put 3-4 tablespoons of magic eraser on the cooking pan and start scrubbing gently with a soft nylon sponge.
After that, wash your cooking utensil properly with warm water. Don’t leave any soap residues left on the surface of your cookware. Otherwise, your cooking utensil will rust. Dry your cooking pan with a clean cloth.
Apply Dryer Sheets
Many people don’t even know how to clean aluminum cookware using dryer sheets. It is so simple.
Place dryer sheets over the stains and now pour hot water over the dryer sheets. Leave it overnight.
After that, remove the dryer sheets and drain the water. Put 2 teaspoons of liquid dish soap and rub with a soft rag.
Then rinse your cooking pan properly and dry with a paper towel. Don’t leave any moisture on the surface of your aluminum cooking utensil. Be careful about that.
Apply Rock Salt With Olive Oil
This is an innovative cleaning process. Sprinkle some rock salts over the stains. Now pour a little amount of olive oil. Start scrubbing with a nylon brush.
Scrub gently. Don’t be harsh while rubbing. Then rinse with warm water. Now dip a soft sponge on dish soap and rub the surface to remove any oil residue.
Wash with warm water again. Now dry your aluminum cookware with a clean rag.
Use Tomato Ketchup
Sounding crazy? Not at all. Tomato ketchup is an excellent cleaner.It removes oxidation very well. Apply tomato ketchup on the surface and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.
Now start scrubbing with a soft bristled brush until the stains are gone. Rinse with warm water and dry properly with a clean rag. Leave no moisture on the surface of your cookware.
Use Coca- Cola
Don’t be surprised. Yeah you read it right. Coca- cola is a mild cleaner. Pour some coca-cola on your cookware and let it sit for 15 minutes.
After that, drain the coca-cola and scrub the cooking utensil with a soft sponge. It can be an effective way to clean mild debris. Now rinse with warm water. Dry your aluminum cooking pan with a paper towel nicely.
Apply Some Wine
Isn’t this amazing? Wine is a very good cleaner and removes black spots of the darkened areas quickly. It really works amazingly.
Pour some wine on the cookware. Let it sit for an hour. After one hour, you will see the black spots are gone. Drain the wine and scrub with a nylon brush over the black spots inside and outside of your cooking utensil.
Pour some wine over the spots while rubbing if needed. After that, rinse your cooking utensil with warm water and all the dark spots vanish like magic. Dry your cooking pan with a paper towel properly to avoid rust and other complications.
Necessary Tips
As you are learning how to clean aluminum cookware, you should know what you need to follow and what you should avoid. There are some tips given below:
1. Wash Before First Use
To maintain your hygiene, you should wash your aluminum cookware before first use. Aluminum cooking utensil can be dirty and attacked by unseen germs as they are kept in the shops for a long time and they can come in contact with dirt while packaging and shipping.
So you should wash before using them for the first time. Otherwise you may face stomach upset. To clean your aluminum cooking utensil before first use, you need to pour warm soapy water in the cooking utensil and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
Now drain the water and rub with your hands in a circular motion. Then rinse the cooking utensil and dry it with a clean cloth properly. Thus the unseen germs will go and you can cook for the first time in your cooking pan.
2. Don’t Use Abrasive Kitchen Tools
Don’t use metal based kitchen tools while using Aluminum cookware. You can use plastic or wooden kitchen tools instead of metal based kitchen tools.
Don’t use steel wool sponges as they are abrasive and can cause scratches on the surface of your cooking utensil. Rather you should use a soft sponge or nylon sponge or nylon brush which will not leave scratches.
Never cut any food or any vegetables in the cooking utensil. Knife is made of metal and it can leave scratch marks on the non-stick surface.
3. Dry and Store Your Cookware in a Proper Way
You should dry your aluminum cookware properly after each time you clean them. Dry your cooking utensil using a paper towel or a clean soft rag. Wipe nicely so that no moisture can be left in any portion of your aluminum cooking utensil.
If you leave any moisture on the surface, then the growth of unseen germs will be easy and your cooking pan may rust. So you should carefully dry your aluminum cooking utensil.
After drying, storing the cooking pan is a matter of concern. You can hang them on the shelf or arrange them on the rak. But keep them separate from one another.
Otherwise, one cookware will create scratch on the surface of another cooking utensil. So you should use pan protectors between two cooking utensil.
4. Avoid Detergent Based Dishwashers
You should avoid detergent-based dishwashers as they are abrasive and damage the surface slowly if you continue using them.
So never use dishwashers on your aluminum cookware which contains strong detergents.
5. Don’t Use Bleach
Bleach is a super abrasive and strong cleaner. It damages the surface and oxidizes the surface of your aluminum cookware. If you use even cleansers which contain bleach, it will create discoloration on the surface.
So if you want to protect your aluminum cooking utensil from rust and damage, never use bleach or such cleaners which contain bleach.
6. Don’t Put Aluminum Cookware On Oven Cleaner
Oven cleaner is not meant for cleaning aluminum cookware. They are made to clean the oven. So if you try to clean your aluminum cooking utensil with an oven cleaner, it will be nothing but foolishness.
The non-stick coating may be damaged if you use an oven cleaner. Like this, don’t use floor cleaners to clean aluminum cooking utensil. Every cleaner is not effective for cleaning every type of cooking utensil.
Rather, they can cause damage. So use the right cleaner and don’t be so experimental because if your experiment goes wrong, then your cooking utensil will be damaged.
Conclusion
Aluminum cookware is popular for its cheap rate, availability and light weight. They can clean easily.
But you need to take care of them and clean them regularly. As they are to use for a long time, sometimes you may notice discoloration or stubborn stains. But don’t worry at all.
Now you have learned how to clean aluminum cookware and you can bring back the shiny look easily. You can see your reflection in your cooking utensil for sure. Apply the procedures while cleaning your own aluminum cooking utensil and see the magic. Don’t forget to let us know your opinion through comments. Enjoy your day!
