If you have aluminum cookware in your kitchen, then you probably know how difficult it is to clean. If you clean it incorrectly, scratches may remain on the surface, which will ruin the appearance of the utensil. Some housewives complain that the aluminum pan burned and they had to throw it away. Don’t hesitate to throw away the product, it can still be restored to its former purity. Good household tips will help you clean an aluminum pan at home.
If food is burnt
The most common option in everyday life is that you forgot to turn off the heat, as a result, traces of porridge, pasta, etc. appeared on the bottom and sides of the pan. Some good advice is this: don’t put off cleaning until tomorrow or the next few days. You may forget, and during this time the contamination will already be firmly embedded in the metal, and removing it will become difficult.
As soon as trouble happens, soak the pan in hot water and leave to soak for at least half an hour. After this, use a soft sponge to remove traces of food that easily come off the surface.
Place 1-2 onions, previously peeled, into the pan. Fill the container with water and place it on the stove. Boil the bulbs for about 20-30 minutes, then drain the water and wipe the aluminum surface with foam rubber. The method works in most cases, but will be powerless against old stains.
Causes of darkening of aluminum
Blackness on the bottom and inner walls of an aluminum pan is not only due to burnt food. Its appearance can be triggered by the following factors:
- boiling potatoes in their skins;
- frequent boiling of water without adding salt;
- using a container for fermenting vegetables or preparing dishes based on them (sour borscht and cabbage soup).
Important!
Failure to properly care for an aluminum container can also cause it to darken.
How to clean burnt grease marks
The situation is a little more difficult with removing traces of fat. Fat eats tightly into the structure of the material, so it is not so easy to remove it, but it is still possible. First, soak a cloth or clean napkin in vinegar and rub it over the places where the greasy residue remains. Leave the vinegar to soak into the material, then pour water into the pan and add 1 tbsp. vinegar. Bring the water to a boil and then simmer for another 20 minutes.
When time has passed, drain the liquid and wash the pan with regular detergent.
Attention!
When you heat water with vinegar, there will be an unpleasant smell in the kitchen. Be sure to open the windows and balcony.
Getting rid of burnt spots inside the pan
To quickly eliminate such formations on the inside of the cookware, use various substances that are used for cooking (salt, soda, vinegar). You can also solve the problem with the help of certain medications (activated carbon, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol) and special detergents (Amway, Shumanit).
It is necessary to follow the recommendations for removing burnt stains so that the quality of the metal does not deteriorate and the service life of the cookware is not reduced.
Boiling with soda
Cleaning an aluminum pan with this substance is considered one of the easiest ways. It consists of the following stages:
- fill the problematic container with water;
- add 2 tbsp to it. soda;
- boil for 20-30 minutes;
- Wash the pots thoroughly with the back of a kitchen sponge.
If the soot is weak, you can rub the inside of the container with baking soda, after rinsing it with cold water. Due to its abrasive properties, the substance will polish darkened areas.
Vinegar
The acid in this product effectively dissolves old stains from burnt food. To restore the shine of the inner walls of an aluminum container, you need to perform the following steps:
- take a full pan of water;
- add 9% vinegar in the proportion of 1 glass per 1 liter of liquid;
- boil the water-acetic solution for about 1.5 hours;
- After cooling, wash the container with a sponge using soap or detergent.
If the surface of the container is very burnt, then there is a second way to clean it:
- undiluted vinegar is poured into the pan so that it covers all problem areas;
- Cover the pan with a lid and leave for 2 hours;
- After the time has passed, the container is washed well with detergent.
Important!
When boiling, be sure to open the window, as the vapors of the product can cause poisoning. Also, do not use vinegar essence, as it will corrode the aluminum.
Due to the aggressive effect of vinegar on the skin (possible burns), it is recommended to carry out the procedure with gloves.
Salt
An aqueous solution based on this food seasoning easily cleans the internal walls of the pan from burning. There are several ways:
- fill the container with cold water, add 1-2 tbsp. salt and boil the solution for 20-30 minutes. Then let it cool for 2-3 hours;
- Mix salt and water in equal proportions. Soak a sponge in the resulting solution and wipe the problem areas;
- if the food has just been burned, then you need to wait until the container has cooled down and fill it with water for 1 hour. Then pour out the water and pour a 1.5 cm layer of salt on the bottom. After 2-3 hours, remove the burnt stains with a sponge.
At the end of the procedure, rinse the pan with cold water. If necessary, use detergent.
Hydrogen peroxide and ammonia
The combination of these medications allows you to clean the walls of the pan, removing heavily burnt food residues. You need to do the following:
- fill the container with water;
- add ½ bottle of alcohol and peroxide;
- boil for about 30 minutes.
After the solution has cooled, wash in the usual way. If not all stains are removed, then repeat the procedure.
These medications effectively remove burnt jam stains.
You can prepare a cleaning mixture of alcohol and laundry soap:
- rub a piece of soap on a grater and dissolve the resulting mass in water, previously poured into a pan;
- add 1 tbsp. ammonia and boil for 15 minutes;
- After cooling, the container is washed with water and detergent.
Important!
Windows must be open during the procedure to prevent poisoning from alcohol vapors.
Activated carbon
To remove old grease stains, use the following method:
- grind 3-5 tablets of coal to a powdery state;
- fill the bottom with the resulting powder;
- after 30 minutes. fill the container with a small volume of cold water;
- after 0.5-1 hour, the pan is washed with detergent.
You can also boil the water-charcoal solution, and after it cools, wash the container.
Soda-salt solution
Heavily ingrained stains or carbon deposits are removed by performing the following manipulations:
- mix soda and salt in equal proportions;
- fill the bottom with the resulting mass and fill the container with hot water to 1.5 cm;
- After 12-24 hours, remove the mixture with a sponge.
To rinse the container, fill it with water, which must be boiled for 1 hour.
How to clean a pan from burnt jam
Try removing soot from jam with citric acid. First, use a wooden spatula to remove large areas of carbon deposits. Then take 3-4 liters of water, then dissolve 30 g of citric acid in it. Pour the liquid into a saucepan, then place it on the heat. The liquid should boil for 20 minutes, then drain it and place the pan under running cold water. Most of the jam residue will disappear. If small marks remain, repeat the procedure.
Secrets of cleaning aluminum cookware
Let's figure out which products can be used for cleaning, and which ones are best kept away from our favorite aluminum pots and pans. After all, unfortunately, over time (and especially from improper cleaning!) the aluminum surface tends to become covered with unaesthetic dark spots and loses its shine. First, you need to immediately decide what aluminum pots and pans don’t like. So!
You can start washing aluminum cookware by allowing it to cool slightly. After all, the hot soft aluminum from which this cookware is made can become quite deformed when it comes into contact with water.
- Forget about using any strong acidic or alkaline cleaners. During the cleaning process, these products can seriously damage aluminum.
- Any cleaning powders, especially abrasive ones, can easily scratch soft metal. Unsightly scratches are left on aluminum cookware by a variety of hard sponges and brushes.
You should not even try to pick at aluminum cookware, trying to clean it of burnt food with knives and other sharp objects. Do not clean aluminum with sandpaper or sand. After such barbaric treatment, the aluminum frying pan will only be suitable as a flower stand. It is wiser to use only wooden spatulas, which are unable to damage soft metal.
It turns out that it is not so easy to find a suitable product for aluminum cookware. After all, many of the usual means for washing and cleaning metal kitchen utensils have to be abandoned due to the increased “capriciousness” of aluminum.
Fighting heavy pollution
PVA glue and ordinary laundry soap will help in the fight against old stains. Take 1/3 of the laundry soap and grate it on a fine grater. Dissolve the soap in 3 liters of hot water and add a tablespoon to the mixture. PVA glue. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and cover with a lid, boiling the contents for at least 20 minutes. Then drain the mixture and clean the container with a regular sponge.
How to get rid of dark spots on aluminum cookware
Common causes of enamel darkening:
- improper operation;
- low quality material.
Interacting with incorrectly selected cleaning agents, the metal begins to oxidize. You can tidy up aluminum products using:
- office glue;
- oxalic acid;
- soda and water;
- vinegar.
Simply dampen the cloth and wipe the desired areas.
Home Remedies
In fact, you can clean an aluminum pan with products that you always have on hand. There is no need to go to the store and buy expensive powders, just be smart and use the following cleaning methods:
- laundry soap. Lather a sponge thickly with it and spread the foam over the dirty areas, leave for 20 minutes, then rinse;
- Coca Cola. It has long been used to clean dishes. Pour the soda into the pan and leave for several hours;
- dentifrice. Just pour it over the entire surface, moisten it with water, start to foam and leave overnight;
- apples. Apples contain fruit acids that have a mild cleansing effect. Take a sour apple, cut it into rugs and wipe the pan with the cut.
On a note!
For greater effect, always boil water with the chosen product. Higher temperatures help clean the surface.
Why do aluminum cookware get dirty?
Scale and plaque will form on any metal object over time. Improper care leads to this result.
The inside of the pan turns black for the following reasons:
- boiling unsalted water;
- boiling potato tubers with skins;
- cooking sauerkraut dishes.
Contamination caused by natural causes is easy to remove. How to clean aluminum pans at home until they shine?
Special means
It makes sense to buy household chemicals when none of the methods listed above helps, or the contamination has a very large area. Of the most well-known products, the following powders and cleaning liquids are most often purchased:
- Amway;
- "Shumanite";
- "Mr. Cheester";
- "Antinagar";
- "Sif";
- "Silit."
To clean aluminum, choose products with a gel structure. They gently clean the surface and do not leave scratches. Before use, always read the instructions for the product, it will tell you how to wash it properly. Wear gloves before washing to avoid damaging your skin.
Many housewives who have dishwashers advise taking a Finish-type capsule or tablet, pouring water into a pan and boiling for half an hour. Even hard-to-remove carbon deposits dissolve under the influence of surfactants and become less noticeable.
How to clean stainless steel cutlery with professional cleaners
Before purchasing, you need to study the label - there should be a note on it that the product is intended for stainless steel products. It is recommended to use substances that do not contain abrasives: sprays, gels. To avoid damaging the product, you must follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Moreover, the scheme for using each of the means is different.
Effective drugs:
- Cif;
- Sanitol;
- Topperr;
- Dr. Beckmann.
How to clean the outside of an aluminum pan
To remove yellowness and traces of fat from the outside, you can use the same means listed above, just without heating them.
To begin, take a clean microfiber cloth or viscose cloth. Soak the cloth in water and wring it out. Wipe the cloth over the contaminated surface, and then sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda or citric acid on it. Rub the fine powder into the metal in a circular motion, then rinse with water repeatedly.
Laundry soap removes blackness and soot well. Foam it and cover the outside of the product with a layer of foam. Leave on for half an hour, then rinse well.
How to remove scale from a stainless steel pan?
Stainless steel pans have gained popularity due to their versatility. You can use them to prepare soups and compotes, purees and crumbly porridges, and stew vegetables and meat. Despite the high price, scale appears in stainless steel pans just like in cheaper cookware. The use of aggressive household chemicals can lead to rapid damage to the product, so you should choose more gentle methods.
Baking soda
To remove scale with soda, you need to rinse the pan thoroughly, completely remove any remaining moisture with a dry towel, sprinkle the walls and bottom of the pan with sodium bicarbonate and leave for a couple of hours. After time has passed, remove the soda with a damp sponge, rinse the dish and wipe dry.
Soda and glue
Fill the pan to be cleaned with cold water, add 5-7 tbsp. l. soda and add 20 g of glue per liter of liquid. Place the pan on low heat and leave to simmer for half an hour, then turn off the stove and wait until the water cools down. Then the liquid should be drained and the utensils should be rinsed several times with hot water. If scale is firmly established on the walls of the dishes, you need to add a little detergent or crushed laundry soap to the water.
It is not difficult to extend the life of your utensils and maintain their attractive appearance; the main thing is to descale them in a timely manner and use only approved cleaning products.
