Questions about how and how to clean aluminum are relevant for many. Aluminum products are distinguished by their lightness, convenience and beautiful shine, but as a result of use they quickly darken, become covered with plaque or oxide, which spoils the aesthetic appearance and interferes with the full use of the item. To restore the shine and purity of aluminum, use folk remedies and special household chemicals, follow the recommendations for care and use.
Aluminum is used to make dishes, automobile parts, furniture elements, etc. It is resistant to rust, but is susceptible to carbon deposits, limescale, darkening and oxidation
Remove carbon deposits
Cleaning oxides and carbon deposits is also quite simple. This will require funds and products that many people have in their homes. Moreover, such cleaning does not take much time and does not require serious effort.
- Aluminum is clarified using brine from cucumbers, fermented milk products such as milk and kefir. It is necessary to pour the available product into the dishes that need to be cleaned for half a day. Most often they leave it overnight so that you can simply wash the dishes in the morning. If you need to clean some objects from carbon deposits, they can be placed at the bottom of the container that was filled. Cleansing occurs thanks to the acids found in these products.
- A sour apple will help clear carbon deposits and remove oxidation. The fruit needs to be cut in half and rubbed onto the desired surface until shiny. The acid will corrode all dirt, and therefore, after rinsing with water, the item will shine.
- Contaminants can be removed using a saline solution. You need to take salt and water in equal proportions, and the first ingredient should be completely dissolved. Using a sponge, you need to apply the solution to the item that requires cleaning, leave it in this state for a while, and then rinse thoroughly with water.
Cleaning and washing in other ways
In addition to those described, you can use other “improvised” devices to bring the inside of containers to a high degree of cleanliness:
- an old towel
, which you no longer feel sorry for, into strips and use it instead of paper. - Detergents
can be used in combination with
sand, cereals
, etc. - “Whiteness”
copes well with greenery, plaque, and wine stains.
But it also has a negative point: chlorine smell
, which is almost indestructible on wood or plastic. But glass and ceramics can be washed perfectly with its help. Then rinse it many times and let it sit open for the smell to dissipate. - Wood shavings
are another good mechanical tool. It can be used to clean almost anything, including wooden barrels. - Potato peelings
are peeled not only due to the “abrasion” of the surface, but also due to the starch they contain. - Cereals and grains
. In addition to the already mentioned millet, rice has proven itself excellent. But many people do not recommend using buckwheat, because it quickly absorbs water, becomes loose and is difficult to wash out. You can use whole grains: wheat, oats, rye. - Sand
and grated
laundry soap
will even remove greasy deposits from the container. - Mustard powder
and warm water (closer to hot) wash away most contaminants, including oil. - Vinegar or citric acid
is an excellent plaque remover. It is better to completely fill the dirty areas and leave them overnight, then shake, rinse and, if necessary, use mechanical cleaning products.
Carefully.
Under no circumstances should you combine bleach and acids. Either one or the other.
But if, for example, vinegar did not help, and you are going to use “Whiteness”
, first rinse the container thoroughly to remove any remaining acid.
These simple but effective methods of washing and disinfection will definitely help when you need clean glassware for wine, setting up mash or cleaning parts of a moonshine still.
Scale
- will cope with mild soot . Pour it into the pan, leave for 24 hours, and then wash.
- Laundry soap will help with fresh burns . Grind it into shavings, add about 50 g to an aluminum pan with water and boil for 30 minutes.
- If the deposit is old or too strong, use activated carbon . Crush 5 tablets and sprinkle the bottom of the pan, after moistening it. After half an hour, pour in water and leave for the same amount. Then wash. This way you can even get rid of burnt sugar.
Scale is one of the main problems that owners of aluminum cookware face. Citric acid is an excellent scale remover.
Less chemicals
Naturally, the fastest way to deal with contaminants is chemicals, but is it necessary to use it on anything that will come into contact with food and drinks
? It is much safer to use natural remedies, only turning to chemicals as a last resort.
Traditional methods
Let’s look at repeatedly proven and trustworthy methods that can be used to clean even very “neglected” contaminants from the inside:
1. Eggshells and baking soda
. This tandem is useful for thoroughly washing a vessel, especially one that you can’t put your hand into or reach the bottom. Such as a wine carboy or bottle. You will need:
- eggshells from several eggs
. You can take both boiled and raw. The main thing is to crush (knead) it with your hands to small pieces, no more than 0.5 cm; - baking soda
at the rate of 50 g per liter of water; - warm water
. This is a prerequisite for dirt to be cleared.
Choice of product
The disadvantages of aluminum include the softness of the metal and its instability to abrasive influences. If you plan to keep your pans shiny for longer, avoid using wire wool, brushes, abrasive sponges, or sandpaper.
Even the use of a melamine sponge, which can rid the metal of the oxidation film, will affect the appearance of the utensils - the shiny surface will become dull due to numerous micro-scratches.
Polishing with GOI paste will help return it to ideal condition - rub a rag soaked in a solvent with a piece of hard paste, and then polish the metal surface to a mirror shine.
When choosing how to clean aluminum, you should pay attention to substances that are almost always at hand for any housewife. These include:
- laundry soap;
- baking soda;
- salt;
- table vinegar;
- lemon juice or citric acid;
- dairy products;
- cream of tartar;
- office glue;
- oxalic acid, etc.
When cleaning aluminum utensils from blackness, stains and carbon film, use brushes with semi-rigid polymer bristles, foam sponges, cotton or microfiber napkins, and rags.
General recommendations
Aluminum is a soft metal that requires careful handling during operation and cleaning. To clean products from various types of contaminants and not damage the material, follow simple recommendations:
- Do not use metal scrapers or brushes, hard scourers or sharp objects . These tools damage the surface, leaving scratches and other unsightly marks. After such treatment of the dishes, aluminum particles can get into the food, which will negatively affect the taste of the dish and its benefits.
- Do not clean aluminum alloy products with abrasive agents (sand, powder).
- Kitchen utensils should be washed only after they have cooled down . Hot metal deforms when interacting with water, and it is almost impossible to return its original appearance on your own.
- such as acids or alkalis for cleaning They spoil the aesthetic appearance, and the resulting chemical reaction can lead to the release of toxins or heavy metals that are hazardous to health.
- To achieve the desired effect, choose a cleaning method and cleaning product based on the type and degree of contamination .
- Do not wash aluminum cookware in the dishwasher . Temperature changes negatively affect the metal and increase the risk of deformation and corrosion.
- To make the product shiny, polish the surface with a sponge dipped in a solution made from borax and ammonia in a ratio of 3:1.
Aluminum products require a special approach to cleaning and operation to avoid deformation, scratches and irreversible damage
Do not wash aluminum cookware in the dishwasher.
Descaling
When the water flowing from the tap in the apartment is hard, scale often forms on the inside of aluminum objects. If you try to wipe off dirt, you may scratch the surface of the product. The following tips will help you remove scale from the walls of dishes:
- in the case of persistent scale, the product is boiled in a mixture of substances, which includes soda, soap and silicate glue; this method is indicated above;
- when the scale layer is small, ammonia is used in an amount of 5 to 10 drops, dissolved in a small amount of water, with the addition of a third of a piece of laundry soap, 1 tbsp. l. baking soda; wash the product with the resulting mixture and rinse it with running water;
- scale is removed with vinegar, to do this, pour water into the pan, add 4 tbsp. l. table vinegar; solution 15 min. boil, drain, and rinse the dishes with water.
All these methods allow you to clean an aluminum product without damaging its surface.
Cleaning methods depending on the type of contamination
When cleaning aluminum pans at home, you can do without using household chemicals. Ordinary office glue will come to the rescue, which contains compounds that break down complex stains. Not only smoked pots, but also frying pans are easy to clean.
Expert opinion
Ksenia Diyanova, expert on beauty, purity, harmony
Ask me any questions, I will be happy to answer!
Scale is one of the main problems that owners of aluminum cookware face. Citric acid removes scale perfectly. The composition includes white clay, corundum and oleic acid, which effectively dissolve fat and burnt particles. Activated carbon Ask me all your questions, I will be happy to answer!
How and with what to clean aluminum at home from oxidation and plaque to a mirror shine
- Water is poured into the pan so as to cover the height of the coating.
- Heat to boiling
- Add citric acid (2 tsp per 1 liter of water) and boil for a couple of minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.
- The water is drained and the dishes are washed with soap.
You won’t need to think about how to clean an aluminum pan from blackness or polish it if you don’t be distracted from the stove while cooking . Then the contents will not burn. To prevent the metal from darkening, you do not need to cook compote, cabbage soup, or other similar dishes in a saucepan. In addition, you should not leave anything perishable in it that could leave marks inside the pan.
Rules for using aluminum cookware
Every housewife can preserve the original appearance of kitchen utensils, protect them from deformation and serious contamination. To do this, follow the basic recommendations for the operation and care of aluminum products:
- Do not use dishes for pickling cucumbers, cabbage and other products. The acid reacts with the metal, which provokes the release of toxic substances that are hazardous to health.
- Aluminum utensils are not suitable for daily use due to rapid wear.
- Do not store leftover food in aluminum containers.
- Avoid prolonged exposure of metal to high temperatures. Use medium to low heat while cooking.
- For cleaning, do not use powder, sandpaper, or other abrasive tools.
Aluminum products are lightweight, multifunctional, and easy to use. With proper use and care, a kitchen utensil, sink or part will last a long time, fulfilling its main purpose.
Helpful Tips:
- A glass of vinegar.
- Half a bar of laundry soap. Grind or grate it for better dissolution.
- Silicate glue. 100 grams of this composition or the same amount of liquid glass. Basic cleaning is carried out using office glue, this is the main component
♦ Remember that highly acidic food stored in an aluminum pan for 2-3 days may lose taste, aroma and color; Therefore, we strongly advise you to use aluminum cookware only for cooking and not for storing food.
