Cleaning aluminum

[sarahperdue]

Hi everyone,

What's the best way to clean and deoxidize aluminum? I've spent a lot of elbow grease polishing, but I've been searching the web and see diy instructions for cleaning with acids and commercial cleaners.

Thoughts? I would love something that can be prepared in a bucket for dipping or soaking. I have pieces varying in size from a sink drainboard to small utensils.

Thanks in advance,
Sarah

 

[rp2813]

Ditto

Following

 

[mattl]

My griddle from my '59 frigidaire CI range is badly in need of help on the underside, been looking too.  I've read baking soda and peroxide works well but have not had the quantity of baking soda to try it. Last resort is oven cleaner but that does a number on the aluminum.

 

[sarahperdue]

No, not oven cleaner!

In addition to pitting the aluminum, it can discolor it.

Do you have a self cleaning oven you can clean your griddle in? I'm going to have a Frigidaire Custom Imperial double oven in the kitchen, but I'm planning to put a single GE P7 in the workshop for both overflow cooking and cleaning things as needed.

Sarah

 

[launderess]

Aluminum can be cleaned with any mild acid

Oxalic acid (highly poisonous!), acetic acid (vinegar white or apple), maltic acid (apples), tartic acid (cream of tartar).

This pretty much sums things up nicely.

https://cleaning.lovetoknow.com/how-clean-aluminum

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalic_acid

You can also use finest grades of steel wool to buff, polish and clean aluminum. But work with grain and don't go at it as if scrubbing front steps.

You can also use aluminum foil to clean aluminum items...

https://www.reynoldskitchens.com/tips/cleaning-aluminum-foil/

Something one has tried and can vouch for..

https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?68237_4

Whatever method chosen best to test a small inconspicuous area first before jumping in whole hog.

 

[mattl]

No, not oven cleaner!

Yes, I know..   I did some major scrubbing through the middle section and 1/3 of the bottom is clean, but that took too much effort. I keep the top side nice and polished, the underside is a remnant from when my dad was still around, he was messy in the kitchen, but he did cook and bake a lot. The damage from the oven cleaner could be polished out with steel wool.

 

My oven is sort of dead at the moment, need to replace the hidden element, but even after that popping the griddle in is problematic since all racks must be removed from  the oven for it to go into clean mode, do no know if setting it directly on the bottom of SC oven is a good idea.

 

[foraloysius]

Small utensils can be cleaned by boiling water and then add vinegar. Take the boiling water from the stove and let the utensils soak for 15 minutes. Repeat as often as necessary. Scrubbing with salt and half a lemon is another option that isn't too abrasive.

 

[sarahperdue]

Off topic sort of

I run the self cleaning cycle in my P7 with the racks in and usually have some Corning or other cookware in for a good cleaning. Will the sky fall?

 

[oliger]

Mother's magnesium and aluminum polish. Very easy and quick. Available at plenty of big stores in the automotive section. It'll make it shiny and new again.

 

[jamiel]

Some of the newer ovens with fancy roller-racks need them removed before self cleaning. If you have an older oven with regular or porcelain racks, they're fine...chrome will discolor, of course.

 

[sarahperdue]

Mothers...

I love Mother's, but it takes a long time, punishing amount of elbow grease and a fair amount of product to take a very oxidized piece of aluminum back to a shine. Been there, done that. I'm looking for a solution that will cut time and effort on the front end. I'm happy to polish to a lustre, but using polish to cut through decades of oxidation is a thankless task.

Sarah

 

[tomturbomatic]

Jon Charles, Jetcone, used a product, the name of which I can't recall.

 

[goatfarmer]

Used to be a product called Naval Jelly, that worked good. Haven't seen it in years. Blue Magic polish also works well.

 

[mattl]

Sarah, I guess the question is what aluminum item(s) are you wishing to clean up? That might point us in the correct direction for a product.

 

[ozzie908]

Didn't Rhubarb boiled in a pan

Remove all discolouration from aluminium pots?

Austin

 

[pulltostart]

Austin,

I think boiled rhubarb removes all discoloration from within your body.

 

lawrence

 

[rp2813]

Rhubarb

My mom used to make rhubarb crisp.  Her favorite vessel for baking it was an oval Descoware enameled cast iron casserole dish. 

 

One time she baked one up and brought it to the nuns at St. Leo's school convent.  When she got the Descoware back, the enamel on the bottom surface of the pan had been stained a light brown tint.  She tried everything to remove it, but nothing worked.  That dish was stained forever. 

 

[sarahperdue]

Rhubarb

Just isn't part of Southern culture. Most of us have never seen one!

As for what kind of things--pots, pans, deep wells, kitchen drainboards (I have an aluminum one)... I've put a few things in a vinegar soak. I've also read about commercial preparations designed for cleaning pontoon and john boats.

I ask because I've noticed a lot of aluminum items that have, for years, been sold with the grey oxidation, now listed with a bright, polished shine. I love the way polished aluminum shines. It's softer, more like sterling than stainless.

Sarah

 

[launderess]

Rhubarb leaves are rich in oxalic acid....

Rhubarb - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org