Hot pot staining

[paulg]

Hi!

Just picked up an unused Kenmore (Presto) electric saucepan. Paid a whole $1.50 for it. Great!
The pot was bright, shiny, unused with hang tags still on it!
To test I boiled some water. Afterward the pot is stained. Why? With just water?
Not that it is a big deal, but what is your opinions of cause? And how do I restore the original clean look if I so wanted?
Also see the Dormeyer hotpot. It too stained in a blackish manner. Again not a big deal but I would love to know how y'all maintain your pots!
Thanks for any info!

 

[hooverwheelaway]

For the Kenmore - try swirling a bit of plain white vinegar around in it; or perhaps wiping it out with vinegar on a paper towel. My grandmother used to do that with her stainless cookware to get rid of water spots.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Congrats on you nice pan!

Aluminum reacts with the minerals in the water. Since the aluminum is more porous than stainless steel, you might have to heat the vinegar in the pan to remove the stains. Cookware manufacturers used to say to boil water and cream of tartar to remove the darkening.

Any rust removing product or copper cleaner like Bar Keepers Friend will work, too.

 

[paulg]

Thanks

The combination of vinegar and cream of tartar helped a great deal. Vinegar alone didn't quite do the trick.
The Dormeyer is a tough nut. But that has been stained a long time.
Thanks!