It is needless to say that your childhood was awesome if you have seen your mom preparing meals in aluminum cookware. The past generation has seen an unparalleled predator in the cooking world who reigns supreme in this arena: aluminum cookware. The modern era has replaced aluminum cookware with a wide choice of ceramic, cast iron, stainless steel, and more. But none of the materials can match the golden history of aluminum cookware.
Aluminum is one of the most abundant materials on earth, and it has the longest lifespan. If you want to restore aluminum cookware, then you must follow some guidelines. As aluminum was hugely used as a kitchen utensil, it is obvious that some of the pots or pans still exist, and you have a keen determination to restore or clean that vintage aluminum cookware. Don’t fear because this article will provide you with instructions for cleaning and polishing aluminum cookware. Let us dig deep into the article.
Summary of Contents
Why do aluminum pans need extensive care?
Well, aluminum is one of the most reactive materials found in the world. An aluminum pot or pan may gather lots of oil, grease, and grime than any other materials compared to stainless steel and cast iron.
Naturally, aluminum is very reactive with oxygen, and as a result, it gets oxidized soon and gathers rust at the surface of the pan or the cookware. But you don’t need to throw that item in the bin. You can rejuvenate the cookware using some shocking and straightforward ingredients that are well available near you.
Things you need to clean aluminum cookware
It would help if you had a bunch of helping materials to clean the aluminum cookware. These ingredients make your work easy and enjoyable. Here I am giving a shortlist of items needed to clean the aluminum cookware,
- Regular dish soap
- Cream of tartar
- Aluminum polish
- Water
- Soft cloths
- Old toothbrush
- White vinegar
- Clean rags
How do you clean vintage aluminum pots and pans?
There are tons of marvelous ways to clean your vintage aluminum pots and pans. And the vivacity goes beyond when you find the spectacular items near you. Let’s explore the strategic methods to clean your old and rusty aluminum cookware.
Vinegar to the rescue
Have you heard of the most impactful liquid that works as a real predator against rough stains? Yes, you are hitting the right bush; the vinegar works as a ghost stain killer. It is that kind of product that can almost solve all the rust and dirt problems.
Look, there are two different ways to clean your rusty vintage aluminum cookware. The first one is for the stronger stain. Fill the vintage pot with the vinegar full to the brim, and then put the pot onto the stove and heat it until it starts to boil. Heat the pot for almost ten minutes, and then stop the stove and put it off the pot. Spill all the vinegar from the pot and let it settle down to be rested cool for a few minutes. After reaching the cooling phase, gently clean it with regular soap or liquid. And clean that with mild warm water. And see the magic; all the stains will disappear within the blink of an eye.
Another method is quite simple but effective. Prepare a mixture of vinegar and water. Then gently use that mixture to rinse the entire pan or cookware. The next step is to rinse the vintage aluminum cookware with whitish dish soap and water. Then dry the pot evenly. If any moisture is present in the cookware, it may create an unwanted circular spot on the pot. You can miracle clean or restore the vintage aluminum pan or cookware by following the above guidelines.
Things needed: one or two cups of pure vinegar, rubber gloves, a soft sponge, and regular dishwasher soap or liquid.
Salt Miracle
Maybe you are shocked at how salt can be used to clean rusty and damaged aluminum cookware, But believe me, this super simple method can be transformed into a drastic and magical incident in eating all the stains.
The first thing to do is fill the vintage pot with water full to the neck and then add some salt; more or less, two to three spoons of salt may do the work. Put the pot onto the stove and heat it for about 15 to 20 minutes. You can add aluminum foil paper into the pot if you wish for a better result. The aluminum foil may not dissolve into the water, but it may emit some of the particles that react with the sodium, and inside the pot, mild reactions may happen that may help to clean away the stain. After nearly about 20 minutes, stop the oven and pour out the liquid and give it some rest.
At last, rinse it with dish soap and clean the pot with clean water. All the stains will have vanished within a few minutes. Still, it is the most popular method to clean aluminum pans or pots.
Things required: salt, rubber gloves, soft sponge, regular dishwasher soap or liquid, aluminum foil paper
Promising Lemon juice
As we all know, lemon is an excellent source of acid, and acid can react with a blemish. This can be a super-effective strategy to get rid of the acute stain. Just simply slice the lemon in half and gently rub it all over the aluminum cookware. Then rinse it with clean water. Or there is another way that is to take some lemon juice and mix that with mild warm water. Then rinse the pot with that liquid and use regular dish soap to do the rest.
What you need: a slice of lemon, regular dish soap, and a sponge
Astonishing artificial cleaners
Artificial cleaners may be proven As one of the primary weapons to get rid of the stain. They are simply found at the supermarkets. The artificial cleaners contain a good amount of cleansing agent that reacts with the rust and keep them away once and for all. Here I am giving some examples of decent artificial cleaners like Brasso, Eagle one, Bar Keepers friend, and many more.
Baking soda and Hydrogen peroxide bonanza
Have you heard that myth that two are better than one? It seems surreal that two are better than one; baking soda and hydrogen peroxide are much stronger and cleaner. Separately they work pretty well, but when you combine them, they become a beast. They are the most effective and powerful combined chemical to work against rust and stain. Here I am elaborating on the details about cleaning the stain with a mix of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. 
First, you have to take baking soda and hydrogen peroxide in a pot. More specifically, take two tablespoons of baking soda and mix that with three tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide. At the initial state, they both are powder, so to clean the stain, add some drops of water into the powder mix and make a thick paste. The next step is the most crucial one. You have to evenly spread the paste throughout the stain and turn it into a dry layer. After a few minutes, scrub off the dry layer and rinse it with clean water. That’s it; your vintage aluminum pan will turn into a new and exclusive shiny pan.
Things you need: baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and a sponge
Unparallel Dryer sheets
Stains on the aluminum cookware may be obstinate enough to remove quickly. I am disclosing another trick that will remove the stain with sheer ease. Dryer sheets normally work as wax sheets. Put the dryer sheet on the vintage pan in a manner that completely covers the pan’s surface. Then apply some cold water to the dryer sheet, the target is to strike the sheet with the stain. The dryer sheet is manufactured to react easily with the stain and eliminate the stain. Put the sheet into the surface of the plan for about one hour. After one hour, remove the sheet, and you will see the real magic then. The sheet can remove the rough stain. Then clean the pot with pure water, and that’s how you can simply remove stains from the aluminum cookware.
What you need: dryer sheets, cold water, a sponge
Monumental self-made cleaning solution
There is always a most significant and better alternative to any problem. If you find these guidelines, as mentioned earlier, complicated, then make your own recipe. Here I will discuss the self-made solution for cleaning the stain.
Things needed: cream of tartar, Rubber gloves, wooden stir, scrubber, and a sponge.
Take the cream of tartar in the vintage aluminum pan, add some water, and stir them with a wooden stir. Then put the pan onto the stovetop. Apply heat evenly for about 15 to 20 minutes. Stop the oven after the water is boiled and white residue floats on the water. Drain out the water from the pan. Then clean the pan with a scrubber and rinse with clean water. That’s how your pan will get rid of the stain.
Summing Up
Aluminum is a soft material that is prone to staining and rust. If you keep your aluminum pan in an open space or a monstrous area, it may start to rust. You surely do not want to ruin your aluminum cookware, will you? Unfortunately, if your aluminum pan is stained somehow, then follow the process given in this article. You can clean aluminum cookware and restore your aluminum pans or pots by following these steps. It’s not that difficult to restore or rejuvenate your vintage aluminum cookware. Just go through the article with a wary eye, and you will find the perfect procedure to clean your vintage aluminum pans. Once you are successful with the cleaning test run, make sure that it won’t come back in the future.