How to Clean Aluminium

Aluminium can be found in plenty of modern-day items, such as pots, saucepans, eating utensils, furniture, and even automobiles. Because it is a soft metal, it’s is often coated (anodised) with either copper or magnesium to make it more resilient to everyday wear and tear. Due to its softness, however, you need to be extra careful and gentle when cleaning it as not to scratch it.

So, if you:

• Plan to buy aluminium kettles because they warm up water faster, but wonder if they’ll be easy to clean.
• Need to clean an aluminium brew pot and are looking for a solution that won’t scratch it.
• You’ve heard you should never use oxygen-based cleaners and wonder what alternatives there are.

Then read along and you shall learn how to clean aluminium properly. And since it can be found in other household items besides your utensils and cookware, you will find tips on how to clean those items as well. 

But first, let’s start with what you have in your kitchen.

How to clean aluminium utensils and cookware

For this part, you will need an acidic solution. It will remove tough grease stains as well as bring back the shine to your aluminium items. If you plan to clean both cookware and utensils simultaneously, you can do it by placing your forks, spoons, and knives into the aluminium pot.

1. Pre-clean the items – clean your aluminium items by hand in warm and soapy water. This is done to remove the grease and food bits. If there are any burned food bits, scape them off as well. A dish scrubber should work, but if it doesn’t, heat up the pot or pan and then scrape the burned food off with a wooden spatula.
2. Prepare an acidic solution – fill the pot or pan with a quart of water and add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice. For a stronger solution, add both. Keep the same ratio of water and ingredients if you need to add more water.
3. Put the cookware on a stovetop – set to a high temperature and wait until the solution starts to boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and leave it for about 10 to 15 minutes. The aluminium on the inside should become brighter.
4. Turn off the stove and allow the solution to cool – once it cools down, throw out the liquid and scrub the inside. Use a scrubber (never steel wool) and be as gentle as possible to remove any leftover discolouration. Rinse if needed.
5. Dry the pot – use a clean, dry rag or towel.

How to clean aluminium surfaces

The sink in your kitchen gets splattered with all kinds of food bits and grime daily. If it has lost its shine, here is how to get it back. This method will work on other aluminium surfaces as well.

1. Remove any food bits from the sink – just like the previous section, here it’s also important to remove food leftovers, so they don’t interfere with the cleaning process. 
2. Wipe the sink with a sponge dipped in some dish soap – this will remove the smaller stains and grease out of the way.
3. Scrub with lemon and salt – cut a lemon in two and dip one of the pieces in salt. Use it to scrub the inside of the sink. Salt acts as a natural and safe abrasive, while the acid from the lemon juice will restore the aluminium shine.
4. Rinse with water – after you’ve covered the entire sink several times over, rinse thoroughly with water.

How to clean aluminium furniture

It’s easy to forget your garden furniture until it becomes so dirty that you simply can’t ignore it anymore. Mind you, if your garden furniture is coated or painted, then you should clean it in accordance with the coating and not the aluminium below it. 

The following tips will work to restore the shine of uncoated and unpainted aluminium tables and chairs. And lastly, pick a mild day to clean them, as hot days will make the process way harder.

1. Wipe down the furniture – wipe the surface with a damp cloth. This is the first step to remove large pieces of dirt and debris which have settled on your aluminium chairs and tables. Make sure you dip your cloth into warm water, as the warmth will help loosen the debris more efficiently.
2. Make a cleaning solution – mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a container. Alternatives to vinegar include cream of tartar or lemon juice. Dip a fresh rag into the solution and clean your aluminium furniture.
3. Rinse with water – once the surface brightens up, rinse your furniture thoroughly with your garden hose. Dry with clean cloths.

Hire professionals

If you lack enough free time to clean your aluminium items or simply wish to spend it on more pleasurable activities, then why not hire professional help? The cleaners Fantastic Services works with are experienced and fully equipped to clean any surface in your home, not just the aluminium ones. Reach out today and put the troublesome task of cleaning behind you!

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Did you manage to clean your aluminium items with our tips? Can you add something more to the conversation? Let us know by commenting!

Image source: Shutterstock / iwciagr