I have an aluminum pot that's been through the dishwasher a few times and looks like crap because of it. Will the smooth finish come back if I hand wash it from now on? Is there a way to get the old finish back? TIA, Bonnie in PA
Cast aluminum can easily pit, and once that happens there's little that can be done to restore it. You can try an aluminum polish. Avoid using anything acidic or alkaline.
Better yet, consider replacing the pot with an iron one for cooking because as getting too much aluminum (in your blood) is a bad thing. Years ago my brother became sick and it was discovered that he had a high level of aluminum in his body.
Thanks. I've been thinking about getting cast iron pots/pans anyway.
How can we tell if we have aluminum pots? I have all relatively new stoveware but my dad recently gave me some old ones that my parents don't use anymore.
Did they find the cause of his aluminum loading? Magnesium depletion is the most common cause.
Acid foods can pick up aluminum from containers, but most people don't put acid foods in aluminum because acids cause pitting. It has been estimated that somebody who used aluminum for all cooking and storage would ingest 3.5mg of aluminum per day.
By contrast, an antacid tablet may contain 50 mg and a buffered aspirin tablet 20 mg.
The cause was not determined and he had normal levels of magnesium. He was instructed to read ingredients in antiperspirants and avoid foods in contact with aluminum.
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