Aluminum Problem

[Tom Bender]

Ok this may be a little off topic but this is where the science probably is. We have an aluminum cake pan with black stains from dripping sweet potatoes. The usual advice says it will come out with a combination of; vinegar, baking soda, Cream of Tartar, heat. Well no. Ana acetone did nothing. Any better ideas?

[John TenEyck]

Tom, I think it you have successfully removed the residue and there are still black stains then they are going to be there forever, having been formed by a reaction between the aluminum and dripping sweet potato at high temperature.

John

[Mike Henderson]

I'd take some sandpaper and see if sanding a part of the stain will remove it.

I haven't tried this for aluminum but for my Le Creuset pots, I put some Clorox in the bottom of the pot and let it soak for a while. Works like magic to remove the stains on the bottom of those pots.

Mike

[Ralph Boumenot]

Try Bar Keeps Best Friend. I've had excellent results using it on my SS and aluminum pots/pans.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Have you tried oven cleaner? Yeah I know about oven cleaner and aluminum. Look at you tubes for cleaning baking sheets.

[Bill Dufour]

people pay extra if you call it seasoning.
Bill D

[Mel Fulks]

Try Bar Keeps Best Friend. I've had excellent results using it on my SS and aluminum pots/pans.

Agree that it is a good product. Think its ground up feldspar....but it’s been a long time since those Paul Harvey commercials were on the
radio ! It’s also inexpensive.

[Kev Williams]

One remedy that may work: cut up a lemon or two and place in the cake pan, fill with water, slowly bring to a boil, wait and see... :)

[Michael J Evans]

I didn't even know people worried about stains on their baking sheets.... Now I'm embrassed to admit our are black and have been for many many years. I don't believe ours are aluminum but I know The last time I cleaned them with oven cleaner Works real good.

[Lisa Starr]

I've removed them with Bar Keeper's Friend.

[Tom Bender]

Ok we have bar keepers and oven cleaner. I'll report back.

[Tom Bender]

And here's that report

Bar Keeper's Friend did nothing

Oven cleaner worked very well

Thanks for the help.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Got sick and tired of the hassles trying to keep aluminum baking pans shiny. Got some fancy extra mirror finish stainless steel baking pans. even cookie sheets. The difference is amazing. After a few months of cookies, cakes, baking roasts, chicken etc, the stainless steel comes clean easily. (My FIL started as a lowly basic recruit in the US Navy. After being a ship's electrician for a few years, he got an appointment to Annapolis and worked his way up to something fancy. When we visit, I always help with the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen, because he does it. Something must have happened during several KP duties early on. Every pan is scrubbed shiny new before final rinse and dry. I never ran into such a meticulous pot scrubber in all my days.

[Brian Elfert]

I don't bother trying to get baking pans shiny new. If something can't be scrubbed off easily it sure as heck isn't going to contaminate any food cooked in the pan.

[Jim Koepke]

I don't bother trying to get baking pans shiny new. If something can't be scrubbed off easily it sure as heck isn't going to contaminate any food cooked in the pan.

That's the ticket!

jtk

[Kev Williams]

battle scars ;)