this post was submitted on 22 Dec 2024
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Chemistry

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I put an aluminum wok lid in the dishwasher and it came out with black marks on it. I’ve also seen other aluminum cookware come out with some kind of white powder specs on it.

So apparently aluminum is dishwasher unsafe. But obviously it’s not the water that’s the problem. It must be the detergent. So the question is, what can a lazy motherfucker like myself do? Why don’t I see aluminum-safe dishwasher detergents on the shelf?

Possibly related: Bailey’s creme liquor turns black underneath an aluminum cap. Is that a chemical reaction or spoilage, or something else?

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Aluminium-safe dishwasher detergents do exist, using sodium silicate, but they're damn expensive. Sadly you're better off cleaning aluminium cookware by hand.

That tarnish happens because aluminium is way more reactive than it looks like. It's amphoteric, so both acids and bases attack it. And, in a simplified way, soaps and dishwasher detergents tend to be basic enough to attack aluminium.

Typically this is not a big deal because there's a neat layer of aluminium oxide covering metallic aluminium (that's why it looks dull, instead of shiny). But if the aluminium or the solution are hot enough, that layer itself gets quickly corroded. And, well, dishwashers heat things up, right?

Weirdly enough I believe that the tarnish and white powder are also a mix of aluminium oxide and hydroxide. But since the tarnish isn't in a neat crystalline structure, but a porous one, it gets dark. You can remove that layer of oxide with some weak acid, like vinegar; the metal will regenerate a neater one.

[–] grue 10 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

So the question is, what can a lazy motherfucker like myself do?

Ditch your aluminum cookware and get stainless steel stuff instead. Treat your dishwasher like the Thunderdome: anything that can't survive it is unworthy of your use.

laundry rather than dishes, but related

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

It’s a good approach. But the aluminum I have is part of a whole. A rice cooker inner pot and a wok lid. Maybe I can find a replacement wok lid.

But what about knives? Dishwashers are said to dull knives. So far I only buy middle of the spectrum chef’s knives (~<$60) so abusing them isn’t a big deal. But that means I give up the benefit of a sharp knife that keeps a long-lasting edge. If I buy high-end (which likely runs a few hundred $), then it’s a bit wasteful to abuse it in the dishwasher. I suppose there are some things that I have to accept as high-maintenance. I wonder what pro chefs do.

[–] grue 2 points 1 month ago

So far only buy middle of the spectrum chef’s knives (~<$60) so abusing them isn’t a big deal.

Honestly, that's more than you need to spend. Get restaurant knives with tapered stamped stainless steel blades, e.g. Victorinox Fibrox. Cheap yet decent (recommended by America's Test Kitchen, Alton Brown, etc.) and NSF certified (which basically means dishwasher-safe even for heavy-duty commercial dishwashers).

[–] themachine 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Because uncoated aluminum is chemically sensitive. The staining won't impact performance but it is always recommended to hand wash aluminum.

There no way around being a lazy motherfucker here. Some things require more care.