I foolishly let an aluminium saucepan boil dry.

[Whoever]

It's not distorted or damaged but is hideously blackened both inside and out. As it's one of my favourite cooking pans, what's the best way of trying to rescue it?

[Barmaid]

Soak in soda crystals overnight and good scrub.

[Hopkirk]

Try soaking it in biological washing powder

[Hopkirk]

(I have no idea if that will work, but it does on some things)

[Clanad]

One respected site says:


Mix 1 qt. water with 3 tbsp. each of cream of tartar and vinegar in an aluminum pan. If you are not cleaning a pan, mix the ingredients in a bucket.

Boil the solution in an uncovered aluminum pot for 10 minutes. If you are not cleaning a pot, rub the solution over whatever aluminum surface you wish to clean and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.

Fill a small bucket with water and about 2 tsp. of mild detergent. Dump out the pot if you are cleaning one. Wet a plastic scouring pad in the soapy water and scrub the aluminum surface vigorously. If the stain is still there, cover it with the tartar, vinegar and water again and scour it once more...

[Ratty2E]

Boil up some biological powder in it, that should get rid of the black on the inside. For the outside you could try soaking it in the sink with bio powder and maybe finish it off with a scourer.

[Old_Geezer]

I was under the impression it was not good to cook in aluminium, something to do with it leeching into the food ? Or did I misunderstand ?

[mojohnson]

an easy effortless way to clean the inside is cook apple or rhubarb

[gingejbee]

Strongly alkaline solutions and aluminium do not mix - so don't use washing-soda. I'd try the bio wash powder/liquid.

[rowanwitch]

rhubarb works but I'd use the bi o powder rather than waste good food