Buying Sheet Pans

[Norm Matthews]

I tell my son to not put our perforated pizza pan in the dishwasher. Not because I am concerned about any ill effects of aluminum oxide, but just because I don't like the look of dull aluminum.  When he forgets and puts it in anyway,  I bring back the shine with Barkeepers Friend and sometimes finish it with SOS.  It's an extra effort I prefer over looking at dull pans. I never put my sheet pans in the dishwasher but when they get grungy due to everyday crud build up, they are cheap enough to replace without much thought.  It is nice to know, however, that there are stainless pans. I'll probably replace my pans with SS eventually.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

9 minutes ago, Norm Matthews said:

I tell my son to not put our perforated pizza pan in the dishwasher. Not because I am concerned about any ill effects of aluminum oxide, but just because I don't like the look of dull aluminum.  When he forgets and puts it in anyway,  I bring back the shine with Barkeepers Friend and sometimes finish it with SOS.  It's an extra effort I prefer over looking at dull pans. I never put my sheet pans in the dishwasher but when they get grungy due to everyday crud build up, they are cheap enough to replace without much thought.  It is nice to know, however, that there are stainless pans. I'll probably replace my pans with SS eventually.

 

When he forgets why not have him bring back the shine with Barkeeper's Friend and SOS?  In my experience once aluminum gets corroded there is nothing that can be done.  Maybe I've never been aggressive enough.

 

[Norm Matthews]

4 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

When he forgets why not have him bring back the shine with Barkeeper's Friend and SOS?  In my experience once aluminum gets corroded there is nothing that can be done.  Maybe I've never been aggressive enough.

 

He has not forgotten since I talked to him a year ago.  It takes some elbow grease but if you get at it the first time, it shines again. Letting it go for a few times is a lot more difficult.

Edited August 22, 2018 by Norm Matthews (log)

[paulraphael]

On 8/22/2018 at 4:40 PM, Norm Matthews said:

It takes some elbow grease but if you get at it the first time, it shines again. Letting it go for a few times is a lot more difficult.

 

Interesting. I've never pulled off this particular kind of alchemy, even with BKF. Maybe you're actually abrading off the oxidized aluminum on the surface?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

30 minutes ago, paulraphael said:

Interesting. I've never pulled off this particular kind of alchemy, even with BKF. Maybe you're actually abrading off the oxidized aluminum on the surface?

 

Nor have I, I've tried.

 

[Norm Matthews]

13 hours ago, paulraphael said:

Interesting. I've never pulled off this particular kind of alchemy, even with BKF. Maybe you're actually abrading off the oxidized aluminum on the surface?

 

Perhaps, but BKF isn't known for abrasiveness.  We have an aluminum ice cream scoop that is dark gray from many times in the dishwasher. I just cleaned it with BKF and it shined again but left a dark spot on the dish rag.  The rag is probably stained for good.  Then I went after it with SOS and it polished a little more, but it's still gray.  Cleaning the pizza pan right out of the dishwasher with BKF was easier. 

 

Below is the pan and scoop.  Both are easily 25 to 30 years old.

Edited August 24, 2018 by Norm Matthews (log)

[paulraphael]

Interesting. I haven't had that kind of luck with sheet pans that have been assaulted by the dishwasher. No sense of the the oxalic acid magic happening with aluminum oxide. Maybe it's a slower reaction than with stainless steel. 

[Porthos]

I wonder how one brand of dishwasher detergent versus another might play into using BKF to restore the surface?

[Norm Matthews]

I wonder if there are differences in the composition of aluminum products.

Edited August 24, 2018 by Norm Matthews (log)

[paulraphael]

My understanding is that it's the strong alkaline component of the dishwasher detergent that oxidizes the aluminum. There's definitely a difference between something that's been machine-washed once or twice vs. dozens of times. Sometimes restaurant stores sell used sheet pans for a couple of bucks each, and among them will be ones that were sent through the washer until the aluminum was matte-white, pitted, and coming off in flakes. There's a limit to what you could hope to accomplish on these with some BKF. If you could manage to remove the oxidized aluminum there wouldn't be much of anything left.