Cloudy, dingy aluminum pots don’t need a specialty cleaner or a cabinet full of half-used bottles. This simple aluminum pot cleaner uses heat and one pantry staple to loosen discoloration so you can get the pot looking decent again without scrubbing like you’ve got a personal grudge against it.
Making it yourself costs less than buying a dedicated metal cleaner. Using Walmart’s current price of $3.76 for a 1.5-ounce bottle of cream of tartar, this batch uses about 0.6 ounce for an estimated cost of roughly $1.50, and you control the strength because the formula contains only cream of tartar and water.
You only need 2 materials for this method, and the cleaner is made directly in the pot you want to clean. Grab the aluminum pot itself, a measuring spoon, and something to scour with if the finish still needs a little help after cooling.
- 🧰 Materials You'll Need
- 🔧 Tools & Equipment
- 🛠️ How to Clean an Aluminum Pot
- 🛠️ How to Use It
- 🎨 Customization Ideas
- 🛡️ Safety and Care
- 📦 Storage
- 💸 Cost Breakdown
- 🛍️ Need Help Finding Everything?
- ❓ Frequently Asked Questions about Aluminum Pot Cleaner
- 📌 Love this Aluminum Pot Cleaner? Pin it!
- 🖨️ Print-Friendly How-To: Aluminum Pot Cleaner
Materials You’ll Need
- 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
- 1 quart water
Tools & Equipment
- Aluminum pot
- Measuring spoons
- Stove
- Scouring pad or scrubber, if needed
How to Clean an Aluminum Pot
- Add the cream of tartar and water to your dirty aluminum pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Boil for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Allow the pot to cool until it is lukewarm.
- Scour if needed to remove any remaining residue or discoloration.
How to Use It
This method works as a quick cleanup treatment for a dirty aluminum pot that looks dull, stained, or discolored inside. If you need more general kitchen-cleanup ideas, these 8 Tips to a Cleaner Kitchen and this homemade Aluminum Cleaner are handy follow-ups.
If the pot still looks rough after one round, repeat the process instead of jumping straight to aggressive scraping. A second treatment usually makes the scouring step easier.
Customization Ideas
This cleaner is already as stripped-down as it gets, so the best customization is in how you use it:
- Light discoloration: Start with the basic boil time and check the pot before scouring.
- Heavier buildup: Use the full 10 minutes, let it cool to lukewarm, then scour.
- Routine maintenance: Use this method before stains get deeply set so you need less elbow grease later.
Safety and Care
Use care when moving or emptying the hot pot, and let it cool to lukewarm before you start scrubbing. For aluminum cookware in general, avoid long-term storage of strongly acidic foods in the pot because contact with acid can affect the metal over time, a point also noted by Utah State University Extension.
If you use a scouring pad, scrub only as much as needed. Heavy-handed scrubbing can leave the surface looking worse than the stain did.
Storage
Use this cleaner right after you mix it because it is intended to be boiled in the pot, not bottled and stored for later. If you need to clean another pot, mix a fresh batch so you keep the ratio the same.
Cost Breakdown
Estimated project cost: about $1.50 per cleaning batch.
- Cream of tartar: approximately $1.50 for 2 tablespoons
- Water: negligible household cost
Prices vary by brand, package size, and store, but this still lands well below many dedicated cookware cleaners.
🛍️ Need Help Finding Everything?
Frequently Asked Questions about Aluminum Pot Cleaner
Yes, if the outside is bare aluminum and you can safely boil the mixture in the pot first. Once it cools to lukewarm, you can scour any remaining residue on the inside or outside as needed.
This method is written as a boil-cleaning treatment, not a cold soak. Bring it to a boil and keep it there for 8 to 10 minutes so the cleaner does the job it was meant to do.
Repeat the process once more, then scour if needed after the pot cools to lukewarm. Stubborn discoloration often loosens more on the second round.
This one is best made fresh each time. Since you heat it directly in the pot, storing leftovers doesn’t save much effort anyway.
Not always. Some pots wipe clean after boiling, while others need a little scouring to finish the job. It depends on how much buildup or discoloration you’re dealing with.
Yes, just keep the same ratio of 2 tablespoons cream of tartar to 1 quart of water. Use enough liquid to cover the area you need to treat.
Let it cool to lukewarm first. That keeps you from handling a dangerously hot pot and still leaves the residue softened enough to scrub more easily.
Use the gentlest scrubber that gets the job done. A very aggressive metal pad can scratch the finish, so start with a milder scouring pad first.
No. This formula contains only cream of tartar and water, so you don’t have added fragrance to deal with.
📌 Love this Aluminum Pot Cleaner? Pin it!
Did you try this method on an old aluminum pot? Tell us how much scrubbing it saved you, or what kind of buildup you were tackling.
🖨️ Print-Friendly How-To: Aluminum Pot Cleaner
Aluminum Pot Cleaner
Equipment
Materials
- 2 tablespoons cream of tartar
- 1 quart water
Instructions
- Add the cream of tartar and water to your dirty aluminum pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Boil 8 to 10 minutes.
- Allow the pot to cool to lukewarm.
- Scour if needed.
- Estimated cost is based on current Walmart pricing for a 1.5-ounce bottle of cream of tartar and the amount used per batch. Prices vary by store and brand.
- Let the pot cool to lukewarm before scrubbing.
- Use the gentlest scrubber that gets the job done to help avoid scratching the aluminum.
- Use this cleaner fresh rather than storing leftovers.
