Aluminum foil in the dishwasher? Have you heard of the aluminum foil TikTok trick that promises to make your cutlery shine like new after washing it in the dishwasher? We checked how it works and whether it is really that effective.
Aluminum foil in the dishwasher? Lately it is TikTok has become a source of various household tricks, including an interesting tip on how to improve the performance of the dishwasher by using aluminum foil. The trick focuses on the problem of dull stains and loss of shine on cutlery, which are common after washing in the machine. After washing, the accessories often lose their luster and become a dull gray color, which makes many people despair.
The solution should be simple: when you load the dishwasher, tear off a piece of aluminum foil, crumple it up into a ball and place it in the cutlery basket. During washing, the aluminum foil reacts with the detergent to cause an ion exchange in the metals, which prevents the detergent and limescale from sticking to the accessories. The result is that the stains oxidize and after washing the accessories shine like new, without the need for additional polishing.
Aluminum foil in the dishwasher?!
@carolina.mccauley 🍴 This dishwasher hack will leave your silverware sparkling ✨ #kitchenhacks #homehacks #dailyhacks #cleaningmotivation #hometips
Despite the fact that the trick seems strange, its effectiveness is explained by chemical reaction between aluminum and detergent. The aluminum in the foil oxidizes with the detergent, and this oxidation helps to remove darkened stains on the accessories. So, aluminum foil does not work mechanically, i.e. with friction, but chemically. This explains why the utensils are not only clean but also shiny after washing.
The trick with aluminum foil seems like a simple and effective solution to keeping cutlery shiny. However, as with all "internet tricks", caution and self-testing is recommended. Last but not least, if you're ever in doubt, you can always rely on good old white vinegar to give your utensils an extra shine.
