How to Make Cleansers for Pots and Pans

Why spend the extra cash when you can make cheap and environmentally friendly cleaning supplies at home? Here are a few tips for polishing your brass or copper pots and pans, cleaning your silverware and aluminum and removing rust from your pots.

Things You'll Need

• Tomato juice or catsup, hot vinegar, hot buttermilk, salt and lemon

Instructions

1. Clean your unlacquered copper or brass with tomato juice, catsup, hot buttermilk, hot vinegar or equal parts vinegar and salt. Pour the liquids right into the pot and scrub with a stuff brush or textured sponge.

2. To remove tarnish, dip half of a lemon into equal parts vinegar and salt, then use the lemon as a sponge. Scrub the pot until the tarnish is removed.

3. Clean lacquered or ornamental copperware by rinsing it in soapy water and wiping it dry.

4. To remove rust, fill the pot or pan with hay, and add water to the top. Boil the hay/water for a few hours or until all rust is removed.

5. Clean silver by using a soft cloth dipped in ammonia. Dab it in whiting, and polish. Or mix 2 cups warm water with 4 oz. whiting. Add ammonia after the mixture cools, and keep it stored in an airtight container.

6. To clean and restore luster to aluminum pots and pans, first immerse them in water, then add stalks of rhubarb or tomatoes and bring the whole mix to a boil. If you don't have the vegetables, you may mix equal parts of vinegar and water, then boil. Wipe the pots and pans dry once the discoloration has been removed.

Tips & Warnings

• To remove old lacquer, boil the pot in water, and cool it thoroughly before peeling off the coating.

• Don't rub silver plates too hard; the soft plating may deteriorate.