Dishwashers are about making our lives easier, giving us back our precious time by washing the dishes. And, I know from experience that owning one of the best dishwashers means that my plates, glasses, and silverware all up come out much cleaner than if I’d done the job by hand.
But, there’s one dishwasher cleaning hack I’ve been meaning to investigate to see if it really works — whether adding aluminum foil to the dishwasher boosts its cleaning potential.
Apart from being simple and cheap — something we should all be happy about as we try to cut costs — this dishwasher hack will have you unloading super-clean and sparkling glassware and cutlery. So, to discover more I asked a cleaning expert and a dishwasher manufacturer to dish the dirt on this much-publicized dishwasher cleaning hack.
Is it safe to use aluminum foil in a dishwasher?
While most of us use aluminum foil to cover food while cooking to prevent it from drying out or burning, it can also be used in an unconventional way to clean up after you’ve cooked or enjoyed a meal.
But how does adding aluminium foil to a dishwasher result in better results than regular dishwasher detergent? The quick answer is that it breaks down tarnish, resulting in an added sparkle on silverware.
Nigel Bearman, cleaning expert and director at Daily Poppins, explains the chemical reaction, “By combining hot water, detergent, and aluminium foil, you initiate a redox electrochemical reaction. This causes the aluminum to oxidize, transferring electrons to the tarnished silverware. As a result, the tarnish breaks down and is transferred onto the foil, effectively restoring your silverware to its original shine.”
Chloe Blanchfield, product marketing manager at Hisense UK, confirms Bearman’s comments and adds that silver sulphur from the cutlery and glassware is transferred onto the foil.
However, she warns, “While this method can help give your silverware and glassware an added gleam, we would not recommend using this when your dishwasher has numerous aluminum cookware or other aluminum items inside, as the high heat and detergent combined with more chemical reactions from the aluminum could cause damage to the product.”
Sparkling glassware
While placing a crumpled ball of aluminum foil in your dishwasher doesn’t directly enhance water circulation, Bearman says it plays a key role in improving efficiency. “It prevents cutlery from clumping together, allowing water and detergent to reach all surfaces more effectively,” he says. “Additionally, it helps reduce static cling on glassware, preventing water spots and ensuring a spotless, gleaming finish.”
Protects silverware
The foil can also protect your cutlery from corroding as Bearman says it acts as a sacrificial metal. “It will corrode long before your cutlery does, protecting your silverware from oxidation and degradation over time. This ultimately extends the lifespan of your cutlery by minimizing tarnishing and corrosion.”
How to use aluminum foil in the dishwasher
There’s no rocket science behind using aluminum foil in the dishwasher — here’s what Bearman suggests:
1. Shape the foil: “Start by taking a piece of aluminum foil and crumple it into a loose ball, approximately the size of a golf ball, “ says Bearman. He advises to make sure it’s firm enough to hold its shape, but still allow water to circulate it.
2. Position the foil in the right place: Bearman says to ensure optimal cleaning power, “Place the foil ball in the cutlery basket or on the bottom rack, ensuring it doesn’t obstruct the spray arms or interfere with water flow.”
3. Load the dishes: You can arrange your cutlery and glassware in your dishwasher as usual, then add your normal detergent. However, while I usually set my dishwasher on an eco-setting with a lower temperature, Bearman advises running it at a hot temperature to activate the reaction between the foil and tarnish.
4. Enjoy the sparkle: Once the cycle is complete and you unload your silverware and glassware, Bearman says you’ll it should be free of tarnish and watermarks.
Safety considerations when using aluminum foil in a dishwasher
Although using aluminum foil in a dishwasher is safe, there are a couple of points to be aware of when following this cleaning hack. First, Bearman advises against placing the foil in direct contact with aluminum cookware “as this could lead to discoloration or damage.”
Another caution is to use less foil rather than more in your dishwasher; as Bearman warns, using multiple balls of foil “may cause excessive wear on your dishwasher or result in blockages.”
Finally, he warns, “After each use, be sure to check for any remnants of foil and remove them to prevent any potential buildup or obstruction in the dishwasher’s spray arms or filters.”
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