How to clean a meat grinder after washing it in the dishwasher
Rules exist to be followed. However, many of us have broken them time and again, hoping for the best. But with our meat grinder, as we understand, this didn't work out. After washing it, it turned so black that you're now looking for advice on how to remove this unpleasant residue. We'll try to help you with this by offering possible cleaning options and dispelling any doubts about whether it's safe to wash a meat grinder in a dishwasher.
Why did the meat grinder turn dark?
First, you need to understand why your meat grinder has turned dark. Knowing the cause will help you determine whether it can be cleaned. This is impossible to do without some chemistry knowledge. The problem is that the metal the grinder is made of reacts with the detergent dissolved in hot water. Most meat grinders are made of aluminum alloy, which reacts well with many substances, even water.
The dishwasher's interior creates conditions that accelerate the interaction processes. To ensure the appliance's usability, a special oxide film is created on the surface of the aluminum appliance, preventing the metal from deteriorating. However, this film itself is easily destroyed by strong alkalis, which is exactly what happens in the dishwasher. Prolonged contact with hot water causes the metal to darken.
Please note! Some older meat grinders are made of cast iron and may not darken when washed in a dishwasher. However, they should not be washed in a dishwasher, as cast iron will rust over time.
The most important thing is that it’s not so scary that the meat grinder has oxidized and become covered with a dark coating, but that the metal has been partially destroyed. It can enter the human body. Scientists have long been reporting its negative impact on internal organs. Therefore, we once again urge you to follow the operating instructions for your appliances and do not wash aluminum cookware in the dishwasher. A full list of such cookware can be found in the article. What dishes cannot be washed in a dishwasher??
Methods of laundering
It's impossible to say definitively whether a meat grinder can be cleaned after washing. Firstly, it will depend on the degree of darkening and oxidation of the metal, and secondly, the alloy the device is made of is important. Even aluminum can vary. Therefore, don't despair immediately, believing forum posts that the black film is sodium tetrahydroxoaluminate, which is insoluble at home. It may be insoluble, but who's stopping you from physically cleaning it?
We won't rack our brains with complex chemical names or conduct dangerous experiments, but rather try affordable, proven remedies. Some will benefit, others won't, but the main thing is, it won't make things worse. Here are some of these remedies:
- Baking soda. Sprinkle it on the damp surface of the grinder and scrub with a wire brush. After a few scrubs, the residue will come off and the smearing will stop, but the metal will lose its shine. Just don't boil the grinder in the baking soda solution; it will make things worse.
- Soap. Rub the darkened parts with a brush for a long time, using soap.
- GOI polishing paste for final polishing. Apply the paste to a felt cloth and rub vigorously to remove any dark spots.
- Dialux polishing paste.
- HORS rust converter. This product is designed for cars, so using it to clean a meat grinder should only be done as a last resort, after you've tried everything else.
Important! Avoid using common household cleaning solutions like vinegar and citric acid when cleaning your meat grinder after washing it in the dishwasher; they are weak and unlikely to help.
Some tips from housewives
After washing their meat grinders in the dishwasher, housewives immediately start searching for ways to clean the damaged appliance, sharing their experiences. We've read numerous reviews, and here are some valuable tips we found:
- Brush with toothpaste. True, a man washed the broken meat grinder in this way, apparently using a lot of physical strength.
- I used "Shining Metal Shine" from the Italian company CENTRALIN. My husband had to scrub the pan again, using abrasive brushes. He got it all done in about 20 minutes.
- Try JIF with a wire brush. The mother and son say it restored the grinder's shine, but some minor scratches remained.
When cleaning the meat grinder, wear gloves to protect your hands from the gray residue and the harmful effects of all the chemicals used.
- Soak it in Sprite or Coca-Cola. It's unclear how effective it is, as the woman didn't share the results.
- Wash the steel with Sanitol Shine, then polish it with something like Biolan. This method is effective and affordable.
- Soak in hot water with tar soap. According to the woman, everything comes off on its own, without even having to scrub.
That's about all we could find. Of course, there are also chemical methods, but they're not safe, so we won't describe them. Better remember and tell everyone not to wash your meat grinder in the dishwasher, no matter how much you might want to. Good luck!
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I foolishly used all the chemicals recommended here. I didn't believe the tar soap idea—it was too simple. When nothing else worked, I decided to try soap. I simply lathered up a sponge and washed it like I would any other dish, with practically no effort. I couldn't believe it. And a miracle happened: the stain disappeared. I also wash my clothes with Finish Quanium tablets. I decided to save money that time. No more experiments!
This is the Finish Quantum I used. The result is the same as everyone else's—a grayish cast.
Managed to clean it with sandblasting!
I managed to clean it in 2 minutes using Sanit Anti-Rust (black bottle). I always clean my faucets with this product. I applied it, scrubbed it with a regular sponge, and rinsed it off.
It's not the tablets you used (or rather, not only them!) that's the issue, but the washing program you used. If the temperature was above 50 degrees, you'll definitely get this residue.
Just baking soda, a sponge, and a toothbrush for hard-to-reach areas helped! I used Finish Quantum tablets, and the temperature was over 50°C, resulting in a gray coating. Thanks for the information!
I poured vinegar on it, and it all came off without any trouble. Good luck to everyone!
Hello everyone! I wet a sponge and the meat grinder parts and rubbed them with dry mustard powder. I was pleased with the result.
Without any effort!
Clean with baking soda and a sponge, then polish with GOI paste. Like new.
My daughter-in-law hadn't used her meat grinder for a while, and when she took it out, she noticed dark stains on the auger and the barrel of her Zelmer meat grinder. She soaked it in vinegar, and indentations formed where the stains had been.
What is a meat grinder made of?
I also washed my Zelmer in the dishwasher, and it turned dark. I don't remember what I washed it with; it was a long time ago. I won't do that kind of experiment again.
The most important thing is not that the meat grinder has oxidized and become covered in a dark film, but that the metal has been partially destroyed. This could be ingested.
I got the same treatment from my wife once when I put removable parts in the dishwasher. Back then, I had a REDMOND meat grinder. I opened the machine and blanched at the black parts of my "kitchen helper."
I personally tried Pemolux, SARMA, vinegar (apple and regular), soap, and even Shumanit (I think that's what it's called)... I thought I was done for. A certain product, or more precisely a gel called "Haus Frau," helped a lot (not perfectly, but still). It's fairly inexpensive and works.
How I did it:
I applied the gel to a clean, slightly damp sponge, gently rubbed the affected areas with circular motions, and waited about 15-20 minutes. Then, I rinsed with lukewarm water. That's it. But I got a new one for New Year's, and this one went to the dacha.
All the best! Good luck!
Using Vietnamese toothpaste helped me. I had to go over the entire surface with a toothbrush. It doesn't look like new, but it does add shine.
Wash with soap and water/cleaning agent. Rub, removing anything that can dissolve and be physically removed. Then simply polish with felt, GOI paste, toothpaste, etc. A grinding wheel will make the job much easier.
Pepsi helped me. I soaked the blackened meat grinder parts for six hours. Then I washed them with baking soda. Everything came off easily, and I polished it to a shine with the lightest sandpaper. It has a minimum of abrasive grit.
Or maybe just wash it by hand? That's how it works here. They just created the problem first, and then they're happy it came out easily.
It washed off, but now after getting wet, white oxidation appears on the surface... what to do with it?
And when a problem has already arisen, what do you suggest we do?! You're here on this site for a reason—it's a miracle you, such a good person, ended up here.
Isn't the meat grinder dangerous after everything has been washed?
Mine didn't darken, it just peeled off completely. It felt rough to the touch. In the trash 🙁
Feri capsules and hot water turned my shiny Redmond meat grinder into a piece of charcoal stained with black soot; tar soap and a metal sponge restored its former shine.
Tar soap and a foam sponge. 20 minutes of work.
If the coating is washed off, no amount of washing will help. The parts are ruined 🙁
Fairy capsules turned my beloved Moulinex into a monster. The metal parts had darkened, leaving soot-like marks and black streaks on my hands and other surfaces. Dry mustard powder helped. First, I wet the entire surface, applied the powder with a brush, and rinsed it off after 15 minutes. Then I placed the grinder in a basin, covered it with dry mustard, and poured boiling water over it. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Rinse it under running water and wipe it dry. And lo and behold, it came off. Grandma's methods work. Mustard powder is always in the house and has never failed.
Toothpaste helped a lot.