You've been cleaning your aluminum pan wrong — here's the $1 pantry staple that erases black marks

Those blackened aluminum pans sitting in your kitchen cabinet aren't ruined, they're just misunderstood. While aluminum cookware is lightweight and conducts heat beautifully, it's notorious for developing dark stains and discoloration that seem impossible to remove.

Aluminum darkens for specific reasons: high heat exposure, burnt food residue, reactions with acidic foods, and incorrect cleaning methods. But there's a simple, effective solution sitting in your pantry right now you can use to restore aluminum's shine without damaging the metal.

Here's how you can erase black marks from your aluminium pans and get them sparkling again.

1. Basic cleaning comes first

Before tackling discoloration, start by properly cleaning your aluminum pan to remove loose debris. This basic cleaning prepa