The Aluminum Foil Dishwasher Hack: Does it Actually Polish Silverware?

If your silverware is looking dull, scratched, or tarnished, you might think you need to spend hours hand-polishing it with strong-smelling chemicals. But there is a surprisingly effective, near-effortless trick that involves nothing more than a simple kitchen staple: aluminum foil.

By crumpling a piece of aluminum foil into a small ball and tossing it into your dishwasher's cutlery basket during a normal cycle, you can restore the shine to your dull forks and spoons. It sounds like a bizarre internet myth, but it actually relies on a very basic chemical reaction to lift tarnish off your silverware.

Why Does Aluminum Foil Clean Silverware?

The secret to this hack is a chemical process called ion exchange.

When silver or stainless steel cutlery gets dull and tarnished, it is usually because the metal has reacted with sulfur in the air (or in certain foods) to form a dark layer of silver sulfide.

During a hot dishwasher cycle, the detergent acts as an electrolyte. The aluminum foil is a much more reactive metal than silver. When both metals are submerged in the hot, soapy water, the aluminum essentially "steals" the sulfur molecules away from your silverware. The tarnish transfers from the cutlery to the aluminum foil ball, leaving your forks and spoons shiny and clean, while the foil itself might come out looking a little dark and degraded.

How Do You Use the Foil Hack Safely?

You don't need any special foil or expensive detergents to make this work. Here is the easiest way to do it:

• Tear and Crumple: Tear off a piece of standard aluminum foil (about the size of a standard sheet of paper) and crumple it tightly into a ball. Make sure it is compact enough that it won't break apart.
• Place in the Basket: Drop the foil ball into the cutlery basket of your dishwasher, right alongside your dirty forks, knives, and spoons.
• Run a Normal Cycle: Add your usual dishwasher tablet or detergent and run a standard, hot wash cycle.

When the cycle is finished, your cutlery should look noticeably brighter. You can simply throw the used aluminum foil ball into the recycling bin.

Does It Work on All Utensils?

The aluminum foil hack is incredibly effective on real silver and silver-plated cutlery, as it directly reverses the chemical tarnishing process.

It also works decently well on standard stainless steel flatware, helping to lift hard water stains and dullness. However, you should avoid using this trick if you have vintage silverware with deliberate, decorative dark oxidation (often found in the crevices of ornate handles), as the foil hack will aggressively strip that intended tarnish away as well!