# Removing bleach/aluminum product from pan

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bleach-aluminum-product-from-pan/454256>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 26, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bleach-aluminum-product-from-pan/454256 "2008-06-26T00:47:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bleach-aluminum-product-from-pan/454256/1 "2008-06-26T00:47:27Z")

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My SIL put bleach in her muffin pan to get out something, and now the cups have brownish ick in them. I found a web page that recommends “Heat a solution of 1 tbs. vinegar per qt of water or 2 tsp. cream of tartar per qt of water in each pan until discoloration disappears.”

Anyone have any experience with this issue? Could you just ignore it and cook with it normally?

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**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2008, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-bleach-aluminum-product-from-pan/454256/2 "2008-06-26T07:01:57Z")

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Bleach and aluminum react to form aluminum oxide/hydroxide. This should be a greyish substance and the vinegar/cream of tarter is probably a good start for it. The brown ick you are describing sounds like something entirely different. It can’t hurt to try though.

I don’t suspect it is anything horribly toxic.