Aluminium foil in the dishwasher: Cleaning expert Melissa Pateras debunks dishwasher cleaning hack that claims to make cutlery shiny

A popular cleaning hack that claims to make your cutlery shiny in the dishwasher isn’t worth the effort, according to an expert.

The trick involves scrunching up a piece of aluminium foil and popping it in the cutlery basket with your knives, forks and spoons before you run the dishwasher.

But cleaning guru Melissa Pateras explained in a TikTok video that this is simply a waste of time.

Watch the video above.

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Pateras debunked the hack in response to another TikToker who recommended using the foil hack to remove tarnish from stainless steel cutlery in the dishwasher.

”Here’s the issue: Tarnish or silver sulfide as he stated is that black coating that forms on silver when it reacts with hydrogen sulfide in the air, but this reaction is a chemical process that is very specific to silver not stainless steel and he was holding up stainless steel cutlery [in his video] which, of course, most of us use for everyday flatware,” she said.

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The expert went on to say that the idea for this hack comes from a cleaning method for silver involving foil, baking soda and boiling water.

“But even for that to work the silver needs to be in direct contact with the foil so it wouldn’t work if the foil was just stuffed in the cutlery basket,” she said.

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It’s also not recommended to wash silver in the dishwasher, so if you want to clean that with foil do it the old-fashioned way.

So while foil helps to remove tarnish from silver pieces, it won’t do anything to prevent water marks and rust stains or add shine if the cutlery is made from stainless steel.

Pateras also said the hack doesn’t prevent foggy glassware, which is a trick she’s seen doing the rounds on social media.

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Another dishwasher hack popular on TikTok and Instagram is popping a tea towel over the dishwasher door after a cycle to help dry dishes faster.

Appliance expert Corey McMullan from McMullan Appliances & Mattress debunked this hack in a TikTok warning that it could damage your machine.

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“If you’re putting a towel on your dishwasher door to dry your dishes faster that’s ridiculous and the towel isn’t doing anything,” he said.

“As a matter of fact you’re risking damaging the door latch, the door or the hinges on your dishwasher.”

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The best way to help your dishes dry faster after the dishwasher cycle is complete is to open the door so they can air dry. Some newer models have this as an automatic feature but doing it manually works just as well.

Leaving the dishwasher door open or ajar slightly is actually beneficial for the machine because it prevents mould and odours and keeps the door seals working well.

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