I just washed my ML square pan in the dishwasher and it turned an ugly brown color...can I still use it....will the color fade away....or did I ruin my pan

It has probably tarnished the metal. Sometimes a solution of lemon juice and baking soda can take the tarnish off. I have tried it on a aluminum pan and it made it shiny again. It may work on the ML pan. It would be worth a try.

Thanks rowingmom for the tip...I'm gonna try that. What ratio do use??

I don't put any of my pans in the dishwasher. I wash all of my baking pans by hand.

Any other suggestions out there?!?!?!?!

[quote="Normita"]

I usually do too...but that day I was like "what the heck let me give it a try"....boy oh boy what a big mistake!!



My pans came with a cardboard circle inside that said to not put them in the dishwasher. I just figured that there was a reason for it so I didn't. Believe me there have been times when I was very tempted to do so
I hate cleaning up when I'm really tired but I cannot stand to leave dirty dishes to wake up to in the morning. Other than my pans I only have a couple of things that I wash by hand. Oh..it's so tempting.

The soap used in dishwashers is extremely harsh. It's very tough on the surface finish of aluminum. When the smooth finish is compromised, the aluminum oxidizes (grey rusts) very quickly when exposed to air. Continued washing in the dishwasher will eventually cause such deep pitting in the pan that it will develop pin holes in thin areas.......

ML and Wilton pans have a different finish than Fat Daddios, hence the difference in the way they handle being in the dishwasher.

Once a pan goes grey/brown with oxidation, you can often clean it up temporarily, but the oxidation will usually return, especially when exposed to grease. It's important to wipe the pan with a white paper towel (preferably with a little crisco or butter on it) before each use. You'll see the grey oxidized aluminum on the towel.

If you go back to washing the pan by hand, over multiple uses, usually the oxidation will decrease--kind of like seasoning a cast iron skillet-- but it's a good idea to always check a questionable pan.

Best rule of thumb is to always hand wash aluminum items.

HTH
Rae

Learn something new every day!! Thanks everyone.

Maybe you can try some ketchup and smear it on the pan all over. When brass items oxidize you can do this with them and they become shiny again and it does work. Not sure if it will work on the cake pan but, heck it's worth a try.
eevelyn

i had to invest in silicone pans because i dont have alot of time to be washing dishes with 3 kids, plus i hate washing dishes and i love the silicone pans cause they dont get ruined by anything

I could care less what color my pans are!! The only reason MOST Of mine don't go in the dishwasher is because it seems a waste to run it for 40 minutes with 4 pans (that's all that will fit) in it vs. washing them by hand in under 5 minutes. When I have a ton of small pans to wash though I throw them in......some have lost their "shine" no discoloring though.......in any case, I don't care....they still bake the same!

edited to add I have fat daddio pans, as well as the wilton professional pans and neither of them have changed color at all in the dishwasher........my magic line pans however did go dull (but again, I don't care lol)

not sure what ML pans are but when I first read this, I thought ML in the dishwasher, I never thought of bathing my mother-in-law like that. LOL

Some of my ML pans have turned in the dishwasher after just the first wash, others have dulled over time after many washes. Honestly, like, KHalstead said, I just don't care, they still bake well and I'd rather run them through the dishwasher, they're more santized that way (sponges just gross me out).