Wipe a damp white cloth around the inside of your aluminium pan after a wash and look at it: it’s the test chefs do before blaming anything else
Professional chefs use a simple diagnostic trick: wipe a damp cloth inside a freshly washed aluminum pan and check for grey or chalky residue. That powdery film tells you everything about your pan’s condition—and it’s usually not what you think. Understanding this one test separates normal wear from genuine problems.