Does Putting a Ball of Aluminum Foil Inside Your Dishwasher Actually Work?

In recent years, the internet and social media have given new life to all sorts of home tricks. Some really work, others… a little less so. One of the most popular is the idea that putting a ball of aluminum foil in the dishwasher can improve the washing of cutlery or even polish it. But is it really so? The answer is simple: no, it doesn't work at all. Let's see together why.

Where Does This Trick Come From?

The origin of this tip seems to come from an old method of polishing silver. In the past, silver items were placed in a basin of hot water, baking soda, and aluminum foil. This process triggered a chemical reaction that helped remove tarnish (the dark patina on silver). Many thought, “If it works to polish silver, why not try it in the dishwasher?” — and thus the myth was born.

The TikTok account that popularized the "aluminum foil ball in the dishwasher" hack is @carolina.mccauley. An Australian influencer, Carolina McCauley shared a video demonstrating how placing a crumpled ball of aluminum foil in the dishwasher's utensil basket could restore the shine to tarnished silverware. Her video quickly went viral, amassing over 330,000 views and sparking widespread interest in this cleaning technique.

Apparently, when on silver cutlery, an oxidation surface is created, that is, the film that makes them opaque. To make them shine again, we need to eliminate the film and we can do this with an oxidation-reduction reaction, that is, by putting them in contact with aluminum in water and detergent: an electrolyte solution that promotes the exchange of electrons between aluminum and oxidized silver. The result is that the aluminum oxidizes, stripping away the film from the silver and the cutlery shines again. It seems to be exactly what you do when you put the famous foil ball, but a ball is useless, the reaction only occurs if there is direct contact: it's like saying that you need a ball for each piece of cutlery. Furthermore, this method does not work with ceramic dishes, glass glasses or stainless steel cutlery, that is, the ones we all have at home.

Why It Doesn't Work in The Dishwasher

Here are the reasons why this trick is not effective in reality:

1. The chemical reaction does not occur. For the reaction between aluminum and silver to work, precise proportions are needed, as explained in the video. The dishwasher does not guarantee these conditions, so no useful process is activated.
2. Aluminum does not remove dirt. The foil ball has no cleaning properties whatsoever. It does not degrease, does not dissolve food residue, does not disinfect. It is just… aluminum.
3. Modern detergents already do it all. Dishwasher tablets contain degreasing agents, enzymes, rinse aids and limescale removers. They are designed to give excellent results. Adding foil does not improve their effectiveness.

In addition to being useless, the trick can also have unwanted effects: for example, the ball can move and obstruct the rotating arms or block the pump and filter. If it comes into contact with delicate dishes, it could scratch them. In practice: not only does it not help, but it could also damage something.

What to Really Do to Have Shiny Cutlery and Brilliant Dishes

If you want to improve the results of your dishwasher, there are much more effective strategies:

• Use rinse aid regularly.
• Choose a good detergent, perhaps in multifunctional tablets.
• Clean the filters and spray arms once a month.
• Do not overload the dishwasher: leave space between dishes.
• Check the salt level, especially in hard water areas.

Do you really want an efficient dishwasher? It's much better to forget about false tricks and focus on regular maintenance and the right products.