<p>I believe those Bialetti's are aluminum and it does look like that from the picture. Either of those 2 methods already mentioned - vinegar and baking soda should help remove the water stains.</p>
<p>If you use vinegar, put in enough to cover the bottom, scrub it a bit and see if it starts coming clean. If not, you can let it soak, but put a timer on it. Vinegar can corrode aluminum. Check it every 5 to 10 minutes or so?</p>
<p>You can also try putting a tablespoon of Cream of Tartar added to a cup of water in the pot and let it gently boil. That's my go to for removing heavily burned food on the bottom of pots, but I've never tried it for stains or water scale.</p>
<p>For scrubbing, I do use any stiff natural bristle brush or wood, like chopsticks or wood spoons. Should be fine for aluminum.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-14T14:51:13.327Z
2024-10-14T14:51:13.327Z
Jim
<p>This definitely looks like rust, so all the general advice on <a href="https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Rust-from-Pots-and-Pans" rel="nofollow noreferrer">removing rust from cookware</a> applies, most people use baking soda or vinegar. If you clean it out thoroughly it should be safe to use, but make sure that none of the parts are corroded to the point they might start flaking off or cracking. Also take care to clean and dry it after each use, to prevent rust from building up again.</p>
<p>It also might just be dirty and not rusty, especially if it's used and made of aluminium. In either case, you should be able to clean it with a soft brush and a little bit of dish soap (which is perfectly fine to use on a Bialetti pot, you just need to rinse it thoroughly afterwards). Or if that doesn't work, you can try soaking it in vinegar / citric acid or brushing it with a thick paste of baking soda and water.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-10-06T14:43:33.370Z
2024-10-06T14:43:33.370Z
technical_difficulty
<p>I just bought this Bialetti Stovetop Espresso Maker for cheap at a thrift store. I know nothing about coffee but my boyfriend likes Bialetti and I was hoping to gift it to him! I have done some digging and have seen some suggestions about cleaning this kind of pot. I know soap should be avoided and some have recommended Bar Keepers Friend, or a combination of vinegar and lemon juice. I am not sure if these stains are oxidation or rust, but any tips would be great!!</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/no4HtrPN.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/no4HtrPN.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>

<moka><coffee-machines><cleaning>
Is this safe to use? Bialetti Stovetop Espresso Maker
megbot1
# Is this safe to use? Bialetti Stovetop Espresso Maker

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-08-09)

I just bought this Bialetti Stovetop Espresso Maker for cheap at a thrift store. I know nothing about coffee but my boyfriend likes Bialetti and I was hoping to gift it to him! I have done some digging and have seen some suggestions about cleaning this kind of pot. I know soap should be avoided and some have recommended Bar Keepers Friend, or a combination of vinegar and lemon juice. I am not sure if these stains are oxidation or rust, but any tips would be great!!

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/no4HtrPN.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/no4HtrPN.jpg)

**Tags:** moka, coffee-machines, cleaning


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-10-14. Score: 0

I believe those Bialetti's are aluminum and it does look like that from the picture. Either of those 2 methods already mentioned - vinegar and baking soda should help remove the water stains.

If you use vinegar, put in enough to cover the bottom, scrub it a bit and see if it starts coming clean. If not, you can let it soak, but put a timer on it. Vinegar can corrode aluminum. Check it every 5 to 10 minutes or so?

You can also try putting a tablespoon of Cream of Tartar added to a cup of water in the pot and let it gently boil. That's my go to for removing heavily burned food on the bottom of pots, but I've never tried it for stains or water scale.

For scrubbing, I do use any stiff natural bristle brush or wood, like chopsticks or wood spoons. Should be fine for aluminum.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2024-10-06. Score: 0

This definitely looks like rust, so all the general advice on [removing rust from cookware](https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Rust-from-Pots-and-Pans) applies, most people use baking soda or vinegar. If you clean it out thoroughly it should be safe to use, but make sure that none of the parts are corroded to the point they might start flaking off or cracking. Also take care to clean and dry it after each use, to prevent rust from building up again.

It also might just be dirty and not rusty, especially if it's used and made of aluminium. In either case, you should be able to clean it with a soft brush and a little bit of dish soap (which is perfectly fine to use on a Bialetti pot, you just need to rinse it thoroughly afterwards). Or if that doesn't work, you can try soaking it in vinegar / citric acid or brushing it with a thick paste of baking soda and water.


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