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Burnt Pots and Pans: Use This to Clean Them, Not Iron Wool!

Harness readily available household ingredients to combat stains on scorched cookware.

21 April, 2024

Baking soda is not only a cooking staple but also a versatile household cleaner. It’s a mild abrasive and its alkaline nature helps neutralize acidic burnt-on foods. Combining baking soda with acidic ingredients like vinegar/lemon juice creates a fizzing reaction that helps lift stuck-on food from pots, pans, and skillets.

Using Baking Soda

First, place the pot/pan on the stovetop and heat until a drop of water sizzles when dropped in. Pour in a cup of water or a 1:1 mixture of water and vinegar and bring to a boil. For larger pots/pans, increase the amount of liquid accordingly.

While the water/mixture is boiling, use a spatula to loosen any stuck-on food particles. Once most of the food has loosened, pour out the liquid and discard. Sprinkle baking soda all over the pan and let cool. Then, wash the pan as usual.

For stubborn burnt-on stains inside the pan or baked-on residue at the bottom, make a thick paste of baking soda and water and spread it all over the areas that need cleaning. Let it sit for several hours or overnight. Then, add more baking soda and scrub the pan thoroughly to remove the residue.

Using Baking Soda and Vinegar

For an enhanced cleaning solution, combine baking soda with vinegar. First, pour enough vinegar into the pan to cover the bottom surface. Place the pan with vinegar on the stovetop and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, then add baking soda to the pan. The baking soda will react with the vinegar, creating a fizzing action. Let it sit until the fizzing subsides and the vinegar has cooled, then pour out the solution and scrub the pan to remove any remaining residue.

Using simple household ingredients, you can effectively remove stubborn stains and residue from your pots and pans.

Using Baking Soda and Lemon

Baking soda can also be paired with lemon to create a cleaning solution for your pans.

First, you can wet the pan and sprinkle baking soda all over its surface. Cut a lemon in half and use it to scrub the pan. You can add more baking soda while scrubbing to increase friction, which will help remove the residue more effectively.

This method can be used for both burnt-on stains inside the pan or baked-on residue at the bottom.

Frequently asked questions

Place the pot or pan on the stovetop and heat it up.
Pour in a cup of water or a 1:1 mixture of water and vinegar, ensuring it covers the bottom surface, and bring to a boil. Adjust the amount for larger cookware.
Use a spatula to loosen stuck-on food while the liquid is boiling.
Discard the liquid and sprinkle baking soda all over the pan. Let it cool.
Wash the pan as usual. For stubborn stains, continue to the next steps.
Create a thick paste of baking soda and water, spreading it over the affected areas. Let it sit for several hours or overnight.
Add more baking soda and scrub thoroughly to remove any remaining residue.

For enhanced cleaning power, combine baking soda with vinegar or lemon. For the vinegar method, pour vinegar into the pan to cover the bottom, bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat and add baking soda. The reaction will create a fizzing action. Let it sit until the fizzing stops and the vinegar cools, then pour out the solution and scrub the pan. For the lemon method, wet the pan, sprinkle baking soda, and scrub with a halved lemon, adding more baking soda for increased friction.