Every one of us has heard the phrase “A watched pot never boils”. But the other half of it, “it scorches as soon as you leave it unattended”, is rarely talked about. Just because nobody talks about it, does not mean that it doesn’t happen to the best of us and often, to the best of our pots. It might be a bawling child, a climax to your favorite TV show, a phone call, a Zoom meeting or, a ringing doorbell, that drags you away from your pots on the stove.
When you burn a pan, you immediately start thinking of harsh chemicals or scratchy tools to get rid of the marks. This can greatly damage your utensils especially if they’re made of stainless steel or aluminum. Before you resort to that, understand the nature of your pot and the gentlest way to get the scorched material out. Non-stick pans require gentle use and cleaning, so it’s better to get them cleaned by a professional, rather than attempting on your own.
If you’ve ever been in a similar predicament and are mourning the loss of a beloved pot, keep reading to find out some tried and tested methods to clean scorched pans and pots. If you need help with more than your pans, check how to clean the kitchen.
Tips to Clean Burnt Pans and Pots
1. Soak It In
When you take your burnt pan off the stove, the first instinct is to put it in water. And that’s exactly what you should do. Try to scrape off the access burnt material with a wooden spatula, soak it in water, and leave it in overnight. The water softens the burnt material and breaks its bond with the pan, eventually removing all of it from the surface. Soon you’ll have a clean scorched pans and pots. Proceed with washing it with dish soap and removing the clumps with a wooden spatula until the pan is rid of the scorched material.
2. Use A Dishwater Tablet
A dishwasher tablet can be used in more ways than it’s intended for. The most tried and tested trick to clear off burnt food from your pan, is to heat up some water in the burnt pan. Take it off the stove as soon as it comes to a boil. Rub a dish washing tablet across the burnt surface and the clumps come right off. You can go about washing the pan normally for the desired cleanliness.
3. Use Eggshells
There are many home remedies to salvage a scorched pot and the craziest one is using eggshells to do it. Heat some water in your pan, take it off the stove and add your eggshells to it. Try using a scrubbing pad to rub your eggshells into the scorched mess. The eggshells create friction, and successfully remove all of the scorched clumps. You may need to add more or fewer eggshells depending on the degree of the burn. Remove the eggshell clumps, wash off your pot normally and you’re good to go!
4. Use Water, White Vinegar and Baking Soda
To start off with the cleaning process, fill your burnt pan with enough water to submerge the burnt bits. Add a cup of white vinegar to the water and let it boil for about 10-12 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the water-vinegar mix and let it stew. The baking soda will react with the vinegar and form bubbles. This chemical reaction will help lift the burnt pieces off from the pan. Let the pan get cold and then throw away the water, vinegar, and baking soda mixture and scrub the pan gently with detergent and water. This will get rid of the most stubborn burnt residues.
5. Use an Aluminium Foil Ball
Aluminum foil is one of the better ways that get the burnt gunk off your pans but it requires a lot more scrubbing and working than all the other remedies mentioned above. It is also a cheaper alternative but cannot be used for non-stick pots or pans. Before you start the cleaning, put some warm water and dish soap to the pot, enough to cover the charred part and leave it to soak for 30 minutes. Crumple a piece of aluminum foil into a ball, and start the scrubbing process. The friction from the metal on metal will cause the charred bits to loosen up. When you’re done, throw away the improvised metal scrubber into the bin, and wash your pots normally.
6. Lather on Some Ketchup
Out of all of the tips to get out the charred bits from your pans, ketchup may sound the most absurd. Well, it’s totally reliable. The acetic acid in ketchup, help break down the build-up and softens the burnt clumps. Lather on some ketchup, enough to cover the burnt area of the pan, and let it sit for a few hours. After that’s done, scrub with a pot cleaner, or a sponge to get rid of the most resilient stains. Wash your pots normally after that, with water and soap.
7. Boil Some Lemons
Lemons are famous for getting rid of the most stubborn burns. Just like the acetic acid in the ketchup, the citric acid present in lemons, help with the breakdown of the charred surface of the pan. To start of with this method, take enough water to fill up the scorched pan and fill it to the top. Now add a bunch of cut-up lemons and let it boil for half an hour. You will see the burnt bits coming off and floating on the top while the lemons boil. This technique will get rid of most of your scorches and will give your kitchen a fresh citrus-y scent.
8. Bring In the Big Guns
Kitchen utensils are the hardest things to clean and the ones that require the most love. Every one of us has experienced the pain of a burnt pot. Many times, we part with our favorites or put them at the back of the cabinet, never to be seen again. This is where My Cleaning Angel comes in. There are numerous tips to recover a scorched pan, but it can never be returned to its original form. My Cleaning Angel provides house cleaning services take pride in taking care of all things cleaning-related. Our team works hard to restore your beloved pieces back to their original gleaming form so you can have the joy of cooking back.
Conclusion
Most of the tips and tricks (that have a chance of working) are mentioned above. Yet if you still can’t get the scorched bits out, contact My Cleaning Angel to do your ‘dirty’ work for you. Our expert cleaners work vigorously to give you the cleanliness that you desire. Often higher grade of chemicals and professional cleaning is required to get out the harshest stains. Book cleaning service online is easier than you imagine. We provide you with one of the best house cleaning services in town. Contact My Cleaning Angel for services if you want your scorched pots and pans clean and gleaming.
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