It happens to everyone. We’re
cooking, and something distracts us or something else happens and we
burn the food we were so carefully preparing. It’s very frustrating
to say the least, we lost the food most likely, and now we’re left
to clean up a mess that’s difficult at best.
So, how do you clean burnt on foods
from pots and pans? Some of your methods will depend on the type of
pan you’re cooking with, and others will be trial and error to see
which one works best in your situation.
Here are some general tips to try:
Remove as much of the burnt food
off as possible
1.Put some water in the
pan and add a lot of salt and let soak for an hour, then wash
2.If its badly burnt, do
the above, except bring the pan of salty water to a boil and leave
it to soak about 12 hours, boil again, and then wash.
3.Cover the pan with hot
water and add a used fabric softener sheet (I know this one sounds
weird). Let soak awhile, then wash.
4.Put water in to cover
the bottom of the pan, add a couple drops of dishwashing soap and
bring to boil. Wash.
For enamel pans try this: cover
the bottom of the pan with a layer of powdered detergent. Place a
wet towel over this and let sit a few hours. Wash, this should get
rid of the baked on grease.
To clean non stick pots and pans,
mix 2 T. baking powder, one and a half cups of bleach and 1 cup of
water. Put this mixture in the stained pot and let boil for 10
minutes. Wash with soap and water then rub some vegetable oil on
the surface. Don’t let this mixture boil over however as it could
stain the outside of the pot or pan.
Cast iron
cookware is difficult to clean at times. Try sprinkling the pan
with salt and wiping clean. Alternate this salt method, with
washing with soap and water to help preserve the condition of the
pan. The salt will help prevent food from sticking when frying. A
light coating of vegetable oil will help prevent rust and care for
your cast iron pan.
To clean copper pots and pans, use
some salt and vinegar and rub lightly, then wash as usual. Dry and
apply some lemon oil or wax for a nice shine. Ketchup can also be
used to clean copper pots.
Try these different methods to help restore your pots and pans to
their condition before the burn. You’ll most likely find one that
is your preferred method.
