Read below for some effective techniques on how to clean a burnt pot. Restore your cookware to its former glory with our expert advice.
All cooks have burned a post at some point. It is easy to do, as distractions are always happening at home. We wander off to take care of something and forget that the pot on the stove is simmering. We come back to a baked-on, burnt-in mess!
So, how do you save your pot from the trash? Here are a few tips to help you save your pot or pan and restore it back to its shiny, usable state.
NOTE: These tips are for stainless steel or cast iron pots and pans only.
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Boil hot water in the pot to loosen the burned substance.
Before you boil the water, make sure you rinse the pot and get rid of anything that is loose, or remove anything that is not already stuck in place. After you clean it of loose “charring”, fill the pot about 1/3 full of water and set it to boil on the stove. This will help loosen the burnt mess so you can get another layer off the bottom. Once it boils, take it off the stove and pour the hot water out. Let it cool for a few minutes, and then use a wooden spoon to scrape the residue off.
For Extra Cleaning Power: If you have a lemon, you can cut up the lemon and add it to the boiling water. The acid in the lemon will help loosen the burned substance making it easier to scrub. It will also smell better!
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Ball up a sheet of foil and use it to scrub the bottom of the pot.
(WARNING: Do not start this step until the pot has cooled.) We suggest putting on gloves and grabbing the foil with your gloved hand and scrubbing the inside of the pot swiftly.
For Extra Cleaning Power: Add baking soda to the pot before you scrub with the foil. By adding the baking soda, it gives it a substance to slide with, and it pulls up the burned food much faster! The baking soda powder really adds the extra strength to remove the scorched food when it is combined with the aluminum foil.
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Use a Solid Dishwashing Tablet to Scrub the Pot and Remove Burned Food
After you boil off the loose food substance from step 1, you can try using a solid dishwashing tablet for scrubbing (Like Finish Power Ball). The dishwashing tablet is concentrated with the cleaning agent, plus its safe on dishes. Since it is hard, it will stand up to the pressure of a hard scrub on the bottom of the pan. Make sure the pan is wet with *hot water when you use the Finish Dishwashing tab. Do NOT remove the plastic coating on the tab, since the hot water will dissolve it. The plastic coating will help it hold together until you are done scrubbing. Use gloves when scrubbing to protect your hands from the dishwashing tablet and the hot water.
If you used these tips in your kitchen to clean a burnt pot, tell us about it! Send us photos of which method worked best for you. Reach out to our social media pages anytime!