Burnt-on food is one of the toughest cleaning challenges. Black or brown scorched residue stuck to the pan seem impossible to remove. Whether it’s rice welded to the bottom of a pot or sauce scorched in a skillet. Don’t reach for the trash can just yet, try these methods out first!
A. Home Remedy: Boiling Water, Vinegar, and Baking Soda
One popular technique uses a combination of hot water, vinegar, and baking soda to loosen burnt food:
1. Deglaze with Water/Vinegar. Fill the burnt pan with a mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar (enough to cover the charred area) and bring it to a boil on the stove. The hot liquid helps loosen stuck bits (similar to deglazing a pan after cooking).
2. Add Baking Soda (Fizz Reaction). Turn off the heat. Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the hot vinegar-water solution – it will fizz up as the baking soda reacts with the vinegar. This fizzy action helps lift charred food particles by loosening the bonds to the pan.
3. Soak and Cool. Let the pan sit with the vinegar/baking soda solution for 10-15 minutes (or until it’s cool enough to handle). This gives the solution time to penetrate the burnt residue.
4. Gently Scrub. After soaking, pour out the liquid. Sprinkle a bit more baking soda on any remaining scorch marks and gently scrub with a non-abrasive sponge or nylon scouring pad. The mild abrasive action of baking soda will help scrub away the softened residue. You should see the blackened bits coming off.
5. Wash Normally. Once the burnt bits are gone, wash the pan with hot, soapy water as usual, rinse, and dry.
This method works because white vinegar (acetic acid) helps dissolve oxidized, burnt-on compounds, and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a mild alkaline abrasive that can neutralize acidic char and provide scrubbing power. The heat accelerates the process by expanding the metal and letting the solution seep under the burnt food. Many cooks swear by this trick, it’s simple and uses ingredients you likely have on hand.
If the burnt-on layer is extremely stubborn, you can repeat the process or try the overnight soak method: fill the pan with hot water and a few spoonfuls of baking soda (or a scoop of dishwasher detergent). Let it sit overnight. In the morning, the residue may wipe right off.
Dishwasher detergent contains potent cleaners that break down baked-on grease and food. A similar hack involves boiling water with a chopped lemon or just using boiling water alone to loosen char, then scrubbing, the citric acid in lemon can help a bit like vinegar.
B. Home Remedy: Baking Soda Paste Scrub
If you prefer not to use vinegar, you can also use a baking soda paste on a cooled pan:
1. Make a Paste. Mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part water (e.g. 3 tablespoons baking soda and 1 tablespoon water) to form a thick paste.
2. Apply and Wait. Spread the paste over the burnt areas of the pan. Let it sit for 30 minutes (for mild stains) or even a few hours. Baking soda will work on the stains as it sits.
3. Scrub Gently. Using a damp sponge or cloth, scrub the pan. The paste acts as a gentle scouring cleaner. Stubborn spots may require a bit of elbow grease but baking soda won’t scratch stainless steel because it’s a soft abrasive.
4. Rinse and Wash. Rinse out the baking soda and wash the pan with soap and water.
This method is essentially what many commercial cleaners mimic, but with a DIY twist. In fact, baking soda is often recommended because of its mild abrasive properties and alkaline pH that helps tackle burnt food without harsh chemicals. It’s especially useful if you’re dealing with burnt sugar or milk, which can leave blackened caramelized sugar residues. Soaking and baking soda help lift that caramel gunk.
C. Commercial Product: Bar Keepers Friend (BKF)
Bar Keepers Friend cleanser is a popular commercial powder for tackling tough stains on stainless steel. If home remedies don’t fully do the job, a tried-and-true commercial cleaner for burnt pans is Bar Keepers Friend, a powdered cleanser. BKF has been a kitchen staple since the 19th century, it was literally invented for cleaning cookware after a chemist noticed rhubarb juice polished his pans!
The active ingredient in Bar Keepers Friend is oxalic acid, which works at a molecular level to break the bonds of burnt-on stains and grime. It also contains a fine abrasive (feldspar) that helps scrub without damaging the steel.
To use Bar Keepers Friend on a burnt pan:
1. Wet the Pan. Dampen the pan with a little water (BKF works best on a wet surface)
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2. Sprinkle or Paste. Sprinkle BKF powder onto the burnt areas. You can make a paste by adding a few drops of water to the powder on the pan’s surface
3. Rub Gently. Using a soft sponge (preferably a non-scratch pad), gently rub the paste over the scorch marks. You’ll notice the stains start to lift off. Do not use steel wool, as BKF’s abrasive is sufficient and much less scratching.
4. Short Contact Time. Important! Do not let the BKF paste sit for more than a minute or so on stainless steel. Oxalic acid is strong, and extended contact could dull the finish. BKF actually advises not to let it dry on the surface.
5. Rinse Thoroughly. Wipe away the cleaner and rinse the pan very well with water. Then wash with soap and water as usual.
With this method, even blackened, long-term burn stains will often come off, leaving shiny steel underneath. Sometimes, if vinegar and boiling alone isn’t enough to remove those stubborn grime, BKF might just get the job done.
Why it works. Oxalic acid is very effective on metal stains. It essentially dissolves oxides and organic deposits. Burnt food often contains oxidized organic compounds, and the acid breaks those down. The fine abrasive in BKF then polishes away the residue. This combination can save a pan that seemed beyond hope.
Other commercial cleaners similar to BKF include Bon Ami (another gentle scouring powder) and Cameo stainless steel cleaner. These work in a similar way but may use different active ingredients (Bon Ami, for instance, relies on feldspar and limestone as abrasives and has no harsh acids, making it very gentle). Oven cleaners (like Easy-Off) are a last resort for extreme cases – they can remove burnt-on carbon, but they’re caustic and require careful handling (and are usually not food-safe on the cooking surface, so generally not recommended for cookware). Stick to BKF or baking soda methods for a safer approach.
One Final Tip
When scrubbing burnt pans, avoid abrasive steel wool or metal scouring pads if possible. They can scratch the stainless steel surface. Instead, use nylon scrubbers or sponges. If you need extra scrubbing power, a ball of crumpled aluminum foil can work as a makeshift scrubber for steel pans – it’s somewhat abrasive but softer than steel wool. Always scrub with the grain of the stainless steel (if visible) to minimize visible scratches.
