How Can I Deglaze the Stubborn Stains Off a Pan?

Deglaze stubborn stains instead of scrubbing them for hours.

Stubborn stains on the bottom of a pan are often the result of burned food, grease or liquid. The stains can appear as spots or splotches and may look impossible to remove. After you cook foods in the pan, you can dissolve and loosen the stains by deglazing the pan. Adding liquid to the pan and heating it on the stove top deglazes the pan and removes the stubborn stains without a lot of effort. Deglazing works best on stainless steel or enamel pans; it will not work well on nonstick pans.

Things You'll Need

• Wooden spoon
• Liquid dish soap
• Nylon scrub pad
• Towel

Instructions

1. Place the stained pan on the stove top over high heat. Allow the pan to heat for five minutes.

2. Pour 1 cup of warm water into the pan, carefully to prevent it from splashing out of the pan and onto your skin.

3. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to remove the stains. Continue to scrape the pan until you remove the stains.

4. Pour the water out of the pan into the sink slowly. Examine the pan carefully to determine if the stains remain.

5. Fill the pan with warm water if you still notice stains. Add two to three drops of liquid dish soap and let the pan soak in the sink for two to three hours.

6. Scrub the pan with a nylon scrubbing pad. Run warm water over the pan to remove the loose debris.

7. Dry the pan with a towel after you finish cleaning it.

Tips & Warnings

• Pour 1 cup of white vinegar into the pan to cover the stains if they remain. Boil the vinegar for five minutes and scrub the pan gently under warm running water.

• Never leave the pan unattended while you heat the water. The water can evaporate quickly, which can cause additional burn stains.

References

• Reader's Digest: 20 Plus Ways to Easily Clean Pots and Pans
• The Kitchn; Kitchen Nightmares: Cleaning Scorched and Burnt Food off Pots and Pans; Emma Christensen; July 2008
• Mrs. Clean: How to Clean Aluminum