What Removes Baked-on Food & Grease From Pots, Pans and Burners?

Clean stuck-on food or grease using household ingredients.

No matter how careful you are with your pots and pans, food and grease easily burns to the bottom of the cookware. When this happens, removing the burns effectively is difficult using just plain soap and water. While harsh tools can remove burned-on food or grease, they can leave scratches on delicate cookware. However, several household ingredients will easily remove caked-on grease and food without damaging your pots and pans.

White Vinegar

If you have stainless steel pots and pans or glass ovenware, fill them with 1 cup of vinegar and 4 cups of water. Let the water boil for five minutes to soften the burned food and grease, and scrub them clean using a scrub pad and hot soapy water. The vinegar will get down into the grease and dissolve it enough for you to remove it with a good scrub. Repeat as necessary until the pan comes clean.

Baking Soda

Baking soda works to remove caked-on food or grease from all types of cookware. Depending on the size of the cookware, sprinkle about 1/2 cup of baking soda on the bottom of the cookware. You should use enough to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Fill the pan with water, and let simmer on the stove for an hour. Scrub clean using hot, soapy water and the rough side of a scrub pad. Rinse clean using lukewarm to cold water. Repeat as often as necessary until the cookware comes clean.

Effervescent Antacid Tablets

Effervescent antacid tablets work to dissolve acid in the stomach, but they also work to dissolve grease and burned-on food on glass cookware. Fill the glass container with warm water, and add about six effervescent tablets. Once the tablets have dissolved in the water, let the mixture sit for an hour. After an hour, clean the glass cookware using a sponge and hot, soapy water. If the grease and food doesn't come off easily, repeat using another six effervescent tablets.

Burners

When cleaning grease or food from stovetop burners, you will first need to remove the coils. Mix baking soda and water to form a thick paste. Apply the paste over the areas with the stuck-on grease and food. Let the paste sit for up to 20 minutes before rubbing off using a damp cloth. Remove all the paste completely, and allow the burners to air dry before replacing the coils. When cleaning burner coils, do not submerge them in water as this could cause electrocution.

References

• Reader's Digest: 20+ Ways to Easily Clean Pots and Pans
• Living On A Dime: How Do I Remove Burned On Grease From A Pan?
• Kenny Cleaning: How to Clean Electric Coil Cleaners