An Old Fashioned Way to Clean Stainless Steel Pots and Pans

Although there are commercial products available to clean stainless steel pots and pans, you can usually get your cookware clean and shiny with simple, old-fashioned methods. Using common household products rather than chemicals is safe for your cookware--and is easy on your pocketbook and the environment.

Burned and Dried Food

Begin the cleaning process with simple hot water if the inside of your cookware contains dried or burned-on food. Fill the pan with hot tap water. Put the pan on a stove burner and heat the water until it just begins to boil. Turn down the heat and allow the water to simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the burner and allow the hot water to sit in the pan until it is cool enough to handle but is still warm. Don't let the water sit so long that it becomes cold. After simmering and soaking in hot water, the food residue will be soft. Allowing the water to become cold will allow the food residue to harden again. Dump out the water and wipe away the softened food.

Grease and Stains

Moisten the pan with warm water and then sprinkle on baking soda. Scrub the bottom of the pan in a circular motion. For very tough cleaning, mix a paste of baking soda and lemon juice. Turn the pan upside down and apply the paste to the bottom of the pan. Allow it to sit for several hours. When you wipe away the paste, most or all of the mess should come right off. Repeat as needed.

White vinegar is a good grease-cutter. Moisten a dishcloth with water and then pour vinegar onto the cloth. Rub the cloth on the pan, moving in circles that follow the polish lines in the stainless steel. When the grease is gone, rinse the pan with hot water.

Streaks from heat or steam can be removed by rubbing with club soda. Pour the club soda onto a soft cloth and rub with the grain of the metal.

Rust

Stainless steel does not rust easily, but it can happen, particularly if the finish has been damaged. Remove rust spots by making a thick paste of lemon juice and cream of tartar. Smooth it on the rust spot, let it sit for up to one hour and then rub off the rust. After the rust is removed, wash and dry as usual.

Water Spots

When your stainless steel pots and pans are clean, you can allow them to air dry, but water spots often form. To keep the cookware shiny, dry it with a dish towel after washing. If you forget to dry it and spots form, clean them off with soft cloth moistened with vinegar. Wipe away the spots and then rub with a dry cloth until the stainless steel is shiny and spot-free.

References

• How to Clean Stainless Steel
• Caring For Your Stainless Steel Cookware
• Specialty Steel Industry of North America: "The Care and Cleaning of Stainless Steel"