Cleaning Burnt S/S Saucepan

Doing my bit for the environment I use a small saucepan to boil my 3 potatoes for dinner.

What I forgot was having less water it would dry out, and burn, in a shorter period of time (you canna break the laws of physics).

Any tips for cleaning it? Google says white vinegar and bicarb which seems a bit pointless as it just forms forms water, sodium acetate and carbon dioxide, none of which has any cleaning power.

Personally I find wire wool works very well, and over the years has still left my pans clean, shiny and rust-free. However, Google reckons it is a bad idea.

Chris

Ah...

What is 'burnt'? limescale responds to citric or acetic acid. Lemon or vinegar. Try that first. If it fizzes then carry on till it stops. Then use a layer of hot bleach and boil the pan. That will at least make it *look* better. If there is anything left your only option is abrasives. Stainless steel, wire wool, fine grit wet-and-dry, metal polish, T-cut, vim-like scouring powders.

Of course if its a non stick saucepan simply throw it away and buy stainless steel instead.

You can use a drill to mount a pad and make abrasives easier to use.

Google reckons its better to die of cold than heat your home.

Google can f*ck right off.

People say the same about homemade rust removal solutions, but the acetate does act as a chelating agent ... maybe it works on burnt gunge?

Potato / starch / carbon usually.

For those challenging cooking mishaps, create a paste using baking soda and water. Apply this mixture to burnt areas and wait for 5-10 minutes while it works its magic. A non-abrasive sponge will help lift away the residue. "

They also have their own cleaning product they're selling :-)

From Wiki:

"Sodium bisulfate is used primarily to lower pH. It is also used in metal finishing, cleaning products,[2] and to lower the pH of water for effective chlorination in swimming pools and hot tubs.[3] Sodium bisulfate is also AAFCO approved as a general-use feed additive, including use in poultry feed[4] and companion animal food.[5] It is used as a urine acidifier to reduce urinary stones in cats.[6]"

I'm sure the cat is pretty happy about that article.

Paul

If so, then I wonder if an apparently extreme solution might work where others don't. Just sprinkle the burnt area with a thin layer of potassium nitrate and gently heat it. As it melts and decomposes at

Anyone got an old SS saucepan they'd like to try this on? :-)

Yes, thanks. Would a sprinkle of sulphur help ?

Soak with Soda crystals/Hot water overnight

Back in the day, rhubarb leaves boiled in water were used to clean pans. I have no idea how effective this is compared to the other suggestions.

Cheers

Dave R

When I burned the soup, I soaked the pan then used Cif (formerly Jif) and a non-stick scouring pad. I had to repeat the exercise a few times but was ultimately successful.

with SS I simply soak and scour

It's reasonbly good for limescale as are all organic acids

Bounces of any hardened fats. Bleach is best fir that - better th n soda or bicarb. Soifium hydroxide best of course if yu can get it

IME once you have hit stuff with acid, and strong alkali the only recoursee is scouring

People love their 'organic' bollox. I'm old school A level chemistry, Swing that Ph Pendulum and then hit it with abrasives

Often discolouration is a surface layer that can be burnished out

Just a dash, perhaps. Then again, it would remove some of the KNO3 before it got to the carbon, so perhaps not. ;-)

Many thanks for all the suggestions :-)

It wasn't too difficult in the end, it had soaked for 48 hours in washing up liquid then a nylon scourer got a lot off. Then good old Brillo on the tough bits followed by a polish with Brasso and final wash in hot water/washing up liquid (rubber handle means can't go in dishwasher).

Have to remember to time it in future or go back to the big saucepan!

We've used this for some years:

Brillo? Gosh. Haven't used that in years! Forgot they existed.

I do wash my stainless pans in the dishwasher, but only once the major stuck on bits have been removed.