Engineering and fabrication

How do you clean a scorched stainless steel pan?

I just came in from work, put a heavy gage stainless steel, copper bottom pan on with a bit of oil to heat for dinner. My husband called with an emergency and I forgot the pan for about five minutes. By the time I got back to the pan it was scorched black and the oil caught fire as I rounded the corner. I put the fire out with salt since it was an oil fire and it now sits on the back steps waiting for the smoke to disapate. HOW do I clean this? It is scorched BLACK. I'll admit I haven't gotten it to the sink yet since it is still hot but this is a new pan and I'd hate to think it is ruined. Any cleaning ideas? I've always cooked in cast iron so the stainles steel is a new experience. Advise please!

Public Comments

1. I don't know if this only works on copper, but I saw Martha Stewart clean a burnt pot with ketchup and it came out good as new. Just rub the ketchup on the burnt parts and let it sit for a while and then rub it off. Something to do with the acidity of the tomatoes.


2. I'd get it into the sink and use Vim and some steel wool or a Magic Eraser to get off the burnt oil. If it doesn't come off in about 10 minutes of scrubbing, let it soak for a while and try again. Good luck!


3. Try soaking it in vinegar and a good soap like Dawn liquid. It might take several attempts to get it clean, but it should work. Also, there's a product called Quick and Brite that might work.....it gets just about everything else out!


4. put a inch of water in the bottom and put a dryer sheet in it. let set for atleast a hour, rubs right off.


5. Soak in hot soapy water with a little vinegar to cut down the soak time. Then you can scrub it off. (When I was a child, that bottle of Comet worked too). It can be saved, but it will take some scrubbing.

   Don't be afraid to take the pan outside and use Easy-Off since it would be just like new after a few hours, after scrubbing and hosing it off! Bon Appetite. ------->>@



6. Soak the pan in water for at least 6 hours, then go to work with a S.O.S. pad (steel wool with a cleaner) if you cannot get it all, re-soak the pan and try again. You will eventually get it all.


7. For the outside of the pan (copper) ketchup works, so does a mix of 1 part each of flour, salt and vinegar. Leave for about 10 minutes then wash off.

   For the inside - put about 2 inches of water in the pan with about 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Bring to the boil. Then let the water cool, scrub and rinse.

   Both these methods may need to be used a few times, but I much prefer using them to commercial cleaning products.



8. All that you have on the inside of your pan is burnt oil. It looks ugly but it is relatively easy to get off. All you need is a stainless steel scrubbing pad and a good dish detergent. The pan should come clean with a little scrubbing. If you are worried about scratching your expensive stainless, you can get a brass scrubbing pad, it will work well but won't last as long as a stainless steel pad.