Engineering and fabrication

Dark yellow residue on stainless pots? Any ideas what it is and how I can get it off?

The residue is on the sides of the ones I use most frequently. It's a dark yellow and almost like a resin on the outside sides only. I've tried using commercial stainless cleaner from a stainless pot manufacturer with no luck and I'm hesitant to try anything else for fear of scratching them. Any ideas how to get this off and how to prevent it in the future?

Public Comments

1. when that happens to my pots I use comet & a little green scrubbie that always works for me


2. Baking Soda. <}:-})


3. A rough surface of a washing cloth should remove it... If not soak it in hot water and try again.


4. its grease and you can get it off with 2 products. 1 is the magic eraser..best thing next to sliced bread and 2 Dawn makes a power grease disolver that you spray on.. but I would use the Magic Erase. .. As long as you cook you will get this,,


5. Try using Ajax in powder form and scrubbing them with a no scratch sponge, although I use a regular sponge and it doesnt scratch the stainless steel. Its probably just grease on your pots..?


6. It sounds like a grease buildup. Regular washing won't get it off. The pots are shiny? The best thing I've used is Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I use them on everything. Even my glass top stove. It will leave marks on paint and stained/varnished wood, though. I "inherited" an old silver plated plater that was discolored and grungy. I used the Magic Eraser and it looks like new. If you try it make sure to test it first in an area on the pot that you won't see or notice first just in case it does scratch it.

   http://www.mrclean.com/sites/en_US/mrclean/index.shtml

   If you don't want to try it or it does leave a mark then try using rubbing alcohol. Using a soft cloth, pour a small amount onto the cloth and rub across the stains until they disappear.

   Or you can try a paste of baking soda and water. Using a soft cloth and the paste rub across the stains until they are gone. Once again, always test in an unoticed area to be sure no scratching occurs.

   I've also heard of people using straight white vinegar.



7. You MUST go out and purchase a can of Bar Keeper's Friend. Use a little water, sprinkle the powder on, then use your finger to make a paste and rub the residue away. Seriously, this WILL rid you of your problem. Barkeeper's Friend is sold at every grocery store, you will usually find it on the very bottom or very top shelf of the cleaning aisle, as it is very inexpensive, and the stores just do not want to put the inexpensive items at eye level. It is in a yellow metallic cardboard can with a blue emblem.

   The Magic Eraser will work as others mentioned, but I would use BKF first, it WILL solve your problem. ETA: If you do use a Magic Eraser, take the eraser and cut it with scissors into eight equal-sized cubes. Use the cubes individually...you will get SO much more use if you cut the eraser down this way rather than using it whole.



8. i think its cooked on grease. mine have the same thing. is the surface like brushed metal? is so, you can get some sos pads and scrub it along the grain. also, since its the outside, use over cleaner. oh! and a gentler way, use that dawn detergent spray presoak. itll take longer than over cleaner, but it works also. may have to do it a few times, but that dawn spray is pretty good. worked for me.