How to Clean My Stainless Steel Frying Pan to Make It Look New Again
We Tried v Methods for Cleaning Discolored Stainless Steel Pans — And the Winner Was Not What We Expected
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Credit: Sarah Crowley
Stainless steel doesn't e'er look and then stainless. Boil-overs, messy drips, deep-fried annihilation — they're all known for wreaking havoc on the surfaces of our pans. Turn over the bottom of most cook's cookware, and you'll see a motley medley of blackness and brown marks that bear witness no sign of ever coming off.
All is non lost, though! With a fiddling elbow grease, those stains tin can come off. The question, of grade, is how much effort will it require? And the answer depends on what you reach for. There's a world of powders, creams, and solutions promising to become pots and pans like new over again, plus a whole host of scrubbers. Practice whatsoever really work? Or, more specifically, can they work without a sweat-inducing workout session for your arms?
I scoured the web to notice out what experts were touting as the best way to clean these stains off pots and pans. Three cleansers rose to the top: Brillo Cameo cleaner, Bar Keepers Friend Cookware Cleanser & Smooth, and Easy-Off oven cleaner. In addition, erstwhile-fashioned steel wool was another large favorite, as was the archetype baking-soda-and-lemon remedy. I decided to put an end to wondering and put each of these to the examination.
How Nosotros Tested the Methods for Cleaning Stainless Steel Pans
I don't baby my stainless steel pans. The bottoms are covered in dark-brown stains and blackness marks, and this doesn't carp me i fleck. So, suffice to say, I had a lot of cookware prime for the test. I gathered five of my most-stained pans (aye, I have a lot of pans!) and divided the bottoms of each one into sections, then that I could try a few variants of each method (more on that beneath).
The results of my exam were not at all what I expected.
The ratings: Each method received a 1 to five rating; 5 being the best method overall, and 1 being the least effective method. Along with the rating you lot'll find notes on how like shooting fish in a barrel or hard the method was, how much elbow grease it took, and how much time it took to clean the pan.
Stainless Steel Cleaning Method: Easy-Off Oven Cleaner
- Ease of use: 3/5
- Operation: two/v
- Toll: 2/5 (I paid $vii.02 for 24 ounces)
- Overall: 2
The method: I sprayed the oven cleaner on the lesser of a large pot. I allow it sit for 5 minutes and scrubbed one section, using a sponge first so the scrubby side. And then scrubbed the 2d section after it had sabbatum for 30 minutes. I allow the 3rd department sit for over an hour. Each time I noted how well the cleaner was performing and how much try I had to expend.
How it went: I use oven cleaner for so many things, so this was an accented shocker. I thought for certain the oven cleaner would cook the stains right off. I used it on my worst pot and, well, nothing budged. Even after letting the solution sit for an 60 minutes, I could just scrub off a little bit. Considering there was prep involved in using this cleaner (I had to lay the pot on paper to protect my surfaces from the spray and put gloves on), the amount of downtime, and its functioning, this method ranks at the bottom. Save your oven cleaner for other things.
Stainless Steel Cleaning Method: Brillo Cameo
- Ease of utilize: 4.5/5
- Performance: 3/5
- Price: ii/5 (I paid $vi.82 for 10 ounces)
- Overall: 3/five
The method: For the two powdered cleansers, I practical them directly to the stains, wet a sponge, and rubbed back and forth to meet how much effort it took to ability through one department. And so I used the scrubby side of the sponge for some other section, and steel wool for the 3rd section. Each time, I noted how quickly the stains began to elevator off — or not — and how much try I had to apply, and for how long.
How it went: I expected big things from this powder, which seemed specifically made for cookware. After all, Cameo has been around for a long fourth dimension. It'due south a classic cleanser that the manufacturer of Brillo acquired and renamed. I've used information technology (with slap-up results) for cleaning burnt-on gunk, just for these sorts of stains it was just OK. Information technology took a lot more scrubbing try than I had hoped.
Stainless Steel Cleaning Method: Baking Soda and Lemon
- Ease of use: 4.five/v
- Operation: 3.5/v
- Toll: 5/5 (virtually $1.50)
- Overall: 4/five
The method: I wet the lesser of the pan, sprinkled generously with baking soda, then scrubbed with the cut side of a lemon, as directed by Arm & Hammer. After a while, I switched to a scrubby sponge.
How it went: About of united states accept baking soda and lemons on hand, making this method very doable. That earns it a ton of points lone. Performance-wise, it did pretty well — better than oven cleaner, and nearly equally good every bit Brillo Cameo. It took a fair amount of scrubbing effort, only the combination seemed to fizz upwards and help dissolve stains, while the abrasive powder helped scrub them off. The worst stains had a difficult time budging. Notwithstanding, the metallic eventually ended upwards beautifully shiny, similar to the shine after using Bar Keepers Friend. If you desire a cheap, skillful-smelling, eco-friendly way to remove not-too-heavy stains from your pans, using stuff you likely already have on hand, this method does the trick.
Stainless Steel Cleaning Method: Bar Keepers Friend Cookware Cleanser & Shine
- Ease of use: v/5
- Performance: four.five/five
- Toll: 2/five (I paid $vii.43 for 12 ounces)
- Overall: four/5
The method: I tested this the same style I tested the Brillo Cameo cleaner.
How it went: I was knocked out by the performance of this version of Bar Keepers Friend (aka BKF). I could run into the stains practically melting off. They lifted after just one or 2 back-and-forth scrubs. And when I added the scouring power of steel wool, no stain no matter how erstwhile stood a take a chance. I tried the duo on a deeply stained pot, and information technology'south like I have a brand-new pot. Seriously, like it'southward right out of the box. I have regular BKF, and use information technology frequently for all kinds of scouring jobs, but this version actually polishes the cookware likewise. My pans weren't only stain-free, just they were likewise noticeably glossy and shiny!
Stainless Steel Cleaning Method: Steel Wool
- Ease of use: 4.5/five
- Performance: 5/5
- Toll: four.5/5 (I paid $half-dozen.14 for 10)
- Overall: 5/5
The method: I but wet the steel wool with water and started scrubbing.
How it went: Where has steel wool been all of my life? Right in front of my confront, of course, but it took this test for me to officially join the unofficial fan order. The steel wool pad powered through the stains — no trouble. Information technology's cheap, and it's moldable, so it was easy to fit into crevices, as well. And as long equally you're not cleaning something full of burnt-on $.25, the pad rinses pretty clean, and can be reused tons of times.
I also tried a plain steel wool pad (the kind without any soap at all) and, when combined with the Bar Keepers Friend Cookware Cleanser & Polish, it was the most magical combination. The stains came off nearly effortlessly and the cookware looked shiny and new. Note: Steel wool can leave scratches on soft metals and fragile surfaces, like porcelain enamel, and so I'll be sure to but apply it on my stainless steel.
How exercise yous clean stains on your stainless steel cookware? Tell u.s. in the comments below.
Source: https://www.thekitchn.com/best-method-cleaning-discolored-stainless-steel-cookware-23186094
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