How do you fix a burnt stainless-steel pan?
You may find yourself in this situation if you started cooking on too hot stove and for too long, or if you have forgotten your pan on the stove... and the food inside has burnt. Here are some tips and tricks to clean and fix your burnt stainless-steel pan... and to make stainless steel shine again.
Act quickly!
In any case, to remove the burnt food on the bottom of the pan do not use an abrasive sponge, or accessories that could scratch and damage the stainless steel. Try to remove the burnt parts with a wood spoon for example, or a non-abrasive brush.
Above all, do not use bleach, which is toxic from a food point of view, and which will destroy your stainless steel.
What products should I use?
Hereunder some products you can use if you are looking for a natural solution.
Baking soda: available in paste or powder form, it is your ally in the kitchen (it reduces the cooking time of vegetables and makes them easier to digest, for example), but also in daily life, especially for cleaning.
If you use bicarbonate powder, mix it with little water to obtain a paste, then boil this mixture for a few minutes in the burnt pan, then let it cool. You can then scrub the burnt deposits off with a sponge or a non-abrasive brush. This method is of course valid for all stainless-steel cooking recipients, frying pans, pots and pans, etc. Rinse off.
White vinegar: it can be used to descale (stainless steel taps, coffee machine, kettle, etc.), and you may already use it for housekeeping. You can also combine it with baking soda to obtain more effective results on the burnt bottom of a pan.
Make a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water, and add a tablespoon of baking soda. When the mixture foams, place the stainless-steel pan with the burnt bottom on a stove and bring to boil for about ten minutes.
As before, with the baking soda, let it cool before scrubbing with a non-abrasive brush or sponge.
You can also choose to use alcohol vinegar combined with baking soda: in this case there is no need to heat the mixture: the burnt deposits will dissolve as time passes by...
Citric acid: also ideal for descaling household appliances, removing traces of limescale or shining stainless steel taps. It is not dangerous, but conditions of use must be respected, as it may cause eye and skin irritations, so it is better to use gloves. It can be bought in pharmacies, drugstores in the form of granules, powder or liquid, and can also be purchased in supermarkets. It is present in large quantities in lemons, hence the name!
Pour two to three tablespoons of citric acid into your burnt stainless-steel pan and fill with boiling water. Let it work for at least 30 minutes, then scrub with a brush or sponge, always non-abrasive. Rinse off.
Salt: to fix your stainless steel pan whose bottom has burned, you can also use salt, a product that is always present in your kitchen! Pour fine salt on the bottom of the burnt pan and let it work for at least one hour. Then clean the pan, the stains and residues will have gone.
Ashes: as we saw with the burnt stainless-steel dish, you can use wood ashes, which will help you to clean the burnt marks, but will also allow you to polish the stainless steel to a shine.
Soda crystals: These should only be used on cast iron pans.
Whatever the technique and tip you choose, and depending on the degree of burnt of your stainless-steel pan, you may have to repeat the cleaning operation until you obtain a satisfactory result. Do not forget to rinse off your pan and wipe it with a soft cloth. This technique is valid for pots and pans of course.