By Brian from San Francisco, CA
When I burn something in one of my stainless pots, before I scrub, I put warm water in the pot, just enough to cover the bottom, heat to boiling and using a spatula scape the burnt stuff off. This cleans the majority off and then let it sit over night with a little dawn and water. Comes clean every time. I also use the Bar Keeper stainless cleaner when I want to shine up the pots.
Not in a million years would I use WD40 to clean pans. I have good stainless too and use easy off on them. WD40 can cause seizures in some people so it is not something you would want to take a chance on.
When nothing else worked (vinegar, baking soda, fabric softener sheets... all the usual tips you see), I most certainly did use WD-40! When I purchased my pots and pans, several years ago, I paid almost $500 for them, so, I was not about to send them packing;) A couple of my skillets had deep burn marks. I followed the directions on the can... spraying it only on the marks, then letting the skillets sit (if the marks didn't scrub right off, which they usually don't, right away), overnight, then tried again the next day. Usually, most of it will come off with a little scrubbing. If not, repeat process, untll all marks come off. You will have to scrub quite a bit, but my deep marks eventually disappeared. Afterward, I cleaned the skillets really good, in hot water, with Dawn dish detergent. They were like new, and yes, I have cooked with them since and no, none of us got sick. Hope this helps=)
I have all stainless steel cookware and I was having trouble finding something to use. Then I moved to a mobile home with a septic tank and did some research and found that white vinegar can be used to polish stainless steel. I now use white vinegar in my dishwater to cut grease and polish my pots and pans and silverware.
For the hard to clean pots I use white vinegar and baking soda.
I have never heard of using WD-40, but would only try it on the outside of the pan while still making sure to clean well with hot soapy water. Bar Keeper's Friend is a powdered cleaner that I have had good luck with for cleaning my stainless steel pots when they get discolored from heat or burnt food.
WD-40 web site lists it as useful for cleaning:
* Displaces moisture from guns after cleaning
* Cleans woks after - cleaning
* Cleans blackened skillets - after cleaning
The bottom of the pan should be cleaned as well as possible, then soaked in WD-40 for at least an hour before attempting to clean again. And of course wash the pan again before using.
Never use WD-40 on anything you cook with or eat off of! It's not meant for ingesting in any way, shape or form!
If the interior is 'bluish', pour clear Vinegar, place cover on, and heat up to boiling point. Let set for about 2 minutes and pour into kitchen sink.
If more drastic measures are required, use MAAZ S.S. Cleaner [a paste usually found with all the other household cleansers]...absolutely amazing. Then wash with a detergent (or use the vinegar method) to remove any questionable residues.
It is an industrial product and the can says not to be ingested. So I would not use it for cooking utensils, but that is up to you.
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Using Stainless Steel Cookware