Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Tip: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

If you have burned on food in your pans, add some water and dishwasher detergent, and boil for a few minutes. The food comes right off.

By Joyce from Mechanicsville, VA

Tip: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

I burned macaroni in my Revereware pan. Now it is really black and stuck. I have been soaking with hot soapy water and scrubbing with SOS pad. Help.

By Victoria from Southern CA

Feedback:

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Try putting some dishwashing liquid and water in the pan and bring it to a boil. Let it cool and then try your SOS pad again. Wish I could say it never happened to me, but every once in awhile it does. Copper bottomed pans heat up quickly and hold the heat, hence the "bonus" of burned on food. (04/03/2010)

By tahloolabelle

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Put the pan inside a small garbage bag. Pour in enough ammonia to cover the burnt areas in the pan. Tie a knot in the bag so that it is air tight. Place outside or in garage to avoid fumes. Let set overnite. It should come out easily. (04/03/2010)

By tami333

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Easy off oven spray will do it (04/06/2010)

By Ann Parker

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Use Arm and Hammer washing soda. Put about 1/4 cup in pan and then hot water. Let soak. It should help. This soda is hard to find in groceries these days. You can also try hardware stores. If you can't find it, it can be ordered from Arm and Hammer. I just ordered some. (04/06/2010)

By moravice

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

I have used this so many times and it's the best. Rinse the burned pot as best as you can. After rinsing, reload with warm water and soap then add a dryer sheet and let it soak over night. The next morning just wipe it out and wash. It all just floats off. Hope this works for you. Nancy in Texas. (04/06/2010)

By ncwsouthland

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Put the pot/pan on the stove filled with enough water to cover the burned on food. Then bring it to a boil and simply rub/scratch the burned on food with a rubber spatula while it is still boiling. This has worked for me every time. Good Luck (05/06/2010)

By Shannon

Request: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

I burned oatmeal on my Calphalon steel stockpot. I have washed it and scrubbed it and nothing seems to take it out. How can I remove it?

By Leticia from Chicago, IL

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RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Have you tried oven cleaner? I've bought items from yard sales with burned-on food and had about given up on the first purchase. With nothing to lose, I heated it, took it outside, put it on a card table covered with thick layers of newspaper, and sprayed it like there was no tomorrow with cheap generic oven cleaner.

I think I might have left it there a while, checking it until the gunk loosened it up, then wiped it out with more newspapers to remove the gunk. Be sure to avoid inhaling the fumes and wear rubber gloves. Since then, I still first try soaking overnight with Dawn foam. Then try soaking with water and powdered dishwasher detergent, and then if those fail, grab the oven cleaner and head outside. (02/26/2010)

By CrafterMary

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Please "do not use oven cleaner" on any utensil that food is going to come in direct contact with for health sake. easyoff.us

What I do is place water in the cookware and bring to a good boil and turn off the heat. Allow to "almost" cool and then scrub with a scrubber in the sink. You may need to do it a couple of times, but I've had luck every single time no matter how badly the food is stuck/burned on. (02/26/2010)

By Deeli

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Try this, put about an inch and a half of water and add a dollop of baking soda and bring it to a boil. Cover and boil on a medium high heat for a while. Test it with a spoon every 10 minutes or so, until it's soft enough to scrape off. When you can scrape it off easily with a spoon, remove it from the heat, drain the water, and scrape off the rest of it. I've been doing this for years and it's always worked. Good luck,

mellie (02/26/2010)

By pinkmellie59

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Try a very fine emery cloth, That's the only thing that worked for my pan. I tried everything and nothing worked, but the emery cloth. I used a too course piece of the emery cloth and it did scratch mine so be careful. I was just thrilled that it was usable again. Good luck. (02/26/2010)

By gr8dnm

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Pour in some Coca-Cola (not diet) and heat it up on the stove. Leave to simmer for about 5 minutes. Throw out the cola and wash with a scouring sponge to get off what you can. Repeat the process as often as is required and it will soon be all gone and shining like new. (02/26/2010)

By Monique63

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Take liquid dishwasher detergent, smear the bottom of the pot. Let set a few hours, add water, bring to boil on the stove, then down to simmer. Do not boil dry. Let simmer up to a couple hours. Always fixes what husband burns on. (02/27/2010)

By T and T Grandma

Request: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

I burned some meatballs in spaghetti sauce in a pot that I forgot was on low flame. I don't have the "muscle grease" to scrub it off. I have tried putting a cloth of fabric softener in soapy hot water, but it didn't work. Any suggestions?

By hearts1 from San Diego

Feedback:

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Boil this pot in water on the stove and it will loosen the stuck on food. (08/12/2009)

By lorraina

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Place 1/4 cup baking soda in the pot/pan. Add 1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice. Let it foam all over the burned on food. Next add boiling water to the pan and let it cool. Clean as usual. (08/13/2009)

By Carly34

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Put a small squirt of dish soap and some water in the pan and put it on the stove on LOW- MED heat. As the water starts to simmer, take a scrub brush and scrub the pot and the cooked on food will loosen and come right off. Be patient to let the water heat up to a simmer. I have saved many, many pots this way. Good luck. (08/14/2009)

By PainterLee

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

I use the baking powder method suggested above. I sprinkle it on the burned area, Don't stir it, then add 1' or so of water and let it simmer an hour, adding water if needed. It should come off easily. Soaking overnight in this boiled solution adds a little umph. (08/14/2009)

By 903Nana

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Boil some rhubarb and water in it and it will come clean, just don't burn the rhubarb. Ketchup will clean the outside. Just spread it on, let it sit overnight and wash it off. No scrubbing inside or out. (08/14/2009)

By catastrofy

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Either boil baking soda and water in the pan as suggested by others or use Dawn's Power Dissolver. (Recommended by Consumer Reports) (08/14/2009)

By Lady Bee

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

If the Scotch green scrubby does not work, put a packet or two of Kool Aid powder, the little packets, not presweetened in the pan and add a little water (just enough to cover the burnt on area). Let it sit for about 15 minutes or 1/2 hour. This forms a low grade acid that works on removing the burnt food. This is used in the military and restaurants to clean the griddles they use. I have used this on both coated and no coat pans. (08/14/2009)

By rosbucs

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Try covering the bottom of the pan with tomato ketchup or tomato puree leave on for a couple of hours should come off. You might need to re-apply. (08/15/2009)

By irisheyes

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Put some dry dishwasher detergent in pan and cover it with hot water. Swish around to dissolve powder. Let sit overnight. Gunk should come right off in the AM. (08/15/2009)

By lindal

Request: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Getting burned on or stuck on food from pans: Sprinkle with powdered dishwasher detergent, add hot water, let soak overnight. In morning, pans come clean very quickly.

By Lesley

Feedback:

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

My mother also taught me a quicker way to removed burned food in the pan. She simply added water to the pan and let it simmer for a few minutes. It then came out very nicely. This works if you're in a hurry. (01/10/2005)

By BonsterBonnie

RE: Removing Burned on Food from Pans

Don't do this on aluminum pots. The dishwasher detergent will eat holes thru aluminum. OK to use on stainless steel. Not sure about iron pots or Non-stick pots like Teflon. (12/27/2008)

By aldos3