Cleaning Burn Stains while Cooking

When you burn something in a pot or pan, probably the worst thing you can do is wait to remove the stain. By waiting, you allow the stain to actually set into the cookware, thereby making it more difficult to clean by an order of magnitude. The best time to clean your burn stains is while you are actually cooking. Each of the methods listed below will work wonders to clean and remove those burn stains.

• Baking Soda. Create a mixture of 5 cups of water and 5 teaspoons of baking soda and put it into the burnt pot or pan. Add heat to the pot and bring it to a gentle boil for roughly twenty minutes or until you start to see the burnt food float away. After the time has expired, remove the pot or pan from the heat and pour out the water. Take a look to see if you have removed the stain; if you have not removed the stain, then use a soft green scrubby, some detergent, and gentle pressure to remove the remaining stain.
• Soap. Fill your burnt pot or pan with water and about two teaspoons of liquid dishwashing detergent. Bring the water and detergent to a boil and allow it to simmer for roughly ten minutes. After ten minutes, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Leave the pot soaking for roughly thirty minutes. Once the time has passed, take a wooden spoon and scrape all the burnt material off. If there is still anything that remains of the burns, use the baking soda method.
• Specialized Cleansers. This is the most expensive method for removing stains from burnt pots or pans. However, this is also the most effective. Simply follow the directions that come on the product and you should quickly have sparkling clean cookware in almost no time.
• Vinegar. Put an equal mixture of white vinegar and water into the burnt pot or pan and bring to a boil. Allow the water and vinegar to simmer gently for about thirty minutes, adding more water and vinegar as needed. The burn stains should come off with no problem. If the burn doesn't come off in the allotted time, pour out some of the water and gently scrub with a green scrubby and what is left of the water/vinegar mixture.