How to Clean a Burnt Pan

Burnt food bonds to the bottom of a pan, so scrubbing right away does little. Soften it first with heat and dish soap, then use baking soda for anything left behind.

Let the pan cool completely

Leave the pan on the stove until it is cool enough to touch. Running cold water into a hot pan can warp it, and a warped pan never sits flat again.

Simmer water and dish soap in the pan

Fill the pan with enough water to cover the burnt area and add a good squeeze of dish soap. Bring it to a simmer and keep it there for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon while the water is still warm. Most of the burnt layer should lift off in sheets. Pour out the water.

Scrub with a baking soda paste

Mix 3 tablespoons of baking soda with just enough water to make a thick paste. Spread it over what remains and leave it for 15 minutes. Scrub with a non-scratch sponge or pad, adding a little water as you go. Rinse and check.

Fizz stubborn spots with vinegar

Sprinkle a layer of baking soda over the remaining burnt spots, then pour in 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Let it fizz for a few minutes, then scrub again with the non-scratch pad. Wash the pan as usual with dish soap and dry it.

Match the method to the pan

Stainless steel can take a firmer scrub with a non-scratch pad and, for the worst spots, a scouring pad. Nonstick cannot: use only the simmer and the paste, no metal tools and no abrasive pads, or the coating will come off. For cast iron, skip the soak and instead scrub with a handful of coarse salt and a tablespoon of cooking oil, rinse quickly, dry on low heat, and wipe on a thin coat of oil to re-season.

An overnight option. Fill the pan with warm water, add a squeeze of dish soap and drop in a dryer sheet, and leave it overnight. The softened residue wipes off in the morning. Wash the pan well afterward.

What not to do. Do not use oven cleaner or bleach on cookware, and never mix bleach with vinegar.