The Ultimate Guide To Cleaning Your All-Clad Pans

All-Clad pans are a pricey investment, so it's understandable that you'd want to keep them in pristine condition. Luckily, there are several ways to remove stains and discolouration from your pans, and most of them can be done with products you already have at home.

For light stains, a paste made from baking soda and water can be applied to the pan and scrubbed off after 15 seconds. For tougher stains, Bar Keepers Friend is a popular choice, and can be used in the same way as the baking soda paste.

To remove brown spots, scrub the pan with hot soapy water, then sprinkle flour across the dry pan and use a lint-free cloth to buff the flour across the pan in a circular motion.

For general discolouration, a paste made from baking soda and water can be left to sit in the pan for 30 minutes before being scrubbed off.

It's important to remember that some discolouration is inevitable, and is simply a sign of a well-loved pan!

Use Bar Keepers Friend

To get stains out of your All-Clad pans, Bar Keepers Friend is a great option. It's a bleach-free, oxalic-acid-based powdered cleaning product that's ideal for stainless steel items. It can effectively remove tough stains and protect your pans' surfaces from future tarnishing and rusting.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use Bar Keepers Friend to get stains out of your All-Clad pans:

• Dampen the pan: Start by dampening the pan with warm water. You can use a soft cloth or sponge to ensure the pan is slightly wet.
• Sprinkle Bar Keepers Friend: Add a small amount of tap water to the pan, followed by a generous shake or two of Bar Keepers Friend powder. The amount of powder will depend on the size and severity of the stains.
• Create a paste: Using a soft cloth or sponge, mix the water and powder together to form a paste. You can adjust the consistency by adding small amounts of water as needed.
• Apply the paste: Spread the paste evenly across the stained areas of the pan, including the sides and walls. Ensure you cover all the stains.
• Let it sit: Allow the paste to sit on the pan for about 15 seconds to a minute. Do not let it sit for too long, as it may cause discolouration.
• Scrub the pan: Using a soft cloth or sponge, scrub the paste in a circular motion from the centre outward. For tougher stains, you may need to use a little more elbow grease. Focus on one small area at a time for better results.
• Rinse and repeat: Rinse the pan with warm water and repeat the process as needed. If there are still some stubborn stains, you can make a fresh batch of the paste and try again.
• Dry the pan: After rinsing, dry the pan thoroughly with a clean, absorbent, lint-free towel. This step is crucial to prevent water spots and rust from forming.

Some additional tips to keep in mind when using Bar Keepers Friend:

• For very greasy or burnt pans, you can start scrubbing with steel wool to cut through the toughest grime. Then switch to a soft sponge or cloth to finish the job.
• Always wear kitchen gloves when using Bar Keepers Friend to protect your skin. The product is abrasive and can irritate sensitive skin.
• Avoid letting the paste sit on the pan for extended periods. While it's safe to scrub for longer than a minute, do not leave it on the pan without scrubbing.
• Bar Keepers Friend also offers a cookware-specific version of their product, which is designed for use on pots and pans.

By following these steps and using Bar Keepers Friend, you can effectively remove stains from your All-Clad pans and restore them to their original shine!

Use baking soda

Baking soda is a mild abrasive, making it an excellent natural cleaning agent for removing burnt-on food and tough stains from all types of pans, including All-Clad. Here are some ways you can use baking soda to clean your All-Clad pans:

Make a Baking Soda Paste

Wet the pan with water and add baking soda to form a paste. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes. Then, scrub off the crusty food or burnt-on oil using a scouring pad or the scrubby side of a sponge. Repeat the process or let the paste sit overnight if the stains are stubborn.

Boil Water and Baking Soda in the Pan

For tougher stains, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and, as the water evaporates, scrub off the film of baking soda and food residue with a scrubby sponge or kitchen scrub brush.

Submerge the Pan in a Boiling Baking Soda Solution

To remove years of built-up stains, fill a large pot with water and submerge your All-Clad pan in it. Bring the water to a boil and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of baking soda. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 to 30 minutes. As the brown residue starts to flake off, carefully remove the pan from the boiling solution. Create a paste by adding more baking soda and water to the pan and scrub away any lingering stains while the pan is still hot.

Soak the Pan in a Baking Soda Solution

Sprinkle baking soda across the surface of the pan and add hot water to create a paste-like consistency. Soak the pan for at least 30 minutes, and then scrub it with a non-abrasive sponge or brush. Rinse and dry the pan thoroughly.

Removing Water Stains

If your All-Clad pans have white stains due to hard water or a reddish hue from high iron content in the water, add three parts water and one part white vinegar to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, remove from heat, and let it cool. Then, wash the pan with hot water and a mild detergent, and dry it completely with a lint-free, absorbent towel.

Removing Burnt Food

To clean a burnt pan, cover the entire surface with water, white vinegar, or a mixture of water and baking soda. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes. Rinse the pan with hot water, and then scrub it with a non-abrasive sponge or brush. Repeat the process if necessary.

Use a scouring pad or sponge

To get stains out of All-Clad pans, you can use a scouring pad or sponge. It is recommended to use a non-abrasive scrubbing pad, such as a Dobie pad, or a non-abrasive sponge to minimise scratches. A Scotch-Brite scouring pad or sponge is the most effective tool for removing stains. A softer Dobie pad requires more effort but leaves fewer scratches.

To use a scouring pad or sponge to remove stains from your All-Clad pan, first, add a very small amount of tap water into the pan. Then, sprinkle the pan with Bar Keepers Friend and add a couple more generous shakes after you've added some water. Using your scrubby sponge, mix the water and powder together to form a paste-like texture.

Next, spread the mixture all around the pan, including the sides. If you need to make more, simply add more Bar Keepers Friend and water. Once you've spread the paste, scrub away at the stains. If necessary, add more Bar Keepers Friend to your sponge for those extra pesky spots.

You can also use a detail brush, like a toothbrush, to clean out any crevices. Repeat the process for the outside of the pan. If any stains or discolouration remain around the All-Clad logo, grab a toothpick, dip it in the cleaning paste, and work away at it. Finally, rinse the pan and dry it with a lint-free towel.

Use a toothbrush for crevices

To clean the crevices of your All-Clad pans, you'll need a detail brush, like a toothbrush, and a cleaning agent. You can use Bar Keepers Friend, Bon Ami, or baking soda. Here's a step-by-step guide:

• Sprinkle some water into the pan, making it slightly damp.
• Sprinkle your chosen cleaning agent onto the pan, focusing on the stained areas.
• With a damp sponge, mix the water and the cleaning agent to create a paste.
• Using the toothbrush, apply the paste to any crevices or hard-to-reach areas, such as around the rivets or the All-Clad logo.
• Let the paste sit for about 15 seconds.
• Scrub the pan with the toothbrush, paying extra attention to the crevices to ensure all the stains are removed.
• Rinse the pan thoroughly with water.
• Dry the pan immediately with a clean, absorbent towel to prevent water spots and rust.

It's important to note that Bar Keepers Friend contains oxalic acid, which can irritate the skin, so be sure to wear rubber gloves when handling this product. Additionally, avoid letting the paste sit on the pan for more than a minute, as it may cause discolouration.

Use a non-abrasive scrubbing pad

To get stains out of All-Clad pans, it's important to use a non-abrasive scrubbing pad to avoid scratching the surface of your pan. A non-abrasive scrubbing pad, such as a Dobie pad, requires a bit more elbow grease than a harsher pad, but it will leave fewer scratches.

To begin, make sure your pan is slightly damp. You can do this by adding a very small amount of tap water into the pan. Then, sprinkle Bar Keepers Friend (BKF) onto the brown spots or stains, including the outside of the pan. With your scrubbing pad, mix the water and BKF into a paste. Let the paste sit on the pan for around 15 seconds.

Next, scrub the pan with the scrubbing pad. Place the pan on a towel on the counter to get more leverage rather than bending over the sink. The amount of time and effort required for this step depends on the severity of the stains. If you've neglected your pans for a long time, the stains will be more baked into the metal and therefore more difficult to remove. In most cases, it should only take a minute or two of scrubbing to remove the stains.

To get to those hard-to-reach areas, such as around the rivets or the All-Clad logo, use an old toothbrush or a toothpick with some BKF paste. These areas are the most challenging to clean, but with a bit of time and effort, you can restore them to their original shine.

Once you've removed all the stains, thoroughly rinse your pan and dry it off with a clean, absorbent towel. Always dry your All-Clad cookware immediately after cleaning to prevent water spots and rust.

Frequently asked questions