Grease-Free Pans: Wash Tricks

Grease clinging to your pans can be frustrating, but there are several ways to tackle this issue. Firstly, it is important to wash your pans by hand with warm water and soap immediately after use. This will prevent grease from building up and caking onto the pan. However, if you're reading this because the damage is already done, then there are a few methods you can try to remove the grease. For non-stick pans, a mixture of vinegar and baking soda is a popular option. Simply mix two tablespoons of white vinegar, baking soda, and a small amount of water in the pan, place it on the stove, and heat until it boils for about 5 minutes. Then, let the mixture cool down, rinse the pan, and wash it with dish soap and a sponge. For stainless-steel pans, a mixture of baking soda and vinegar or Bar Keeper's Friend is recommended. You can also try using salt, vinegar, and dish soap, but be cautious as salt can be abrasive and may scratch some pans. For stubborn grease, you may need to soak the pan in vinegar or a commercial cleaner before scrubbing.

Use baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and dish soap

To remove grease from pans using baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap, start by mixing the baking soda and hydrogen peroxide in a small bowl to form a paste. The exact measurements aren't important, but a good starting point is 1/4 cup of baking soda with enough hydrogen peroxide to create a paste. If the mixture seems too wet, add more baking soda; if it's too thick, add more hydrogen peroxide.

Once you have your paste, apply it to the greasy areas of the pan. Leave the paste on the pan for at least 30 minutes. If the grease is particularly stubborn, you can leave the paste on for up to an hour or even overnight.

After the paste has had time to work, use a scrubbing pad or toothbrush to rub the paste into the pan in a circular motion. Rinse the pan with warm water and wash it with dish soap. If necessary, repeat the process until the grease is gone.

This cleaning method is safe and effective for removing grease from various surfaces, including pots, pans, baking sheets, and cookie sheets. It can also be used to clean other household items like grout, bathroom fixtures, and laundry stains.

Use vinegar to soak the pan

If your pans have a light brown colour, you can remove the grease by soaking them in vinegar. This is an effective technique and can be applied to most types of frying pans.

Step 1: Pour straight vinegar into your sink, ensuring that there is enough to fully submerge the bottom of the pan.

Step 2: Let the pan soak in the vinegar for about an hour.

Step 3: After the pan has soaked, use a scrubbing pad, toothbrush, and some dish soap to remove the softened grease. You can use Blue Dawn, which is recommended for this purpose.

If you are dealing with caked-on grease, you can pre-soak the pan in vinegar for half an hour before applying other cleaning methods. For example, you can rinse the pan after the vinegar soak and then apply a paste made from baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and a few drops of dish soap.

Additionally, you can combine vinegar with other household products for more effective grease removal. For instance, you can create a mixture of vinegar, salt, and baking soda. Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda and sea salt on the bottom of your pan, focusing on the stained areas. Then, spritz some vinegar onto the baking soda and let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes before scrubbing it with a scouring pad.

Another option is to create a "cleaning cocktail" by mixing 1/2 cup of vinegar with 1 1/2 cups of water in your nonstick pan. Cook this mixture over medium heat for 5-10 minutes to loosen stuck-on food particles. Allow the mixture to cool, and then wash the pan with warm, soapy water using a gentle sponge or brush. Finally, rinse the pan and let it dry.

Use salt and vinegar

If you're looking to remove burnt grease from your pans, a combination of vinegar and salt can be very effective. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Prepare a mixture of distilled white vinegar and salt. The vinegar will help to dissolve and soften the grease, while the salt will act as an abrasive to help scrub it away. For this mixture, you will need more vinegar than salt. A good ratio to follow is one part salt to four parts vinegar.

Before you start, it is important to note that salt has a coarse texture and can potentially scratch some pans' finishes. Therefore, it is recommended to use this method with care and test it on a small area first if you are unsure.

Now, follow these steps:

• Soak the pan in white vinegar for about an hour. Ensure you use enough vinegar to completely submerge the bottom of the pan.
• After the pan has soaked, pour salt onto the bottom of the pan. Focus on the stained areas and make sure to cover them with salt.
• Add a small amount of dish soap, such as Blue Dawn, to a scrubbing pad or sponge.
• Vigorously scrub the bottom of the pan using the scrubbing pad. Apply more salt and dish soap as needed until the grease is removed.
• Finally, rinse the pan with warm water to remove any remaining residue.

By following these steps, you can effectively remove burnt grease from your pans using vinegar and salt.

Use oven cleaner

If you have tried everything and that grease is still stubbornly clinging to your pans, it might be time to try oven cleaner. This may not be a popular technique, but it is a tried-and-tested method for removing burnt-on grease from the bottom of pans.

• Spread oven cleaner on the bottom of the pan.
• Leave it to sit for a few hours; leaving it overnight is recommended.
• Using a scrubbing pad, scrub the bottom of the pan.
• Clean the pan with hot soapy water to get rid of any oven cleaner residue.

This method is best applied to ceramic and non-stick pans.

Use Bar Keepers Friend

Bar Keepers Friend is a bleach-free, oxalic-acid-based powdered cleaning product ideal for stainless steel items. It can be used to remove grease and oil stains from pans, as well as rust, tarnish, mineral deposits, and tough stains from most surfaces. It also helps to protect the surfaces of your pans, preventing them from tarnishing and rusting in the future.

To use Bar Keepers Friend, start by wetting the surface of your pan. Then, sprinkle on the powder and scrub with a soft sponge or cloth, keeping the faucet off and using just the moisture on the pan to create a paste. If needed, you can add a small amount of water to the powder before applying it to create a paste. For very greasy pans, you may want to start scrubbing with steel wool, then switch to a soft sponge or cloth once most of the grease has been removed. Finally, rinse the pan well.

Bar Keepers Friend is safe to use on cookware when used as directed. Its active ingredient, oxalic acid, is naturally occurring in foods such as spinach, rhubarb, tea, and cocoa products. The manufacturer of All-Clad cookware even recommends using Bar Keepers Friend to remove stuck-on food and stains. They also offer a cookware-specific cleanser, which contains additional surfactants to help wash away the removed gunk more easily.

Frequently asked questions