Best Degreasers For Sparkling Pans And Pots

Grease is a pain to remove from pans, and sometimes it feels like no amount of scrubbing will get the job done. Luckily, there are a few products that can help. For example, baking soda, vinegar, salt, and ketchup can all be used to remove grease, as can some heavy-duty commercial cleaners such as oven cleaner and Bar Keeper's Friend.

Ammonia and a plastic bag

Ammonia is a great way to clean stove burners and grates without scrubbing. It is the fumes from the ammonia that dissolve all of the grease and hardened oil.

• Take about 1/4 cup of ammonia and seal it up with one of the burners in a large plastic bag. You can use a ziplock bag or a garbage bag.
• You are not trying to soak the burner; you just want to seal it up with the ammonia fumes.
• Leave it outside on a cookie sheet overnight.
• In the morning, open the bag somewhere with good ventilation and dump the ammonia out.
• Rinse off the ammonia outside if possible, away from windows.
• The grease should now wipe clean off the burner with a sponge.

Tips:

• If you have oversized stove burners, you can get extra-large ziplock bags or use a garbage bag.
• If you are worried about the bag leaking, place it on a cookie sheet or another flat pan.
• Do not use ammonia on Teflon or non-stick surfaces.
• Do not mix ammonia with anything containing bleach.
• Wear gloves when handling ammonia, as it can be drying to the skin.

Vinegar and lemon juice

Lemon juice and vinegar are both effective ways to remove grease from pans. They are natural, non-toxic, and cost-effective alternatives to conventional cleaning products. Lemon juice contains citric acid and D-Limonene, a powerful degreaser and solvent, while vinegar is also acidic and can help break down grease.

To use lemon juice to remove grease from a pan, simply apply the lemon juice directly to the grease spot on the pan, or soak a cloth in lemon juice and place it on the grease. Let it sit for a few hours or overnight, then scrub the grease off with a cloth, and rinse the pan with hot water. Lemon juice will also leave your pan smelling great.

Similarly, you can soak a cloth in vinegar and place it on the grease spot. Leave it to sit for a few hours or overnight, then scrub the grease off with a cloth, and rinse the pan with hot water.

You can also mix vinegar and lemon juice for an all-purpose cleaning solution. Add half a cup of vinegar and one teaspoon of lemon juice to half a cup of water. This mixture will provide a nice fragrance and deep-clean your home. It can be used to clean countertops, windows, grease, and hard-water spots. The lemon inhibits the unpleasant scent of vinegar, making cleaning easier on your nose.

However, do not use vinegar and lemon juice on granite or marble surfaces as they are very acidic and will leave marks.

Baking soda

To use baking soda to remove grease from your pans, you can try the following methods:

Cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of water. Sprinkle baking soda liberally over the water to create a thin paste. Let the pan sit for several hours, then rinse and wash the pan. For stubborn stains, you can also boil a solution of 4 tablespoons of baking soda and 1/2 cup of water in the pan. Let the pan cool, then rinse the stain with straight baking soda and scrub with a non-stick safe nylon brush or sponge.

For more resistant stains, sprinkle the pan with baking soda, then add a little water and vinegar. Bring the water to a boil for 5 to 10 minutes. The vinegar will react with the baking soda to create a foaming cleaner, giving it more power to remove stains. The food or stain should wipe away easily once cooled.

For persistent or long-standing residue, sprinkle the pan with baking soda and add a small amount of water to create a slurry or paste. Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes, then scrub away the caked-on residue with a sponge or brush.

For extremely tough stains, mix baking soda with a small amount of ordinary household hydrogen peroxide to create a thick paste. Apply the paste all over the stained area of the pan. No heavy scrubbing is necessary; simply rub it with a cloth or sponge, and the stain should come right off.

To clean the copper bottoms of pans and restore their shine, turn the pan upside down, and sprinkle baking soda over the copper bottom. Pour vinegar over the bottom of the pan, and use a half lemon as a "scrub brush" to scrub all over the bottom and sides of the pan. Rinse the pan thoroughly and dry it with a cloth.

Tips for Using Baking Soda to Clean Pans:

• Always use hot or boiling water when creating a baking soda paste, as this helps to activate the baking soda.
• For non-stick pans, do not use a scrubber, scouring pad, or steel wool, as these can irreparably damage the surface.
• Baking soda can be used to clean all types of pans, including non-stick, stainless steel, ceramic, and cast iron. However, refrain from using acidic ingredients like vinegar or lemon juice when cleaning cast iron, as these can create rust.
• Baking soda can be used to clean not just pans but also cookie sheets, roasting pans, and oven interiors.

Oven cleaner

Step 1: Spread the oven cleaner on the bottom of the pan. Make sure to cover all the greasy areas generously.

Step 2: Leave the oven cleaner on the pan for a few hours. For best results, it is recommended to let it sit overnight. This will give the cleaner enough time to break down the grease and make it easier to remove.

Step 3: After letting the oven cleaner sit, it's time to start scrubbing. Use a scrubbing pad and scrub the bottom of the pan in circular motions. You may need to apply some elbow grease to remove stubborn grease buildup.

Step 4: Once you have finished scrubbing, rinse the pan thoroughly with hot soapy water. This step is crucial to ensure that all the oven cleaner residue is removed from the pan.

In addition to oven cleaner, there are also other commercial cleaners available, such as Cif Oven Cleaner, which can effectively remove burnt-on grease from ovens and pans. These products are designed to work on oven surfaces and contain powerful ingredients to tackle tough grease.

However, if you prefer a more natural approach or want to avoid using harsh chemicals, there are alternative methods you can try. For example, a mixture of baking soda and vinegar is a popular and effective way to remove burnt-on grease from pans.

Bar Keepers Friend

To use Bar Keepers Friend to remove grease from pans, follow these steps:

• Wet the surface of the pan.
• Sprinkle Bar Keepers Friend powder onto the pan.
• Using a soft wet cloth or sponge, scrub the powder into the surface of the pan in a circular motion. For very greasy pans, you may want to start scrubbing with steel wool before switching to a softer sponge.
• Rinse the pan well with clean water. Bar Keepers Friend does not lather up like dish soap, so make sure to scrub with the faucet off, using just the moisture on the surface of the pan to create a paste.
• For tougher stains, create a paste with the powder and a small amount of water, leave it on the pan for about a minute, and then scrub and rinse.
• If you have sensitive skin or are cleaning multiple pots, it is recommended to wear kitchen gloves as the product is abrasive.

Frequently asked questions