Need to clean a burnt stainless steel pot or pan? We have the solution for you!
The other day I put rice on and then went outside to quiz my daughter on her times tables for 20 minutes. I came back in expecting perfect fluffy rice but found a big old burnt mess. I forgot to turn the rice down to a simmer before heading out!
I scraped out as much rice as I could and scrubbed but barely made a dent. My husband suggested putting the burnt pot in the dishwasher over and over until it came out clean, but I knew that would never work!
How to Clean a Burnt Pot
I scrubbed the burnt pot over and over again with the scrubby side of the sponge and that didn’t work. I soaked the pot in hot soapy water and scrubbed again, but the scorched marks remained.
So I hit up the internet and looked for suggestions. Here are the two things I tried that actually worked!
Baking Soda and Tin Foil
A mild abrasive like baking soda seemed like a good place to start. The burnt pot needed a little more than just a sponge. So I made a paste out of warm water and baking soda and started scrubbing with a piece of aluminum foil aka tin foil.
Do not try this method on non-stick pans; it will scrape off the non-stick coating. This worked quickly and I got most of the scored rice off the bottom of the pan. But, there were a few bits that just wouldn’t budge. So I tried another method.
Dryer Sheet to Clean a Burnt Pot
Another website suggested laying a dryer sheet in the bottom of the burnt pan, covering with water, and heating. So, that’s just what I did. Once the water heated up, I used a wooden spoon to scrub the dryer sheet into the remaining bits of burnt rice.
It worked! The dryer sheet was able to release the last little bits. I cleaned the pot thoroughly to remove any residue from the dryer sheet and voila, the pot looks good as new.
This burnt pan really worried me! I thought maybe I’d never get it clean and I really didn’t want to buy a new one. I was so happy to find these unique tricks online and find they actually worked!
Now, I just wonder how many times my husband would have put that pot in the dishwasher before he finally gave up and tried something different!
Need more tips on how to clean things? Check out these past posts with cleaning tips: