How to clean ceramic pans and bring back the nonstick

Step by step: how to clean ceramic pans and bring back the nonstick

1. 1

   Let the pan cool

   Set the pan on a cool burner or trivet until it is warm, not hot. Plunging a hot ceramic pan into cold water can warp the pan and crack a glass lid. Five to ten minutes is usually enough.

2. 2

   Wipe out oil and loose food

   Wipe out excess oil and crumbs with a paper towel or a silicone spatula. Pour grease into a can or the trash, not down the drain. Most food should slide right off a healthy ceramic coating.

3. 3

   Wash by hand with warm soapy water

   Wash the inside and outside with warm water, a few drops of dish soap and a soft sponge or dishcloth. Rinse well so no soap film is left on the coating. This is all a pan needs after most meals.

4. 4

   Simmer off stuck food

   If something is stuck, add an inch of water and a drop of dish soap and bring it to a gentle simmer on low heat for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and wipe the softened food loose with a sponge or a non-abrasive scrubber. Repeat once if needed.

5. 5

   Remove sticky carbon spots

   Brown, sticky patches are carbonized oil. Fill the pan halfway with water and heat it to just below a boil for about 2 minutes, pour the water out, and set the pan on a wooden board. Carefully rub the warm surface with a damp melamine sponge until the spots lift.

6. 6

   Clean the outside with a baking soda paste

   Mix baking soda with a little water into a smooth paste and rub it over stains on the outside of the pan with a paper towel or soft cloth. Rinse and dry. Keep the paste on the exterior; it is too gritty for the cooking surface.

7. 7

   Dry and store with protection

   Dry the pan with a soft towel. If you stack pans, put a pan protector or a folded towel between them so the coating does not get scratched by the pan above.

Why ceramic pans start to stick

Ceramic pans usually start sticking because of a thin layer of burnt-on oil, not because the coating is gone. Overheating, aerosol cooking sprays and harsh scrubbing are the three causes, and the first two are fixable.

• GreenPan’s care page explains that overheating plus oil creates carbonization, the small spots that make food stick, and that it can be wiped away with a melamine sponge using the warm-water method in the steps above.
• Both GreenPan and Caraway say to avoid oil sprays and cooking aerosols: the fine mist burns quickly and leaves a film on the coating.
• Caraway also says to cook on low to medium heat only, since overheating wears away the nonstick coating over time.
• GreenLife, another ceramic nonstick maker, says to let cookware cool before washing, because plunging a hot pan into cold water risks thermal shock that can warp the pan and shatter a glass lid. It also rules out abrasive detergents, steel wool and iron sponges.

If food still sticks after a deep clean and the surface looks dull, scratched or worn through, the coating has reached the end of its life.

Dishwasher, scrubbers and utensils: what is safe?

Hand washing with a soft sponge is safe for every ceramic pan. Whether the dishwasher is allowed depends on the brand, and abrasive scrubbers are out for all of them.

Even where the dishwasher is allowed, hand washing tends to keep the coating slick for longer.

Ceramic-coated vs other pans

Most “ceramic pans” are aluminum or steel with a slick ceramic coating, and that is what this guide covers. Enameled cast iron and solid ceramic or stoneware dishes are different materials with their own care.

• Enameled cast iron (heavy, glossy, often colored): see how to clean enameled cast iron.
• Stainless steel pans can take scouring powder and steel wool; see how to clean stainless steel pans.
• For a ceramic pan with a thick burnt layer, simmer soapy water first, then use the melamine method; avoid the harsher tricks in how to clean a burnt pan that call for scouring.

Mistakes to avoid

• Running cold water into a hot ceramic pan, which can warp it.
• Scrubbing with steel wool, an iron sponge or a gritty powder that scratches the coating.
• Using aerosol cooking spray, which leaves a sticky film that food grabs onto.
• Cooking on high heat, which carbonizes oil and wears the coating faster.
• Rubbing a baking soda paste on the cooking surface instead of keeping it to the outside.
• Stacking pans with nothing between them, which nicks the coating.