How to clean stainless steel pans: burnt food, rainbow stains and white spots

Step by step: how to clean stainless steel pans

Safety first. Bar Keepers Friend contains oxalic acid: wear gloves for long scrubbing, rinse it off within about a minute, and never mix it with bleach or ammonia. Do not put a hot pan under cold water, which can warp it.

1. 1

   Let the pan cool a little

   Wait until the pan is warm, not hot. Pouring cold water into a hot pan can warp the base so it no longer sits flat. Warm residue still comes off easily.

2. 2

   Deglaze stuck bits with hot water

   Pour in about 1 cup of hot water and scrape the bottom with a wooden spatula. Most browned bits (fond) release in under a minute. Pour it out.

3. 3

   Wash with soap and a non-scratch sponge

   Wash inside and out with warm water and dish soap. For anything still stuck, soak the pan in hot soapy water for about 15 minutes, then scrub again.

4. 4

   Simmer off burnt food

   For burnt sauce, rice or sugar, cover the bottom with about 1 inch of water and a squirt of soap or 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, bring it to a simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, and scrape as it loosens. Pour it out and wash.

5. 5

   Scrub leftover char with baking soda

   Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of baking soda over remaining dark spots, add just enough water to make a paste, wait 5 to 10 minutes, and scrub with a non-scratch sponge. Repeat on very stubborn spots.

6. 6

   Polish brown stains with Bar Keepers Friend

   Wet the pan, sprinkle on a little Bar Keepers Friend, and rub it into a paste with a damp sponge. Scrub the brown haze and outside bottom, then rinse well within about a minute. The steel should look bright again.

7. 7

   Wipe rainbow tint or white spots with vinegar

   Wipe the inside with a cloth dampened with white vinegar, or swirl a mix of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water in the pan for a minute. Rainbow heat tint and chalky water spots fade right away. Rinse.

8. 8

   Dry immediately

   Dry the pan with a soft towel right after rinsing. Air drying leaves water spots, especially if you have hard water.

What causes each stain on stainless steel pans?

Most marks on stainless pans are cosmetic and come from heat, minerals or salt. Each one has its own fix.

All-Clad notes that rainbow and blue discoloration from high heat does not mean the pan is damaged, and that white spots are hard water minerals a vinegar rinse removes. Made In explains that the rainbow tint is the chromium oxide layer thickening when the steel gets very hot.

How to clean a badly burnt stainless steel pan

Use heat and time rather than force: simmer water, then baking soda, then a cleanser, repeating as needed. Scrubbing harder with steel wool only scratches the pan.

• Simmer water with dish soap or a few tablespoons of white vinegar for 5 to 10 minutes and scrape with a wooden spatula.
• Sprinkle baking soda, then pour in a splash of vinegar. It foams, and Made In suggests scrubbing and repeating until the burnt layer dissolves.
• For what remains, use a powdered cookware cleanser paste and a non-scratch sponge.
• Very heavy carbon on the outside of an old pan may need several rounds over a few days. Patience works better than steel wool.

What not to use on stainless steel pans

Skip steel wool, oven cleaner and chlorine bleach. All-Clad’s care guide rules out metal scouring pads, bleach-based cleaners and oven sprays, all of which scratch, pit or discolor the steel.

• Do not leave Bar Keepers Friend sitting. The maker’s FAQ says to leave it on no longer than one minute and to rinse thoroughly.
• Do not salt cold water. Made In explains that undissolved salt sitting on the bottom can pit stainless steel, so add salt once the water boils.
• Do not run the burner on high with an empty pan. That causes most rainbow tint and burnt oil stains.

Dishwashers are allowed by many brands, but they dull the finish over time and leave spots; check your maker’s instructions. For stainless appliances and the sink, see how to clean stainless steel appliances.

Mistakes to avoid

• Plunging a hot pan into cold water, which can warp the base.
• Using steel wool on the cooking surface and leaving permanent scratches.
• Letting Bar Keepers Friend sit for several minutes instead of rinsing within about a minute.
• Adding salt to cold water in a stockpot, which can pit the bottom.
• Letting pans air dry and blaming the white spots on soap.